[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: The meeting of the Mefford School Committee will now come to order. The secretary will call the roll.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Mrs. Cugno? Mrs. DiBenedetto? Present. Mrs. Kreatz? Here. Mrs. Mastoon? Here. Mr. Scurry? Present. Mrs. Van der Kloot, present. Mayor Burke?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Present. Seven present, none absent. All please rise and salute our flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands,
[Unidentified]: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: If everyone could just remain standing, please. It's the 16th anniversary of 9-11, and if we could take a moment of silence for all those that gave their lives that day and everything that transpired after. Thank you.
[Robert Skerry]: Mayor, point of information regarding 9-11?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Point of information, Mr. Skerry.
[Robert Skerry]: Bedford High had a great baseball player in the 60s, John Doherty. John went on to star at Boston College and became a stockbroker. John was a personal friend of mine. He grew up on Newton Road. John was on the 92nd floor when the first plane hit. And as far as we know, he was the only Methodist resident that lost his life on 9-11. And I would hope that we would all remember him in our prayers in the future. Thank you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Amen. Also at this time, if you could remain standing, the Medford School Committee observe a moment of silence on behalf of the victims of Hurricane Harvey and Irma. The Medford School Committee sends its heartfelt thanks to all those who provided shelter and rescue services to people displaced by these extraordinary storms.
[SPEAKER_08]: Thank you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: The first order of business, approval of the minutes of June 19th, 2017. Is there a motion for approval?
[Robert Skerry]: On a motion for approval, Madam Mayor, I just have a point of inquiry.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Point of inquiry, Mr. Skerry.
[Robert Skerry]: The minutes indicated that there was going to be a date set that evening for a subcommittee or a committee of the whole regarding smart brains. And to date, we have not had a meeting. And I was wondering if the superintendent could tell us when he's going to schedule that meeting.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: There's actually an item on the agenda tonight. Dr. Perrella will be presenting information on smart brains. And subsequent to that, we can hold a committee meeting.
[Robert Skerry]: I understand, but there are some parents that want to express concerns to us. And unfortunately, they couldn't be here tonight on such short notice.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: We certainly can have a committee of the whole after this.
[Kathy Kreatz]: Is there a motion approval? I have a question, Mayor Byron. Ms. Kritz. I wanted to know, I recall at the last meeting, the budget meeting, the library was going to have extended hours at the high school. I didn't know if they had an update on what time the library was going to open and the time it was going to close this fall season. Superintendent? Update on library hours.
[Roy Belson]: The library is going to open, the first couple of weeks is getting everything in order, but we'll probably have the people in place over the next week or so.
[Kathy Kreatz]: Okay, great. And I had one other item from, it would be considered, I think, old business. And, you know, I just wanted to bring this up as a matter of concern related to the old business regarding the merger of the high school and the vocational technical high school. It's concerning to me, some of the students and the parents. I recall from the past discussion in the committee packets that it was very clearly expressed that the vocational high school was going to maintain its own identity. However, it doesn't seem like that's happening. Over the first few weeks of school, I've seen some of the recent changes implemented, and they don't identify the vocational high school from the high school counterparts. The two high schools were merged together, and they're no longer unique. The vocational programs are made to distinguish the vocational from the high school. I realize the merger was beneficial to our school system for the financial reasons, However, the vocational school has lost their identity. I've heard from discouraged students, parents, you know, they're asking me why the vocational school has been written off, so to speak. You know, I'm upset, my family is upset. For example, here's some examples that recently, you know, I found out, you know, currently, and we found out during the parent evening session that there is no longer a vocational assistant principal. It's all through the high school, which is a big adjustment for the students. The guidance council was moved over to the high school office, which is also really difficult for the students to get to and to access their guidance Councilor. You know, my son himself has been going back and forth, back and forth, multiple trips, trying to see if the guidance Councilor is in the office. It's about a five minute walk to and from to get back to class. That's just an inconvenience, and I understand that. And maybe the students need to make appointments. However, the students are confused. I'm confused. Parents are confused. Some of the students don't realize that even though it was explained in the student assembly, their assistant principal is at the high school, they don't really think so. They don't believe it. They want to be part of the vocational school. And then some other things that developed that I found out over the last couple of days is that The vocational school won't have a class president or vice president. This is very upsetting. They will only have a med vocational representative. It's just very upsetting. There was a vice president last year. There was assistant president. There was a valedictorian. That's all been taken away. Who will represent the ideas and the needs of the vocational students? It's difficult for one vocational student to relate all the students' needs and concerns to the high school representative. I realize it's going to be one school. but the programs operate very differently, and there needs to be representation from the vocational shop students. A high school student's perspective cannot reflect the vocational student's needs. They're really different. Their days are structured differently. Like my son has one week of shop, one week of academics. During his week of academics, he has double blocks of academics, two blocks of math, two blocks of English. He's behind on the testing schedule. Their timelines are very different. Another thing I learned today while I was reaching out to get a copy of my son's transcript, and I received a letter along with a copy of my transcript that explained to me that from this point on, they are now under the high school number. Last year, he had his own number, and it's on the enrollment package in this year's enrollment. There was 56 students in the class. However, For the transcript, it's now going to be grouped together, which changes the class ranking, and it's really upsetting to the students. They didn't know this was happening. I didn't know this was happening. I found this out today. I was upset. I know it doesn't matter to me what your class ranking is. I say do the best you can. You've got good grades. I'm not all about that, but it was so upsetting that we didn't know this. I went to the parent evening night last week. This wasn't brought up. None of these issues were brought up. All of this information is getting trickled down, and the students are finding it out, and they're telling me. And then here's another issue, is that the SkillsUSA program, that's exclusively for vocational students. are we going to dissolve the SkillsUSA? Because that's for the shop students. So what I wanted to do was make a motion or a resolution to request a full report for our next meeting so we can discuss the updates and ask what the community thinks about all these updates. And maybe invite some of the vocational students and maybe some representatives from the site council of the high school and some of the administrators from the site council to come. and talk about these updates because I think when we moved to make it one school, I clearly remember in every discussion it was told that the vocational school will have its own identity. I mean, I remember it. So well, I just that's all I remember I say that we sure are you sure and that's what my concern was Because I represent the vocational students. I'm there. I popped in, you know, just last week to check with everybody Everything's going well with the new vice-principal. I think it's the students are confused This is a really big adjustment and it's just when we went from last year June and You're a vocational student. This year, my son is going to graduate with a high school degree. He loves and he's proud to be a vocational student. He's shocked. He is just shocked and upset. And I wanted him to come tonight, but he didn't want to. He's actually really busy, and he didn't want to come forward. But I'm just speaking on his behalf for his friends, and it's upsetting. I don't want to go on and on much more, but I just had to. I've been frustrated, and I've been emailing people. I just had to mention my concerns.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you, Ms. Kreatz. Mr. Superintendent, could you address some of those concerns, please?
[Roy Belson]: So, we have been talking about a merger of the high school and the vocational school for multiple years. This is not a new topic. The fact that it's starting to happen obviously brings about change. And change is sometimes difficult for everyone to understand what it means. The vocational school has its own identity by virtue of the fact it's governed by Chapter 74. And youngsters will get occupational proficiency certificates and other aspects that are purely vocational. The opportunity for the high school students to explore programs at the vocational school was one of our goals. The opportunity for vocational students to take advanced courses at the high school was one of our goals. The opportunity to share faculty members was one of our goals, and we've talked about this extensively. But clearly, change is difficult, and it warrants maybe another meeting, a committee of the whole, to go into it in great depth, to talk about the things you're concerned about. But clearly, we did talk about merging, and we talked about some of the sharing of activities. Now, as far as class officers and things of that go, those are things that can be worked out. But in terms of sharing classes, in terms of sharing programs, having 240 youngsters explore CTE options is something that never could have been done before. Class rank. Pardon me?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Class rank.
[Roy Belson]: Class rank, those things are all things that would come together. Clearly, there's some misunderstandings or perhaps some serious questions. Now, let's have a committee of the whole. Let's go into it in great depth so that everyone understands. And if there's a modification that has to be made, we'll talk about making it. The other thing is reporting to the state. If we have two codes in reporting to the state, we're going to gum up our ability to report to the state in an efficient and effective way. So we've got to talk it through. We went down this road because we felt this would give our youngsters greater opportunity. But obviously, maybe we didn't explain it well enough, or maybe there needs to be more explanation. And maybe we need to hear from some students and others. But clearly, this was something that we've talked about extensively for multiple years. But let's have a committee to hold. That's probably the best way to do it.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you, Mr. Superintendent. Ms. Cugno.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Over the years, that's been something that we've always, as a committee, we've discussed. That we have a jewel in this city, that we do have a vocational school, and we do have a high school. The goal was, and as Ms. Kreatz has pointed out, the goal was is to give the opportunities to our students. Whether they go over to the vocational side or our students from the vocational side go over to our high school side. But as far as the changes that Ms. Kreatz is discussing tonight, I have to say I'm really surprised because with The changes, we also made it very clear that we understood the codes that need to be changed because of the laws. But we also knew the uniqueness of this school. And so listening to all of a sudden the ranking being changed and no valedictorian and things like that. Those are things that are very, very concerning, not only as parents or school committee members, but take us out of it. Think of the students. Think of the students that are, especially students that are juniors and seniors this year, that have been thinking of this their whole entire time that they've been up at the high school or have heard of the high school and what the process is. If we're going to go down an avenue to make, bless you. If we're going to go down an avenue that takes us that way, this is, as you just mentioned, we are going to have the Committee of the Whole. I actually second Ms. Cress' motion. It has to be discussed. We can't just expect our students to come in in September and all of a sudden everything changed. If we're going to be changing these things, we need to figure out which ones that need to be changed gradually. Let's grandfather the students that have been pertaining to this, that it pertains to. If this is something that we're going to change as far as the valedictorian or the grades or our guidance Councilor being on the other side of the school. These are things that need to be discussed. It can't be discussed or just written in a letter and just sent home or just told on a morning that our students are coming to school. It's just not fair. So I am happy that-
[Kathy Kreatz]: We found out a letter was mailed home to the families. And even when I got the letter and it said that there's going to be a parent evening night for the high school and vocational families, I didn't know that letter meant that my son now has a different assistant. I had no idea. In fact, I called my colleague Paulette to say, Paulette, did you know about this? because I was so baffled. My sister was confused. I was getting calls from parents. What does this mean? What happened to the vocational school? I said, I don't know anything about this.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: You know, I just want to say again, we've already discussed that we're going to have to have a committee of the whole make it really clear out there to our parents and our students are teachers. that before, I mean, all this is changing. We really need to have a discussion, and it has to be an open discussion. There are things that are going on in the school system that, you know, we don't know, that maybe parents are not aware of, so the discussion has to be made. And I hope that parents, you know, come to the table, and students come to the table, bringing their concerns, and we could really have a discussion on this. Because again, the whole point of really going forward with this was the fact that We have a jewel, it is a very different type of situation and thrilled that especially our vocational students have the opportunities because a lot of them are going off to college that have the same type of opportunities and they're not taking night courses and things like that. But in the same way, we have to be sensitive in making sure that we're not taking everything away from both sides. Thank you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Ms.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Van De Kloet.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: There is a saying which says that the devil is in the details and I sort of feel like that's part of what our discussion about the vocational school and the the changes we had this summer, because while I'm having a feeling that perhaps the administration, it was all perfectly clear to them, all of these details, from the school committee perspective, as I had expressed to the superintendent, once I learned of some of the changes, was not clear at all. For example, I was not clear that all of a sudden, guidance Councilor would no longer sit in that particular office over on their side, or that the kids would not have an assistant principal with them in the course of where those SHOP programs are held. Maybe there's a good rationale behind a lot of the different changes, but quite honestly, I don't understand all of them. And I think, I mean, as every, my colleagues have said, it's important for us to understand it in order to embrace them or to say, hey, wait a second. does that really need to be and how do we maintain that identity for the vocational program, which I'll say the vocational program, because it's important that we have that identity held strong so that in the future, not only are they Mighty Mustangs, but they're members of the vocational program. I think it's possible to be both in a very positive way. So I look forward to the follow-up on this. I certainly have a lot of questions as well. And when I say that, I don't want to take away from the work that was done by so many in being able to bring some of the walls down, because there was a lot of work, and there are a lot of advantages. And so we want to go forward being able to take advantage of all those positive things, but also really looking back and saying, wait a second, is that what we thought, and how does that work?
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Thank you. Mr. Benedetto. Thank you. So as the superintendent says, you know, change is good and difficult at the same time. Whenever you're growing, there's growing pains. But throughout change, what's necessary, and I think what hasn't happened here, is So I, as a school committee member, am very shocked to hear that there won't be a class valedictorian from the vocational program at graduation, because I pushed very many years ago to make sure that That happened and that they had a presence on the stage and they had a voice at graduation because it wasn't always celebrated as well as it is now at graduation. And we celebrate both parts of our school together. So to see that disappear is sad to me, because the programs are very different, and students work and excel in different ways. And the way we pick valedictorian for one side of our programming might be different than how we pick it from another, and both have equal value. And those kids need to be celebrated and have that option and that moment to shine. in the same abilities that every other student is able to. So class rank, we're having this discussion about another subject with our new computer programming. And I as a parent really feel like that was important. when my child was applying for schools, because your class rank matters if you're applying to certain schools. And having that knowledge or knowing that if I just get that one more AP class or work a little harder in this section and I can meet that, I can be on the table for that school. So I do think that there's value there as well. And putting these different programs in one one bag isn't going to fare well for some of our top students in different sides. So we really need to look at the details and we need to be better at communicating the little things. Cause if the school committee members didn't know about these issues, about people changing sides of where they sit and that, um, So many things important to our juniors and seniors are changing. And how do we expect our parents to know that, and our students to know that, and to come in and find that out in that manner isn't appropriate. So I agree, and I thank my colleague for bringing this forward with a strong voice. And I agree, I second your motion to have a committee meeting and I invite all of our community to come forward and talk about the future of this merger.
[Robert Skerry]: Mayor Burke.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Mr. Skerry.
[Robert Skerry]: I too share the concerns of my colleagues. I have received calls. There's been a great amount of work put in to merge the two schools and we say drop a lot of curtains and get to the bottom of things. It's clearly imperative that we do need a committee meeting of the whole, and I would hope that we could schedule one as soon as possible.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: On the motion for committee of the whole, offered by Ms. Kreatz, seconded by Ms. Cuno and Mr. Benedetto. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? The motion passes. The minutes approval of the minutes Motion for approval. Is there a second seconded by miss Punio? All those in favor. Aye all those opposed motion passes Approval of payroll approval. There's an approval by mr. Scary seconded by miss Punio mayor Burke Mr. Benedetto, sorry, I'm
[Erin DiBenedetto]: I'll wait until the next section. Sorry, I was jumping ahead.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Motion for approval. All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? Motion passes. Report of Secretary. None?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: There's none.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: None.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: You didn't do a roll call vote for bills or transfer of funds?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Approval of bills transferred is a roll call vote, please.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Mrs. Cugno? Yes. Mrs. DiBenedetto?
[Erin DiBenedetto]: I had one question on bills.
[Annie Wells]: in the middle of the roll.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: I think I approve. I approve. And I'll direct my question to the finance director after the meeting. OK.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Thank you. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yes. I mean, the affirmative zero on the negative motion passes. Mr. Benedetto, you had a question?
[Erin DiBenedetto]: I just had a question on a legal fee for on page page 23 of what? No. Sorry, highlighted it. On page 17 of 47, payment of $600 to James Collins Esquire for school committee legal expenses. I'm just curious, we have a lawyer on retainer, so I was wondering why we had a separate cost for a different lawyer.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Ms.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Patterson? either to the superintendent or to the finances director.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: What page? I can't hear you, Erin.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Page 17, to James R. Collins, Esquire, $600. It says the account school committee legal expense. Oh, OK.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Right here. So James R. Collins.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: Yes, thank you. Without knowing specifically underneath, this is regarding an arbitration hearing. So that is a separate fee.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: You'll confirm that? Yes.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: OK, thank you. Should that be under special education then, or? OK. It should be under special education. It's legal to. OK, thank you. OK.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Approval of payrolls. Roll call vote.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Mrs. Cugno? Yes. Mrs. DiBenedetto? Yes. Mrs. Kreatz? Yes. Mrs. Stoney? Yes. Mr. Scurry? Yes. Mrs. Vanderpoot? Yes. Mayor Buerkle?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yes. Seven in the affirmative, none in the negative. Motion passes. Report of secretary? None. Report of committees? None. Community participation? None. Yes.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: I think we had a request.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: I believe we're waiting for our attorney to attend so that we can provide more information. Would you mind if we just table this item and we'll come back as soon as he enters? Thank you. Report of superintendent. Report on the opening of schools. School year 17-18. Mr. Superintendent.
[Roy Belson]: Mayor and members of the committee. So school year 2017 and 2018 officially began on Tuesday, August 29th, for students grades one to 12 and for kindergarten students on Wednesday, September 6th. And overall, it was a good opening. As usual, there were a few items that required adjustment. Administration, faculty, staff invested substantial time and expertise to get a positive result. This evening, you'll hear specific reports that document the opening, and additional reports will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead. As a school committee, you have been very supportive in supporting a number of the programs and budget lines that I'll enumerate right now, talking about some of the improvements that are now involved in the schools. So significant maintenance and construction around the district was accomplished. Various individual school projects will continue during the next few months. The new multimedia studio was completed. Bistro 49 is about a month away from operational completion. Additional parking has been added to the high school complex, replacing the skateboard park. And a number of capital fund projects will be advanced this fall. Class sizes are very good throughout the district, and you have a detailed chart in your materials. New members of our management team have been hired and have been made an excellent transition. Major positions include a Vocational Technical Principal Director, an ELL Director, a Brooks Assistant Principal, Director of Fine Arts, McGlynn Middle Assistant Principal, and Director of Technology have all assumed their roles quite seamlessly. We've hired 62 new personnel this year. We have a chart attached to this report to fill vacant slots and to enhance our programs. Our elementary science program has substantial new materials and we're actively piloting a new textbook series. Each school is receiving a minimum of 50 new Chromebooks with charging cards to enhance our technology utilization. We've expanded our library staff to support expanded hours at the high school and better access at the K-8 programs. The middle schools have more foreign language this year. The additional health teacher at the middle school will ensure that all students have access to the Michigan model. And a special grant from the Attorney General's funds will enhance our opiate prevention education initiative. A special grant from the Cummings Foundation will support expanded citizenship and community service education. A grant from the state treasurer will support a new financial literacy initiative entitled Credit for Life. A global scholars program will be expanded and we will participate in an international symposium. Our high school vocational school merger is moving forward. We think it benefits students grades nine to 12. We've just had this discussion, so I'll put that off until we have our committee in the hall. We have maintained a comprehensive curriculum that offers a full range of courses to students. Unlike many other school systems, art and music have been enhanced and not cut back. Once again, we have finished the year with a balanced budget, despite federal and state cutbacks. We're working collaboratively to increase inclusivity in all our programs. Our early childhood programs are among the best in the state. The family network is a wonderful resource to young families. We have excellent before and after school programs available. You'll receive some reports on that this evening. Each new year brings some challenges, and this year is no exception. But I'm confident that we'll meet our challenges and make progress in all areas of our school system. MCAS 2.0 will be in full force in 2018. This past year was a trial year, and we will be receiving authorization to release results sometime in October. A new test using some different formats certainly requires our attention. Federal and state finance is uncertain. Expanded attempts at privatization and reductions in key line items will require resourceful creativity to meet our needs. There are already some programs that have felt the cut from Washington. There are others that are being proposed and being a shift of funds. A growing number of EL students will require modified programs that are responsive to the needs of those learners. We did move the newcomers program from the Roberts over to the Brooks, but it did also affect us in the transportation line item. So we need to talk about how those things work. Expanded demands for technological capacity will require investment. We're going to file for additional funding to match the E-rate that we've filed in Washington, which will expand our capacity to put on technology. Spring 2018, we'll see a new coordinated program review of our district by DESE. It happens every six years. We'll be ready. I believe that Kathleen D'Aguilio and her staff are doing a great job putting that together. Applications for additional capital projects to improve our facilities will require substantial planning and follow through. On October 5th, we'll have a visit from SBA, School Building Authority, to go over the SOI that you approved and City Council approved us to submit, and we'll see where we stand with that as possible improvements to this facility. The review and adoption of several policies align with new laws and regulations. Every year there's new laws and regulations that come out, and every year we have to think about how we're going to deal with them. And every year there's some little wrinkle that comes up that requires an adjustment on our part. The potential transition of key personnel will require planning and recruitment. Every year there's some transition of key players, just like we talked about earlier in my message. And we need a plan for that so that we can go forward as smoothly as we are right now. Beyond the above concerns, it is important that we recognize that schools are much more than academic institutions. The recent Phi Delta cap and poll of the public's attitudes towards public schools made the following statement. Academic achievement isn't the only mission. Americans overwhelmingly support investments in career preparation and personal skills. Medford has consistently advocated for the whole child and youth transition to adulthood. We must continue on that path. Another key concern is media literacy. We must help our students to develop the media literacy necessary to counteract the hateful ideas, the rhetoric, and the behaviors that are emerging unchallenged in our society. The late Senator Patrick Moynihan, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, said, you are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts. Opinion has become as true as facts today. The September edition of the Atlantic Monthly explained it this way. The internet and competing media outlets allows us to create communities that reinforce our preconceived beliefs with or without evidence. Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel said, the opposite of love is not hate, it is indifference. Our most important curriculum will always be a curriculum of caring. As we begin a new school year, we must rededicate ourselves to truth, to love and human development, as well as academic proficiency. We cannot be indifferent. Our students and our community need us to stand up. We need to help each other meet the challenge. And there's no better time than the present. to embrace a curriculum of care, and I know we can do it. Thank you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you, Mr. Superintendent. Are there any questions? Ms. Cuno?
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Just a couple. Actually, to go back on the report that the superintendent just read off, As my colleague actually mentioned just a little while ago, just to go back real quick on the high school and vocational side. I do urge that we have the committee of the whole sooner rather than later, because there has been tremendous work done by all. And I don't want the information that we got out tonight to really impair that. So instead of having rumors and things going around like wild and rampant, I really do hope that we can have this meeting of a whole as quickly as possible so that way we can work on this and that we can discuss what really is going on and what changes are going to happen. The other thing is I was just looking at the Andrews Middle School and the McGlynn Middle School. I know that when we were looking at it, at budget time there was approximately 50 students, more at the Andrews than the McGlynn. And I thought we were going to try to work something out to maybe even that out a little bit more. So there could be some clarification on that?
[Roy Belson]: Not this year. We talked about, and you have something in the back of your folder about an action plan going forward. It's not possible to make that change right now. So we'll work on that this year and hopefully by next year we'll smooth that out. If you notice the 7th and 8th grade, fairly close. The 6th grade is really remarkably different. It's like 47, 48 students. And so that's a whole discussion and we've done some work on that and we'll be happy to present on that going forward.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: with enrollment, and I don't know if this might be for Diane Caldwell. For last year, we have last year district enrollment for 9.916 compared to this year. So the only for the high school vocational last year was 13.65, this year is 13.50, so that makes sense. The Andrews and the McGlynn Middle School were 9.46, now we're 9.38. The one that I'm just curious if you have any insight is the total for the four elementary last year were 18.92, and this year was 16.08, a difference of 284. Is that something with our demographics or I don't know if that seems like such a big bump. The 16th.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: The 16th verse. We have the report on enrollment, item three.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: I can't hear anybody.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Item three is our report on enrollment. Should we hold that in abeyance until we get to that paper?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Oh, sorry. Sorry. You got it.
[SPEAKER_12]: We'll answer that at that point. Thank you.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Is there no other questions? I just have a housekeeping. I didn't receive, attach the, I received one page of new hires, but not the second page. So I don't know.
[SPEAKER_12]: It should be a back to back. No, it's not. We'll get it for you. If you could send those out to us, I'd appreciate it.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: And then if we could take up that issue again about the Andrews-McGlynn when we're under enrollment.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Very good. Is there a motion to receive and place this paper on file? Motion by Ms. Gary, seconded by Ms. Van der Kloot. All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? Motion passes. Report on Administrative Meetings and New Teacher Induction Week, Mr. Superintendent.
[Roy Belson]: I call upon our Deputy Superintendent, Beverly Nelson, to present this report.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Welcome, Ms. Nelson. Good evening.
[Beverly Nelson]: The week of August 21st to 25th was extremely busy for both administrators and for new teachers. Everyone was engaged in different meetings and activities. I'm going to turn this over first to Dr. Riccadeli as she really spearheaded the induction week for us with the new teachers.
[Bernadette Ricciardelli]: Thank you. Good evening, Madam Mayor and members of the Medford School Committee. So I am here tonight to report on our induction program that began on August 22nd. The 2017 New Teacher Induction Program was designed to introduce our newest educators to the district's policies and procedures, to familiarize them with curricular programs and technological applications And most importantly, to acclimate them to Medford as a caring educational partnership of school, family, and community. We're hopeful that we achieved that goal. So this year, we planned a four-day program that began, as I said, on Tuesday, August 22nd. It really was spearheaded by our mentor coordinator, elementary teacher Donna Lasky. If you remember last year, Jody Lu, who is now the assistant principal at the McGlynn, was the co-coordinator. So this year, Donna Lasky really spearheaded, and I did help her with it. A program schedule was sent to the committee, and we thank those of you who were able to attend. Some minor adjustments were made based on some emerging needs at the last moment. Workshops were held on a variety of topics that included the use of technology and our technology systems, including School Brains, Google, and TeachPoint, which is our evaluation management system. New teachers were provided guidance on the educator evaluation tool by Paul DeLeva, Andrews Middle School principal, and myself. A best practices workshop for grades 6 through 12 teachers was facilitated by former Medford Middle School teacher, Maureen Scholar Freeman. Curricula support workshops for elementary staff provided an introduction to the important journeys and envisions program. for our district literacy and math programs. Teachers Abby Herman and Reagan O'Donoghue facilitated those workshops. The induction program also included workshops on professionalism, a workshop on professionalism conducted by Medford High School Headmaster John Perella. And I will tell you that I think that program got probably the highest review. So thank you, Dr. Perella. for that. We also had a social emotional health session which was facilitated by supervisor of nursing, Tony Vento, and supervisor of health and PE and athletics, Rachel Perry, also well received. Consistent with our mission of creating a healthy social-emotional learning environment in the classroom, social studies teacher Elisabetta Dineu provided the group with strategies and tools on how to use yoga in the classroom. At the conclusion of this four-day program, we did ask the new teachers for feedback. We got a lot of great feedback, most of it very positive. There were some logistical comments that we know that we can refine for next year, but they were very minor. So we'll take that feedback and make the program even better for 2018. I am happy to take any questions if you have any. Thank you very much.
[Beverly Nelson]: The new teachers were busy, the administrators were also busy. We multitask around here and people were going from meeting to meeting. The administrative meeting started on Monday, the 21st. And again, most administrators have been working all summer. doing a variety of things, a lot of hiring goes on, reviewing of the preliminary MCAS test scores, but officially we began with our meetings on the 21st. We welcomed our new administrators, the superintendent already referred to those individuals, so I will not repeat them again. We covered many topics that are related to the opening of school and the events that are going to occur this year, such as the Coordinated Program Review and our Professional Development Program. There were several DESE updates that when we went to the MASS conference this summer, we learned about many new changes and topics like teacher licensure that we shared with the administrators that week. Administrators also received additional training in the use of ASAP, which is our substitute teacher program that we will continue to use this year. And again, administrators were provided, we tried to have a balance of informative meetings, but also allow administrators time to open buildings, to get things started, and part of their week was spent, we had time with new teachers as well. We felt that the week was very useful, there was a lot of effort and planning that went into it for many people, and we thank all of our teachers and administrators who contributed to both the Administrative Week schedule and the New Teacher Induction Program. I've attached the agenda of the Administrative Week schedule. I know Bernadette already had sent you the New Teacher Schedule Induction Week, so I didn't want to waste any more paper, so I just had that one attached. Anyone has any questions?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: I just want to say thank you to both people and Mrs. Lasky for organizing the new teacher induction and the administrative meetings. I had the opportunity to come up to the high school and say hello to the new teachers and of course they all look so young.
[Beverly Nelson]: We always have a great group of them. We always think going into the summer, well we don't have that many positions to hire, and then alas, it's 45, 50 people. We also thank WB Mason. They came forward with some goody bags for the teachers, and they welcomed those as well. So everybody pitched in, and Diane Caldwell obviously played an important role in planning the administrative week. I didn't mean to leave her out.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Very good. Thank you. Your motion to receive and place this report on file. So moved by Ms. Puno, seconded by Ms. Vandafood. All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? The motion passes. Report on enrollment and class dies. Mr. Superintendent.
[Roy Belson]: We'll call on Assistant Superintendent Diane Caldwell to present this report and to address the question raised by a member of the staff.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: We found it. It was the missing kindergarten column.
[Diane Caldwell]: Good evening, everyone. I think we did resolve the issue. portion, we didn't have kindergarten numbers because the children weren't in school at that time. And then one other piece of it, we didn't have preschool numbers down either. So that's where the discrepancy came. Good evening, everybody. Please find the attached current enrollment numbers effective September 5th through September 7th, 2017. It is still early in the school year, and the Parent Information Center continues to be busy with additional registrations. As you know, the Parent Information Center is right outside my offices, and we continue to have rows of people from different countries coming in, as well as people just moving into our city. Elementary class size at all grade levels are excellent. We have provided the Roberts Elementary School with additional classes in grades three and four, and I'd like to thank the school committee for that. As you know, through the charts, you will notice that the enrollment in grade six at the Andrews is significantly higher than grade six at the McGlynn Middle School. Due to this number, we have not transferred any additional students to the Andrews. We are preparing an action plan moving forward to help balance enrollment numbers at the middle schools, and as the superintendent mentioned, we will get you that information. Medford High School and the vocational school enrollment numbers in grades 9 and 10 are consolidated. Ms. Sawyer did say that she would try to make a breakout for me so that I can see actually how many students are in the vocational school for grades 9 and 10. We will provide you with additional information as the year progresses.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you. Mr. Benedetto.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Thank you. Thank you for this. It really does look great. Our class sizes are in great shape. I mean, some of them around 2021, which is the top that we'd like to be at. But overall, throughout the district, it looks very well attended at each school. I do see a lot of room at the Columbus school and the class sizes are much lower there and we talked about that a little bit before our meeting. And how we would like to maybe look at programs that could be moved to that school to add and free up some some crowding at other schools. So we want to keep that in mind for this year and maybe we can put some procedures or some implementation of those projects for this school year so that we're up and running with that and whatever. But the other thing which we're also talking about is, as a side note, on the back of that, of requested reports and I know some of the reports that were requested last year that weren't finished are not on this list. So if you need me to look back, Superintendent Belson, and remind you which ones are outstanding, I can do that and email that to you this week. If not, if you do have it, I'd like to see it on next week's agenda so that way we follow through with any motions or resolutions that were asked for last year and that The time went past and we didn't have enough time to finish those reports last year. And one of them, I believe, was how the new development is impacting our moment in our school districts. We have had a few developments that have recently been opened in more people. living in those buildings, and we don't know how that's impacting our students or our populations at each school. And I requested it almost a year ago, might have been after January last year, and I know that that report wasn't forthcoming. And I'm not saying that it's going to be easy to get those numbers, but I would like to see them. Moving forward, if there is a lot of development in one district or one area or one elementary school area, do we have to look at maybe redistricting some of the newer buildings brought online to see if they could go to a school less populated and how we want to look at that? And we want to follow that this year because there are some, a lot of new building going on in the Wellington Circle area, which could affect both the McGlenn and the Roberts. And those are our schools. I mean, yeah, the McGlenn and the Roberts. And those are our schools with the highest population of students, if you look. They're both over 500 students, our close are over 500 students, and our other two schools have less.
[Unidentified]: So we just want to look at where people are moving into the city, what places are they moving into, what places are they moving into with young children attending our elementary school, and what are the inappropriate places to be put them in. it.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: So he'll be looking at all of those so you'll have factual information I think and we're gonna be very surprised at how little they have actually impacted our school system But we'll wait to get the numbers to confirm that and that should be for As well as new development that hasn't yet been approved is like where that's gonna happen throughout the city and how that future
[Erin DiBenedetto]: those future developments could impact us. Those having the present numbers will help us know what the prediction is for the next.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: They will help us predict for sure. Thank you.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Thank you. So there is a motion on the floor to have that report.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Second. On the motion that a report be submitted with the numbers that some of our larger developers have submitted. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes.
[Roy Belson]: So it's Trisha. It's important to understand that every time we move populations to different parts of the city, it impacts transportation. So that when we did the newcomers program movement from the Roberts to the Brooks, it cost us an extra bus. So it's tricky, we may have to look at redistricting as a better alternative. Quite frankly, as the mayor points out, I think when you see the numbers coming out of the new developments, it hasn't really impacted us much at all. Now, it may in the future, but right now it hasn't.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Mayor Burke? Mr. Skerry had a point of information.
[Robert Skerry]: for both of you. What is the status of the project on Volker Street, where they indicated they were bringing in 700 rental units?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: No, they didn't say 700. It was 400 and something, but it's in the land court. Appeals have been filed in the land court. No decisions have been made by any judge on any of the issues pending there.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Yes, my question, I heard something about there will be an action report, and I think that's in relation to the discrepancy of enrollment between the Andrews and McGlynn, is that correct? That's correct. Okay, and when are we to expect that?
[SPEAKER_12]: It's in your folder. The report is in the back of our file.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Okay. And the biggest concern I have right at the moment, I think that there's a long term and a short term, but clearly we heard from some parents of students who did not get their first choice school and were very upset about that. And I just wanted to make sure that we follow those kids and make sure that their acclimation to the new school is in fact going well and they're not being adversely impacted.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Is there approximately 40 on the wait list, or is it higher?
[Roy Belson]: Well, it's not so much a wait list. There's a 48, 49 people differential between the schools. And I think it was 14 on the wait list.
[Unidentified]: That's it, 14?
[Roy Belson]: Yeah, 14. But if one goes, then the other 13 legitimately say, how come not me? So at this point in time, we really can't make any moves. Talked to a number of people. Some people accept no better than other people.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Excuse me, I read my packet thoroughly and I don't, did you just give us an action report?
[SPEAKER_12]: It's in there. It's at the very back of the folder.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Well, maybe it's in someone's, but it's not in mine. I have the Yoki, I have the purple paper, I have the executive session. I do not have that paper.
[SPEAKER_12]: You don't?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: No wonder, I don't know. Thank you. I still don't have it. So now I do.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: But that means that this is a paper that we received tonight that we have not been able to review yet. OK.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: So maybe perhaps we could put it on the agenda for follow-up at our next meeting.
[SPEAKER_12]: I don't think it belongs on an agenda. I think it's, at this point in time, down the road.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: No, actually, I think it's quite important.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: If we have questions about it, I'd like to put it on the agenda, please.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: There's been a lot of discussion about it. I think the public needs to know, the parents need to know, what are we doing to make changes at the McGlynn, to beef it up so that there's more of a demand for that middle school. So I think it's very important that we talk about it. I just have one follow up question. I didn't get to ask. I'm sorry. I just wanted to ask on the report regarding the high school numbers and the vocational numbers.
[Kathy Kreatz]: So what I was confused about, because all the discussion I was hearing that the two schools were getting combined, and I wasn't sure why the numbers were separated for the high school and the vocational for grades 11 and 12, but not the freshman and sophomore classes.
[Roy Belson]: So the reason for that was the fact that, remember, there are any number of youngsters exploring over the vocational school right now. There's over 240 youngsters exploring in grade nine. For the most flexible years, we're in grades 11 and 12. A week and B week tends to come in to play for several of the options. Not all, but several of the options. So it was an attempt to just simply consolidate numbers. But we can get a breakout for you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: OK. Thank you. All motions to receive in place on file, the report on enrollment numbers. Motion for approval. Second. Seconded by Ms. Vanderclute. All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? Motion passes. Report on building and grounds projects.
[Roy Belson]: Mr. McLaughlin is here to give us a report of what has been done and what more is going to be done. As I indicated earlier, the SOI is being reviewed by SBA on October 5th. So a lot's going to happen. Here's an update as we stand right now.
[Mr. McLaughlin]: Good evening, Mayor Burke, Superintendent Belson's committee. So, as I said in the report, I was very pleased with the amount of projects that we were able to tackle in the short window. As always, the maintenance continues. There's always room for more. As long as the budget can handle it, we'll be happy to take care of it. And I just want to give a quick thanks to our friends at the DPW and the Park Department, as well as today we need the Water Department to help us out for a few minutes. They're always there for us. But if there's any questions I can answer, I'd be happy to.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Could you just highlight some of the projects you did this summer? Sure. Because you got quite a bit completed.
[Mr. McLaughlin]: So at the high school here, we did some Jersey barrier work out in the exterior. of the fence area, as well as up in the back by Edgeley Field. We had some ceiling issues in the theater that we had fixed. Door 31, where the pool entrance is, we did some extensive work out there. Ms. Mustone was very active, and actually Mayor Burke as well, in spearheading some of those improvements out there. And we were up in the community schools area trying to bring that back a little bit. We realized that on the weekends, a lot of people traverse the back of the building, and in a lot of cases, more than the front. So we're really concentrating up back, trying to really make that area look very good. The kids' corner, we did a lot of work over there. both rooms over there and we installed air conditioners for the youngsters. Yeah, that was Erin.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: No, I have a question.
[Mr. McLaughlin]: You were one of the ones that was very concerned.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: There was a question whether the doors could be looked at because some of them don't close very well in the kid's corner as well as check the bathroom. Some of them need some updating.
[Mr. McLaughlin]: We did have the bathrooms, it is part of our plan, it's just that unfortunately we started to run out of time at the end, so we were just trying to touch up other areas. During the break, Christmas break, maybe? I mean, we'll go over there and we'll take a look and see what we can do in the now. But anything that needs to take more than a few days, we'll handle it during the... Just especially the doors, with closing them with the little fingers, you know?
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Just want to be careful of that. So I don't know if they swell up or anything, or what the situation is. but if you could look at that.
[Mr. McLaughlin]: Absolutely, we'll take a look at it. I'm in touch with Linda a lot. She's on it, she's good. So moving on. So we did some work in the Parent Information Center where we made another office for ELL so that they could run their program a little bit more efficiently. In the other schools at Columbus, we did some painting with the DOC. We did some work in the tot lots as well as we did some planting because there is some erosion within a butter. So they were very concerned about the land eroding around their fence. So we went in there and we planted some flower, some invasive species to kind of hold it together. Hopefully that works out, if it doesn't then we'll maybe have to put a retaining wall up next year or something to really kind of, but the landscaper suggested that we start there. In the Andrews, we did some work with, we had to put a new backboard in because it broke. And we also did some painting, and Wegmans was gracious enough to volunteer some of their help to come in and paint the main stairwell over there, which was very nice of them. We're in the process right now of ordering a scrubbing machine. They haven't had one over there for quite a while, so they can more efficiently clean their corridors and their common areas as well. Let's see, highlights. We did it, we were able to get another classroom at the Curtis Tufts done where we stripped off the varnish. So that was really good. So hopefully we can keep moving in the right direction down there. You know, from last year where we did a lot of work and with the lighting and everything and the painting. And I mean, there's many more. I could take up the whole night
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you, John. Could you just get the power washing out for the signs to each of the schools?
[Mr. McLaughlin]: Yeah, we're going to, and I spoke with the superintendent about it, and that's one of our goals, is we want to look into getting some power washing done of Method High School, especially the exterior, as well as some signs at the entrances of the different schools as well, yes. Thank you, John. That's going to be one of our
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you. Mr. Skerry.
[Robert Skerry]: Just a tip of the hat to you, John, and your staff at the Curtis Tops. That could be our gem of all gems that is hidden. It's been many years since anything substantial has been done. But obviously in the last eight to 12 months, I've seen a complete 180 there. And it was great to walk through and see the floors. as they were when the school was probably first built in the 30s.
[Mr. McLaughlin]: Yeah, I was very happy that we were able to figure out a way to bring those floors back. They look fantastic. Yeah, they do. Thank you. They really do.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: John, in your report, you attached information from an inspection from the plaster in this auditorium. And it's difficult for us to see because the lights are in our eyes. I noted that you said that we made ceiling repairs. So are the ceiling repairs consistent? with the recommendations in the report, and did we have our guys do that, or did we have professionals come in?
[Mr. McLaughlin]: No, we had a professional plasterer come in, and that's good that you don't see the repairs. That's what it's all about, I guess.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: We can't tell anything. Right above us, actually.
[Mr. McLaughlin]: Right where I'm standing. Right where I'm standing.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: So all of those were taken care of?
[Mr. McLaughlin]: Yes, we were very, we worked with the building department, the superintendent was very, we were very concerned making sure. We had a structural engineer come in to make sure everything was okay and they gave us a report.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: And I guess the key part of that is besides the repair work, it sounded like any issues that allowed water in that might have caused this are taken care of.
[Mr. McLaughlin]: Yes, right now we had an infrared scan on top over here, and we brought out the infrared scan, we went up there with the plasters, we went up there to walk around, and there isn't really any water getting up there, and I'm thinking that it was something that happened a long, long time ago, and it just kind of started to work its way out on its own. And it was just separating from the lab that's up above it. And it's just one of those things. We'll obviously keep our eye on it. But it's just one of those things that happens in a building.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: So all the rest of the areas were tested?
[Mr. McLaughlin]: Yes, and there was some other little spots that they were able to go up and touch them up.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Okay, thank you. Mr. Scarron, you're all set. Ms. DiBenedetto. Thank you. And then Ms.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Cuno. So, sorry I jumped in too early before, but Since we're having power washers, are we going to be washing the windows at some of the buildings? I know it's very difficult to get to the exterior, and you need specialized equipment, especially like the Andrews and the McGlynn, and how you get back to the top. But it makes a tremendous difference. And if we haven't done it in a very long time, I know it's extremely expensive, but I really feel like
[Mr. McLaughlin]: it makes a tremendous impact, similar to the shades at... Well, some of the power washing, I'm assuming, you know, ground level stuff, more than likely we'll be able to handle on our own. But obviously, we're gonna have to have some kind of, especially at Medford High School, we're gonna have to have a company come in with lifts and staging and just to get up and do it. And I'm assuming that they would, you know, we would obviously get the windows, I mean, that would be the time to do it. And the same at the other schools when we decide just exactly what we're looking to do as far as power washing goes, you know? So I, yeah.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Please keep it in mind.
[Mr. McLaughlin]: It's something I could definitely research too, because they do have, excuse me, they do have equipment out there for window washing that can go up really high. I was looking at it a year or two ago. I didn't think it was the right time. But it could be now.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Very good. Ms. Cuno, I apologize if any of my colleagues have already said this, but it's kind of hard to hear a few things. I know that the discussion came up with bathrooms. And I'm not sure which schools we were talking about or if we were discussing- That was the kids' corner bathroom.
[Mr. McLaughlin]: They were discussing that they wanted some touch up or we may replace the toilets and do a little bit of on the walls over there.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Well, I know in the past couple of years we've actually concentrated on the elementary schools, the middle schools. I'm not 100% sure if we've done anything really big in the high school bathrooms.
[Mr. McLaughlin]: A few years ago we did some, believe it or not, especially petition-wise at the high school. Quite a while ago we did C-Build on one side. We replaced all the bathrooms' petitions with plastic. The construction of the bartering petitions at the high school, they're like iron. You can't, you really, you can't, I mean it's hard to destroy them. So we're in good shape, but in the report where I talk about we're interviewing for the carpenter position, now's the time that I really would like to look at the elementary schools, because there are petitions at the elementary schools that are in need of replacement. if we, now that we're building up our forces in the company department, it could be a job they could do, instead of having to keep subbing out jobs all the time that are expensive. So it's definitely, that's definitely on the radar, it's a big thing, it's definitely on the radar, especially all the elementary schools. And we're going to get there soon.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: I'm sorry, John. Again, I don't know if it's the microphones, the speakers in here. It sounds loud out here. It's really difficult. It's very muffled. I just want to know, as far as the high school ones, because I know that when we've taken our walks and our tours in all the schools, You know, we've looked at everything, but I'm not 100% sure. I mean, as far as I know, the bathrooms in the high school, I wasn't really sure if we've updated them. I know we've cleaned them and we've painted them, but I mean, is there a plan out there? Is there something out there that we could really look at the high school ones? Because I know those have been the ones that have been kind of in the wayside for a while.
[Roy Belson]: Thank you. So let me answer some of that a little bit. As I told you, we have the SOI coming in on October 5th. If we're going to get state money, That's where we're going to do it with, because I want 56% on the dollar back if I can get it. So we'll look at that. That'll be part of that. If that's not possible, that becomes an object. There's a number of other projects that we would hope to get state money for if they approve it.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thanks. Thank you. Is there a motion? Are you all set?
[Kathy Kreatz]: I have one question. I got to stop by the Bistro last week. and it's coming along. It looks really great. The furniture was delivered. It's all, it was all packaged, so they hadn't opened it yet. And I got to talk to some of the students and they're all, they're so very proud that they're helping, you know, build the bistro. And, um, I just wanted to know, um, was there like a plan for an opening date or, um, what's the timeline for completion? It looked really close to almost being done.
[Roy Belson]: Yeah. Yeah. So the restaurant, Obviously, it needs a little bit more work. It was an ambitious timetable. No one will ever accuse Heidi of being anything less than ambitious. And I think that we need a little bit more time to do it right, to finish off some things. Equipment has to be hooked up a certain way. And then there needs to be some training time for the people who are going to be using the materials so that we don't just simply say we open up today that we can put everything on. We suspect in early October that we'll be able to do something with it.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It'll definitely have a grand opening at that time. Great.
[Mr. McLaughlin]: And I believe also at this particular point, just for an overall update on the kitchen over there, is we're waiting for Kitteridge. They're the installation company that's installing all the equipment. So as soon as they can get in and get it all installed, then everybody can make the push. to get the lighting and get everything together. But as the superintendent said, the kids will need some time, obviously, to train, come up there and get affiliated with all the new equipment. But it's moving good. I'm in touch with Heidi just about every day, five times a day.
[Kathy Kreatz]: I saw her, she was here last week.
[Mr. McLaughlin]: Yeah, she was up here last week and there's a few trades doing a few things, but I think we're at the end as far as the last push.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Very good. Thank you very much. Your motion to receive this paper and place it on file. Seconded by Ms. Van der Kloot. All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? Motion passes. Thank you. Thank you, John. Report on transportation.
[Roy Belson]: I'm going to call on our Director of Finance and Administration, Christine Patterson, to deliver this report.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: My favorite part of her job.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: Welcome. Just a confirmation from the bills that the Collins Esquire was independent arbitration, non-SPED related.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: The legal views for arbitration. Thank you.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: And just to start my presentation, I wanted to thank the parents for their patience and understanding as we continue to review the routes and stops on a daily basis. It is an ongoing process. It's very extensive. I've done site visits. I'm working with the bus company. We're trying to make sure that the stops are safe for the buses to get through as well as students. So we continue to review these daily. Also a reminder that it's posted that the students be ready 10 minutes prior to the stop time. And this is to make sure that they are ready and prepared for the bus arrival. And start times are approximate. So the buses leave the yard and they attempt to get to the first location. as promptly as they can. Again, there's areas that more traffic is prevalent. Each stops thereafter have a three to five minute delay apart and traffic as well as weather conditions can play a part into the arrival time. So although the time is posted at a certain start time, the bus may get there a few minutes before, a few minutes after. So we just ask everybody to be aware of that. Moving forward with the summary, school year 2017-18 is year three of a three-year initial contract, and we will have two optional years with Eastern Bus Company. We have 17 regular routes that are serving St. Joseph Catholic School, St. Raphael Catholic School, St. Clements, and all of the Medford public schools. The current listings are included. Those were as of the last posted date, August 31st. We are still making new adjustments and those will be posted again at the end of this week. We had one yellow bus that was identified as a savings in the reduction of the Minuteman vocational transportation. We are utilizing a smaller minivan through Ride-Rite Transportation, and that is a daily rate of $280 versus $356 for a large yellow bus. The transition of the lower grade newcomers, I apologize, there was a typo in here from, it's actually the Brooks School, has created a new need for an additional yellow bus, and this is bus route number 18. So this bus transports only the newcomers that are across the city going to the Brooks School. And this does have currently fewer students than other routes. And this is due to the distance and pickups that are identified as a longer travel time to get them to that location. So as more students enter the district, there may be further need for an additional bus and other alternatives to transport these students to that location. The high school bus run has had supplemented overage the first week of school. Again, this was a little bit of a reaction to the MBTA that was still on the summer schedule and had limited bus runs coming up to the high school. Next year, we will do a yellow bus run that will be provided for the morning and communicated so that high schoolers don't have any issues getting here the first couple days that we're still on the summer schedule for the MBTA program. So again, as mentioned, all the routes continue to be reviewed for efficiencies and accommodations where we can provide ultimate safety as a priority for everyone involved.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Very good. Are there any questions on Mr. Benedetto?
[Kathy Kreatz]: I had some questions in notes.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Mr. Benavetto and Ms. Kreatz. So are there any issues right now, buses arriving late to the school buildings, or are they coming on time?
[Kirsteen Patterson]: There could be. It's not a regular issue, but there could be if there's a traffic situation or certain unidentified issues. As far as the regular scheduled bus, I have not heard that that's been an issue.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: OK. I know there's a lot of construction throughout. you know, the city right now, and I was just wondering if it was impacting parents or buses from getting to, like, for example, up to high school. I know that there was a lot of cars coming up for a while. And I just was wondering if maybe even a principal, head of school had seen any or had had children coming in late because... It's certain that construction and traffic certainly does impact bus arrivals.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: As a regular issue, I have not been made aware that that's occurring.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Great. And my second question is, what are the number of students taking the bus to Minuteman and the enrollment in Minuteman now? Eight. eight students, so we only have eight students attending Minute Man. Wow, that's phenomenal.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: I feel like we're at two different meetings. What was the answer?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: She asked how many are at Minute Man. Eight. Oh, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Benedetto. Ms. Kritz.
[Kathy Kreatz]: Oh, hi. Thank you, Christine and Superintendent Belzin for getting back to me with all my questions that I had about the bus the first week of school. I was really happy to read in this report that next year a yellow bus will be provided Information will be communicated for the first week for all of the people traveling to the high school There was a lot of parents that were concerned and there was a lot of information on Facebook You know what's going on with the bus and a lot of things going back and forth. Thank you for all the communication and putting together the part of the robocall. I did hear from some people after the robocall with some concerns because Part of the message that we relayed in an email communication wasn't included in the robocall, which caused a little confusion. So some people didn't realize there was going to be a yellow bus traveling down Salem Street. I think I communicated, Christine, and you mentioned that when the bus did arrive at the high school, it was nearly full. And I wanted to share that information with the public because I was going back with a lot of parents because they wanted to know where I got that information. You know, where was that coming from? So there was a lot of confusion that first week. I'm glad it's all rectified and thank you for handling it so well. I did want to know something that came out from the discussions was you know, why did we pick that particular route for the yellow bus? Like, why wasn't it other communities like South Medford, West Medford, East Medford? You know, I didn't have an answer for that. So, you know, I just, I was kind of waiting for a report on the yellow bus itself. I know that's something new that hasn't been done before. Do you know why that particular route was used?
[Kirsteen Patterson]: Is that the conclusion of the question or is there more?
[Kathy Kreatz]: That was related to the yellow bus, you know, why the route was utilized on that particular day, you know, to just travel through, like, Salem Street and then go, you know, through, you know, Winthrop and then up to the high school. Sure.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: It's very simple. Quite frankly, we were trying to scramble to make accommodations because the MBTA bus routes were not covered. One of our yellow buses who happened to be traveling that route mid-morning identified that there were a number of high school students that he saw walking up in that direction. Straight and simple, that was the method for getting a bus there. We knew that there was at least 20 students that had been walking in that direction in that area, and that's a typical location for where the MBTA bus route would have picked up. So it was not anything We were not trying to exclude or anything of that sort. It simply was a scramble to get some assistance on day one, day two, right after we were made aware of the situation. So moving forward, that will be something that we will address with our yellow bus company to provide some overage in the first couple days when MBTA is still out on a summer break. Additionally, there was some confusion with the MBTA passes, and that is not something that the school has any control over. That is a state entity, and their bus passes are valid through the end of August. However, the actual routes did not coincide with the start of school. So there were still students writing the MBTA and or they had the availability on their current summer MBTA cards, but all of that just had not been, you know, I was not here at the start of school last year, so I was not able to be privy to that and try to coordinate ahead of time. So that is why we've identified this moving forward and next year we will address it.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you. Ms. Mustone.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Christine, do you have an estimate of how many of our school children take buses? Or could you get it? I'm curious. You know, at the Roberts, I try to encourage as many parents because it's such a traffic nightmare of how many students use our buses.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: Right now, I don't. We have a number of them that, and this becomes an issue because we have overcrowding in the mornings or in the afternoons. So some get on and some get off. Some take it one day, and then we have overcrowding the next day. So it does make it difficult to establish these routes. And that's another challenge that we have early on, because the riders that we're planning for then don't ride the rest of the year. So stops are taken off, things of that sort. So that's the issue that we have going forward. District website a bus riding form that the school we've asked the schools to implement However, I don't have an accurate number of the actual riders at this point Could I request one for?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: next few weeks
[Kirsteen Patterson]: It may or may not be complete, because again, there's not a requirement that they ride, and there's not a requirement that they continue to ride.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: But five of mine take the bus, and I filled out five forms. So there is a form with the child's name on it in each of the schools. So I'm just curious of what percent of each school. I understand that some kids take it two mornings a week and three afternoons a week. But even if we got an estimate of numbers, that'd be great.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yeah.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Thank you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: No, that was it.
[Kathy Kreatz]: I just had just a couple of follow-up questions. So if a parent didn't get the robocall, who can they contact to get added to the call list? Because that was also another concern that a lot of people said, I didn't get the robocall. So I videoed the robocall and I put it on YouTube and then uploaded it to share it on Facebook so that they could hear it. But I don't know why they didn't get it.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: So that information is driven from the student information system. So if the parent contact information has not been updated or there's a change of a phone number that was not provided to the school, that message could have been going to an invalid number. So it's the same. Robocall that's identified throughout the school year at the high school level. Again, this is the high school level only that that Robocall was made. It was not for all schools.
[Kathy Kreatz]: Yes, is it the student's homeroom teacher? What form would it be? Who would they actually reach out to?
[Kirsteen Patterson]: It's the general form that they submit each year. So right now you went through that, the re-enrollment process. So it's important if parents have a change of demographic information during the course of a school year that they notify the school department so that that phone number can be updated and maintained in all the systems. So that simply could have been a gap in some of that communication that was sent out.
[Kathy Kreatz]: And this is unrelated to the yellow bus, So I also had some inquiries from students and parents who ride the Fulton Heights bus. And in the morning, there's been a lot of overcrowding. And I know I was told that last year there were two morning buses. There was an early morning bus at like 6.50, and then there was a later morning bus, not too sure what the time was. But I looked in the information you provided, and it looks like there are two buses. But it looks like they're both at the same time. So I don't know if maybe is that, I did note in here that there were two buses, Fulton Heights buses.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: Right, and again, that's an issue of certain times and certain stops having overcrowding. So there are two buses that they all try to Enter the bus all at once. And so there, you know, they may have to wait for the next bus to come in.
[Kathy Kreatz]: So they do like, so one would come and another one comes right along and both kind of departed at 6 50. Okay. And one last suggestion I heard was, can we put the MBTA bus stops on our website, almost similar to what we have here, but the actual MBTA bus stops. So everything's centrally located on the one page or the one website. It was a suggestion that came to me.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: I think that would have to be requested through the MBTA if we were able to post that. We can certainly provide a link to the MBTA. But for us to capture their information, I don't know that we can do that legally. But we can certainly inquire if there's a link that we can send parents to the MBTA schedule.
[Kathy Kreatz]: That would be nice. If there was a direct link, they could click on the link, and then they could navigate around from there, if that's possible. I mean, you probably have to check on that. All right. Thank you. Ms.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Cugno.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Actually, to go back to that, I would suggest the link only because they change their schedule many times, too. And the last thing you want to do is It's our responsibility for our students, but we also don't want to let our parents go on to like a schedule that we have that all of a sudden the MBTA changes yesterday or the day, you know, and we don't know. So I think the link is probably our best bet on that. The other thing is I do want to say thank you to you. I know I called you for a few things and you took care of that, the particular routes very quickly for us and I appreciate that. The other thing is basically going back to the telephones and that is, I know, where I work, it's very difficult sometimes because people do change their cell phones. Because some people change it because they just get rid of one and they go into another depending on the plan they have. So I guess especially for the high school, and Dr. Perla, you're here, not to put you on the spot, but I think it would also be good if Parents knew that if they were changing their telephones, or their numbers, or their emails, that they don't have to wait just for that form at the beginning of the year, or a form at the end of the year, because there are different things that happen during the year. someone could lose their phone and they're borrowing someone else's phone. So I think it's important that the responsibility is definitely on us, and I know that. But I also know that it's very important that if a parent does change their telephone number, if there's a different number that they want us to contact, that they really do need to have that communication with the high school, the vocational school, to let us know what that is. I don't know if it would be involved in the school. Is that something that we could go on to school brains for?
[Kirsteen Patterson]: I don't believe the parents can change it.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Because the parents can't go on that. Parents can go on. I have an idea.
[Kathy Kreatz]: You have the idea to go into school brains now? Yes.
[John Perella]: So the information is all on school brains. And throughout the year, there are many opportunities for students and teachers and community members to interact through school brains, and that's when we edit the information. So every time that there's a mailing, all report cards are connected to all the information system that we have in place. So there are many opportunities for people to reach out and to provide changes. We also contact families routinely. So when we identify concerns such as something getting mailed back to us or a phone call being disconnected, we also reach out and try to establish what had taken place. So this is happening throughout the school year and basically on a daily basis. So I'm sorry, did you get the phone call, the robo call?
[Kathy Kreatz]: Is that the initial question? Because I would assume that you had numbers in the system. I can't hear. Dr. Perlow, I didn't even hear what you said. I'm sure it's very weird. Someone didn't get a robocall.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Someone contacted her that did not get paid.
[Kathy Kreatz]: Yes, I have access to School Brains. I got the robocall, but I went into School Brains last night just to navigate around again in preparation for this meeting. I don't recall there's an area in School Brains that I can add my contact information. I'm given a username and password.
[John Perella]: There is a place in School Brains for parents to go and to edit their own information. That's a process that we advocate, that they get on board, they check their information. It's actually one of the best tools we have to make changes in the system.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: So is that the list you use when you make the robocalls from school grades?
[John Perella]: Everything comes from the same system.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: So that's what I think Kathy's asking. So does the parent just go online and change the information or do they call the school secretary?
[John Perella]: They can. Or they can contact us and we can do it as well. It can be done really in a few different ways. And what we do typically is on parent-teacher conferences we also remind parents of this as well. Because we do have new parents coming in who need to get their information.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: The other thing is that yes, we have school brains. Yes, everybody's working. No, I shouldn't say everyone's working on it because there are parents that feel comfortable on it. There's parents that don't feel comfortable on it and that's something that With time, hopefully it gets better. But again, not everyone has access. So I just want the word to be out there that yes, we have the school brains. Yes, you could go on with a click. But if you just happen to be going to work and you just have that two minutes waiting for a bus, that you want to contact the school. Contact the school, let them know that you're updated. telephone number is and that way hopefully we can get the communication on both sides. The other thing is too is the robocalls. I know as a parent and my kids were in the school system, I got them all the time. As a school committee member, I'd still like to be on there.
[John Perella]: Sure, it's fine with me.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Mr. Benedetto. I agree. I'd also like to get some notification. It's very helpful for the school committee members to get notifications of what's going on. If we could be added to the school bearings. In some capacity, I'd like to request to do that as well.
[John Perella]: We try to, if I could also, we sort of coordinate all of our communications through social media sites, through robocalls, through our, specifically our own website, of course, and then mailing sometimes. So we, there's many different ways that we try to get information out to the public, and most of the time, 95% of the time, exactly the same message. There was, I know there's some concern regarding the busing railroad call. I think in a lot of that situation, it was sort of minute by minute. Specifically, the MBTA basically told me on a daily basis that they would have buses available, but it was dependent on bus drivers coming and doing overtime. They wouldn't know that information until the middle of the afternoon. So we were sort of blind as well. And the evening of the robocall, I believe that that decision had been made prior to me making the actual message. So I understand there's a concern there. But luckily, like I just mentioned, there are many different ways that we actually communicate that message. So it got out to pretty much everyone in the same population, because we know the buses were full. So again, it's a minor technical issue from our end, I think.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Mr. Benedetto, follow up? Just- Off subject. About the subject, but St. Clement's closed their doors, so I don't think we're busing to them anymore.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: St. Clement's closed its school. I heard that part. What was the rest?
[Erin DiBenedetto]: That's it. We're not busing there anymore.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: We're not busing there anymore. Okay. Thank you. Is there a motion to receive this paper and place it on file? Yes. Seconded by Ms. Quinn Lestone. All those in favor?
[Greenspan]: Aye.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: All those opposed? Motion passes. Is there a motion for suspension of the rules to take community participation? Yes. On the motion for suspension, all those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? Suspension is granted. Are there residents in the audience that would like to speak under community participation?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Madam Mayor. I would just like to say one thing. I don't know whether, and this obviously is totally up to you, because you're certainly free to make any statement you want to us, whether you want to make a public statement or you want to talk to our Attorney General directly. So I just want to put that out as to whether this is an issue you want aired publicly. I just wanted to make sure.
[SPEAKER_13]: Good evening. My name is Cheryl Knowles. I'm here with my partner, Annalee Wells. We're here to request the re-enrollment of our daughters, Avery and Luca Denning Knowles, into Columbus Elementary. We have 50-50 shared custody with my former spouse, who resides in North Andover. The kids currently reside in Medford five nights out of the week. And this has been the case since March of 2017. We enrolled the kids in Medford. My ex-spouse came in. And from what I can gather, presented an expired temporary order from last year that stated that Avery would go to Atkinson Elementary in North Andover, and Luca would remain in Little Sprouts, where she was attending preschool. That temporary order was put in place because a trial was scheduled. The trial was held in March of this year. A court order was provided and it supersedes the temporary order, which stated that the court would not make a decision on where the children would attend school. They wanted me and my ex-partner to work it out amongst ourselves and come to a decision together. So the court denied my request to order my children to attend Medford Public Schools. They're currently not in any school right now. North Andover Public School District has chosen to not act. on these court orders because there is no court order in place. They would be able to be enrolled in North Andover Public Schools. However, because they reside in Bedford five nights out of the week, it doesn't make any sense logistically or financially for my kids to attend school in North Andover. We had had a short order notice court hearing this past Wednesday where we were hoping that the judge would make a decision as to where our children would attend school. And she stated that she's not going to make a decision where our children attend school. She stated that it's up to the parents to decide through mediation. And this has been a two-year contentious court battle. We have been unable to come to an agreement. So we currently have two children We're out of school, and we're requesting a re-enrollment.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Did I understand you correctly that you said that there's a court order in place that says they can't come to Medford or Medford?
[Annie Wells]: No, there is no court order for them to go to school in North Andover. There's no court order for them to go to school in Medford. There's no court order saying they can't go to school in Medford. There's no court order saying they can't go to school in North Andover.
[SPEAKER_13]: Additionally, my attorney Sent correspondence to my ex-spouse's attorney, Josiah Weiss, just stating, please advise your client that Judge Vesenius' temporary order is extinguished by the judgment entered by Judge Ordonez. That was the March trial. Which was the March trial where Judge Ordonez ordered us to mediation and stated that she would not order the kids to go to Medford Public Schools. She did not bar enrollment. She simply stated she was not going to make an order.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: So when you, sorry. Ms. Mestone? So when you came here to the Parent Information Center to enroll your children, were they all set to go? Yes, they were. So then what happened? I'm just confused of how it all went down.
[SPEAKER_13]: So they were medically cleared and enrolled. I had received a class assignment for Luka. I had not received one for Avery. I came in, probably about a week before school started, to turn in my last immunization record, and they were medically cleared, at which time I met with Ms. Caldwell, who also informed me that she had a meeting with my ex-partner that same morning, because she was not in agreeance with my kids attending school and met her. And I mean, maybe we have- Which led to, Mr. Benson denying their involvement.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: So I don't know the law, but isn't it wherever you lie your head the most is where you go to school? But it seems like the court order isn't live.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Mr. Superintendent.
[Roy Belson]: So let me answer it this way. Certainly, we want youngsters to go to school. We're not against our young people coming to school. That's obvious that we don't want to bar kids from school. But we have, despite of what you've heard, and I'll refer to our attorney in a moment, we have a court order that has not been rescinded by the Essex court and Essex probate court. I'm just going to read the plain language of what it says. It was issued on May 18th, and I have nothing that contradicts it. I've asked repeatedly, if you've got something that contradicts it, I'll honor it. But I don't have anything. And I'm not going to be in contempt of court for myself or for the school committee. It says, at review of judgment of modification memorandum of decision dated March 30th, that's what they're referring to, 2017, the plaintiff's motion dated April 10th, 2017, the court enters the following order. Order. Plaintiff's request for an order to enroll the children in the Medford Public Schools is denied.
[SPEAKER_13]: My request for an order was denied.
[Roy Belson]: Look, I can't argue with you. I can't argue with you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: I can't argue with you.
[Roy Belson]: We have an attorney here who spoke to Lisa Greenberg, your attorney, today. So maybe Mr. Greenspan can come up and clarify what we're talking about.
[Greenspan]: Good evening, everybody. I did speak to the Parents Council today. Lisa Greenberg, who did inform me that she appeared at court last week on an emergency motion, and that motion, there is no decision yet on that motion. And I asked her when she did get her decision on the motion to let us know if it did provide for enrollment of the children in the Medford Public Schools. And upon receipt of that order, we would expedite the registration and enrollment of those children. The last thing I saw is what Mr. Belson just read to you, the court order of May of 2017 denying the motion. And that's where we stand. It's a denial of the, the last ruling of the court is not to enroll the children in the Metro Public Schools.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: So the order that's standing right now is not to enroll. That's for March.
[Greenspan]: May, I believe, May of 2017.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Mr. Greenspan, are you under the impression that their attorney and you are in agreement on this order, or does she contradict what you're saying?
[Greenspan]: She didn't necessarily contradict what I was saying, but she said that in my conversation, she said the situation is confusing and She further told me that they did go in last week for an emergency order which has not been ruled on.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: That I don't know. Mr. Greenspan, does the school committee have the right to direct the superintendent to enroll the students or would that be in contempt of court?
[Greenspan]: Well, from my reading of the current documents, I would not advise that.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: I haven't seen the document.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: One at a time, please.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: I mean, this is a really difficult issue for us because I think that we have great sympathy and we certainly want to get the kids to school. Frankly, wherever they're going to school, we want those kids to be enrolled in school and resume their normal education path. As a one school committee member, I feel great sympathy, but I don't think this is in my purview as much as I might want it to be.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Mr. Skerry.
[Robert Skerry]: As I read the decision, plaintiff's request for an order to enroll the children in public schools is denied. The plaintiff asked for an order and the judge denied it.
[SPEAKER_11]: Denied by request for an order. Right.
[Robert Skerry]: So the judge wasn't going to issue an order so that your children could go to school. Correct. So I would see this as a moot point because the courts can't tell us who we can take in and who we can't, can they? Mr. Greenspan?
[Greenspan]: I really don't have much further to add other than to what's in front of you, which is the last order of the court, it was in May, was not to enroll the children in Metro Public Schools. That's my understanding. I've seen it every day, I've seen it, yes.
[Robert Skerry]: Judge, Donia's indicated that she wasn't gonna rule on the plaintiff's request, so it's like no contest yet. The way I look at it after being in the field of law enforcement for 32 years, some consideration should be given to the parents. The children are going to live here for five days a week. And as a member of the call, we have an obligation to educate them.
[Annie Wells]: Denying access to our kids in public school.
[Robert Skerry]: Right.
[Annie Wells]: You're saying no when there is no poor person that cannot go to Medford public schools.
[Robert Skerry]: I'm not saying no.
[Roy Belson]: Well, if I can, if I can, let me try and go through the sequence that I'm faced in this situation. I understand everybody is sympathetic to children being in school, and so am I, even though it doesn't seem that way to the parents right now. But the reality is, is that on March 30th, there was a hearing. And then Lisa Greenberg, who represents Ms. Knowles, made a request to the court and you have it in your packet, as to where the children should attend school. And I'm going to read it. In denying the plaintiff's request to sole legal custody regarding education decisions, the court has made no decision nor given either party, either party, the right to enroll the children in school. So if either party does not have the right to enroll them in school, who does? And then you go on to the next letter, which says, by the way, it says this only can result in contempt to be filed by one of the parties against the other. And then the next document that we have denies their request for an order to enroll them in the Medford Public Schools. Right now, it's between them. Now why the court has not acted and intervened and made a decision, I don't know. It is my problem because I represent a city and I cannot be in contempt of court.
[SPEAKER_11]: You're not in contempt of court.
[Roy Belson]: That's your opinion. That's your opinion. I'm sorry I have a legal counsel. It's your opinion.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Mr. Greenspan, your opinion, please.
[Greenspan]: My opinion is what I stated. I would not, at this particular time, enroll these children in Medford unless there is some clarification of that court order that was issued in May.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Can we be an intervening party?
[Greenspan]: I don't believe you have any standing in this matter.
[SPEAKER_13]: Why is North Andover able to take no action and stay out of it?
[Roy Belson]: Because there's nothing in their- Because there's no forward.
[Annie Wells]: Their council, North Andover's council said- There's nothing that says they can't enroll them in the North Andover schools.
[Roy Belson]: Look, they don't have the same, if you read the thing, they don't say you can't enroll them in the North Andover public schools, it says the Medford public schools. It doesn't say they can't enroll them in the Medford public schools.
[SPEAKER_11]: You're reading it one way- I read it, I was there.
[Roy Belson]: I'm referring to my legal counsel. I'm not a lawyer, so I'll refer to my legal counsel. And so I'm going to take that as advice to me, not to place myself or the school committee in contempt. I am very.
[Annie Wells]: Wouldn't it be my contempt charge, though, as a parent, in ruling against my partner? I'm willing to take that contempt charge. That's our contempt. That's not yours. And would you rather have a contempt charge or a lawsuit for denying access
[Roy Belson]: Look, I'm waiting for a decision. I called the court.
[SPEAKER_13]: Meanwhile, my children are at school when all of their friends and peers have started two weeks ago.
[Roy Belson]: I called the court and asked the people.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Please, please, one at a time.
[Roy Belson]: I called the court. We asked the people to go over the records and interpret it for us. They told me that my interpretation was correct. I've asked my legal counsel to tell me what is my interpretation. He tells me I'm doing the right thing. Now, if you can get the court to act, or you can agree with your ex-partner on where the child is going to school, we will expedite that enrollment. And we will even give you compensatory services, because I think it would be in the best interest of the child. But I certainly can't, in this point, given what I know, act on it.
[Annie Wells]: Just one more clarification. The trial in March was about where Avery would go to school. There has been no decision, so that March decision only reflects Avery. Where does Luka go to school? She was in Pre-K. There's no order, no comment about where Luka goes to school. That whole trial in March was about Avery's placement.
[Greenspan]: I don't know about that. I just read the documents.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Ms. Cuno. I know emotions are getting high and for every right, but the thing is that I guess I'm looking at this in different ways and that is We're not waiting or just personally as a school committee member, I'm not waiting on just what the superintendent is saying. At this point in time, we're talking about legal papers with laws and rules. That is why we have our legal representation. That is why we made sure today that Mr. Greenspan would speak to your attorney. I guess my question is, is that you're saying that it doesn't say the North Reading School or North Andover School. But it does say, with consideration resolving issues and pending, and you and your partner come to a resolution. Can I ask at least what your partner wants? Does she want them in North Andover? I'm sorry, X, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I apologize.
[SPEAKER_13]: She wants them in North Andover and she's also filed a motion to change our parenting agreement. And she is trying to get Monday through Friday periodically scheduled. So that's not scheduled to be heard until December 21st for a pretrial, which I guarantee will go to a trial, and I'm not agreeing with that. And it's not going to be heard until mid next year, maybe?
[Ann Marie Cugno]: OK, so then I guess at this point in time, if our hands are tied, then could I ask Mr. Greenspan, is it possible, I know that you were working or speaking to their attorney, but It depends, I guess, on how you're reading this letter. So is there any way that you could call, I mean, I don't know, the Attorney General or someone just to find out what the clarification on this is?
[Greenspan]: There's nobody for me to call. There's nobody for me to call.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: So the bottom line is this is how it is being interpreted and this is how we have to abide by because it's a law.
[Greenspan]: Until last week's motion is ruled on.
[Annie Wells]: The judge stated that she may not take any action on it. and you'll still be here and with us here at the next committee meeting.
[Roy Belson]: Mr. Greenspan, let me ask you one question. Is it acceptable protocol for us to petition a judge?
[Greenspan]: I don't really think we have any standing in the matter.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: May I follow up?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: I think we can try.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Right. I don't really... My feeling, too, is that I understand you're saying we may not have the standing, but if we don't at least try. Obviously, it's in the best interest of the students, of the children, that we make the decision. And so, I would at least want to petition them, even if it's for a temporary placement. So, could we ask you to do that?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Could you look into whether there are any actions we can take?
[Greenspan]: I can look into that. I can't tell you right now that that's something that we can do, but I'll look into it.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: just basically that and I do think that it would probably be a good idea for you to do it so that way at least the parents really you know and we ask I mean, if there's any type of loophole that even temporarily, if that's something that would be agreed upon, at least we could do something so the children don't stay out of school all this time. But in also a confirmation for us that if it's something that we really can't touch because of the law and the way it's written, at least it will confirm on our side too.
[Annie Wells]: The loophole which Northendo opted for was to stay out of it. They said there is no action for us to take action on. We have nothing. We're here from their counsel.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Right, but with all due respect, because there is a rule saying where you lay your head, and it is very specific that it's knowledge that the children are here five days a week. There's nothing for them to make a decision on. They're not in their city. And that is the reason why they can't even make a decision for them. It's a mute decision because there's nothing for them to make a decision on.
[SPEAKER_11]: They're allowing enrollment?
[Ann Marie Cugno]: So, do I have the kids going, I mean, for the time being at least.
[SPEAKER_11]: I apologize, for some reason I thought they said that they had, they're not involved. Are there any other questions from the board, Mr. Benedetto?
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Is there any way that we could provide services as if they were homeschooled students, that we could provide some curriculum-based information that at least the children are being educated, even if it is at home for the time being, until the parents can take further action or we can somehow try to help this family work this issue out? Are they considered enrolled?
[Roy Belson]: I'm not 100% sure, but if we take jurisdiction of the children and approve a homeschooling plan, it's tantamount to doing the same thing. Obviously, and I'm just using my logic, which may or may not be 100% correct, I have to admit that. But I'm using my logic to say that what the judge wants to have happen is the parties to agree on something so there won't be an ongoing conflict between the parents, which may affect the child. And apparently that hasn't happened for whatever reason, and I'm not going to weigh in on that. Obviously, we're in a situation right now where we need a decision, and we don't have one.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: that can go to the court system, Adelante or whatever they call it. Can they assign an advocate for your child to get enrolled here? Petition the judge, the advocate. The general, they can be.
[Greenspan]: That would be up to the judge who has jurisdiction over the case.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: So perhaps you can speak to the courts tomorrow about that too.
[Roy Belson]: There's one other piece that I'll introduce. Ms. Knowles has filed a complaint with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. And I saw that today. I put a phone call into them asking them for some guidance. Maybe they can intercede with the court. I don't know. But I put a phone call into them asking them for guidance. You have another piece of information in your folder about when we talked about the B-1, B-2 visa situation. And finally the AG, and finally the DESE ruled on something and told us what they prefer, even though it was ambiguous. And I got a phone call from Rhoda Schneider, who is the general legal counsel from the state, saying thank you for asking that question. Because there are things, there are gray areas that we're caught in the middle of. And I'm sure it's going to get even grayer as we deal with DACA and other considerations in the weeks and months ahead. I would love to enroll the children if it's possible. I have no reason not to want to educate them. They're two young children that we want to help families. We have no reason not to want to. I don't know you. Do you have any animus toward you? But I do have paper in front of me that leads me to believe I'm not allowed to. And I would like it resolved as much as you would.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: We'll leave it to you, Mr. Greenspan, tomorrow, and you'll give us an update as well as Ms. Knowles' attorney.
[Greenspan]: Yes.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you very much. Motion to revert to the regular order of business. All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? We report on before and after school programs.
[Roy Belson]: We call on our assistant superintendent to make this report.
[Diane Caldwell]: Well, everybody take a breath. So on a much lighter note, I'm pleased to announce the before and after school programs are up and running and have been since the very first day of school. Informational packets were sent out to all of our families at the end of the school year in June. And if you look at the numbers from when the before school started in 2015-16, you can tell that we've grown. In fact, I enrolled a few more people at the Brooks Elementary School. So we're up to 57 children. The Columbus is at 18. The McGlynn School went up three. They're up to 19 or 20 students, and the Roberts is up to 20. We're actually looking for more teachers to take care of our kids in the morning because our before school program is growing. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Michelle Bissell, who is my administrative assistant, because she is always there to take care of our families, to teach them about the FACT system, to give them the handbooks that I provided you with earlier this evening, as well as your continued support for our before school program. I also spoke to Shelly Gross, who's in charge of the after-school program, and she feels the same way we do, that the families are grateful and appreciative that they have a program that the children can go to every day after school. And it's wonderful that the children don't even have to leave the schools. So it's from two to six in the afternoon. On Wednesdays, it goes from 1.30 to six o'clock. If you look at the numbers, the Brooks School was at 230 last year, and it's at 252 this year. The Columbus School has increased by 10. The McGlynn has increased by a few students, and the Roberts School has also increased. We owe a debt of gratitude to Shelly Gross and Dale Savati and Kathy Hunt for all of their hard work in the after school program as well. And I'm happy to answer any questions.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Motion to accept the report and place it on file.
[Robert Skerry]: Accept the report and place it on file.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: I'll provide Mr. Skerry, seconded by Ms. VanDekloot. All those in favor? All those opposed? Motion passes. Recommendation to approve amendments to electronic device utilization.
[Roy Belson]: I'll call upon our deputy superintendent to address this issue.
[Beverly Nelson]: OK, just last spring, we developed and the school committee approved a policy related to the student use of electronic devices. We would say cell phones, but it's more than just the cell phone these days. The approved policy is attached in the report. Upon further review, this kind of took place over the summer, high school administrators determined that one segment of the policy would be very difficult to enforce. And this item deals with the student use of cell phones or electronic devices in the hallways between the passing of classes. The approved policy has very specific sanctions for violations. We want to ensure that if we are going to impose sanctions, that we have the ability to do so consistently and equitably. And the headmaster felt that we really didn't have that ability to be consistent and equitable in how we would treat violations. So therefore, we're recommending that we amend the policy to allow for the use of the devices in the hallways during passing time. And since students are not all necessarily in the cafeteria during lunch periods, the new amended policy speaks to the use of electronic devices during lunch periods in, quote, designated student areas, which would include, in addition to the cafeteria, the gym and the library. We have also added some language that wasn't in there before that's specific to the needs of students on special education plans at all grade levels. So based on the conversations with the administrators, we are recommending that the school committee replace the previous approved electronic device policy with the amended electronic device policy. And if you look at the attached policies, the first one is the approved and The main change comes in that first paragraph under the high school. And then if you go to the draft of what we're asking in terms of an amended policy, you can see, I've kind of highlighted with arrows, the changes, okay? So it would be in the first paragraph, and then as you go further down for the middle and the elementary school, it speaks to the use of these devices if they are in students' IEPs or their 504 plans. And with this, I think it's something that we can enforce, and obviously, for special education students, it accounts for their special needs.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Miss Cugno. Looking over the changes, I have to be honest, the one that I don't mind any of the other changes, and I totally understand it. I mean, I was on the site council when a lot of this was changing. But the one I do have a hard time with, and I hear that students are doing it, whatever, so let's continue doing it. But the rule was that you couldn't. And that is, they may be used in hallways during passing time. The hallways are crowded. And having these students on their phones just trying to like go from one class to another plus being on the phone. I mean, I get that they were, you know, you hear people say, well, they do it anyway. Well, the fact remains is that they weren't supposed to do it in the first place. That they may be used during the lunch periods in designated student areas. I totally understand that because as you mentioned, not all students sometimes are in the cafeteria. And they are in different places, and I get that. I do have a problem with the one that the students could just be walking around during class time in between going from class to class and being on the phone. And I also am worried about their safety issues, too. I mean, going up and down stairs, I see it all the time. I see adults doing it. I mean, I'll be driving, and they're just walking and talking and not even paying attention to where they're going. So I have to be honest. The one about using it in the hallways during passing time, I have a problem with.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Mayor Burke? Mr. Benedetto? Thank you. I was able to come to the parent information night for the freshmen and juniors last week. And this was announced that it was happening up at the high school and for a couple of reasons. And I agree with the change in the program. First of all, you have hundreds of kids walking through the hallways at the same time, and they're going to have their phones out. So you're grabbing one out of many that are doing it in the hallway. So there's no consistency in trying to get them all to not use their phones. Secondly, I feel like a lot of Our newer students, they keep their calendar, I mean, their schedule. They take a picture of their schedule. And that's what they use so they're not going through the backpacks in the hallway and tripping other people trying to find their schedule. Because they use their phone to get from, OK, which building am I going and what class am I in now? And they pull it up on their phone. Children today use electronics much more readily than ever before, and that's how. They work everything, and there's people here tonight taking all notes of what's going on on their iPads, whereas I would probably have my pen and paper, which I did last week. It's just a different generation, and we need to encourage them to use electronics. As far as passing in the hallways, it's not when you're going to the bathroom. It's only when the bell rings and you have those three to five minutes to get from one class to another. It's like you can't leave class and go out in the hallway and use your phone. That's when it will be enforced. That's the explanation that I got the other night. There were other questions that parents had that night, which I'd like to go over either with the headmaster himself or announce later. That came out of, I took notes that people are asking. Also, the students can go to the gym now at lunchtime, which I think is great. And they're walking and they're doing different things. They're playing basketball, so if kids need to blow off steam or need to move around, that's now allowed too. There was a lot of progress. in quality of student life, I felt like, and upgrades. I went because my children have graduated so long ago, I thought it was important to see what it was like to be a parent going through the orientation process. And, you know, there was a lot of new things being implemented that I didn't know about, and I learned a lot. But I agree with this new policy for electronics. I believe kids are going to use them anyway. And I believe that we can enforce this more equally. And, you know, I think we should move forward. And I make a motion to approve.
[John Perella]: Can I speak as well?
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Dr. Perrella.
[John Perella]: Thank you. I would agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Benedetto. I would agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Benedetto for some of the reasons, but I'd like to also provide some context. Like everything we do in public education, we have to reassess the practices and the techniques we utilize every single year, because things change dramatically, specifically in technology, of course. So one of the things that we've been really wrestling with is how to address the growing omnipotence of cell phone technology, including technology on watches, on tablets, on small handheld computers, laptops, obviously, and they're everywhere. And I would also like to echo Mr. Panandello that a lot of students use it as a calendar, as their appointments. I know my children do that as well. So we were faced with the task of trying to enforce a policy that we did not think, A, that it was something that was enforceable, and B, perhaps it was something that wasn't. impacting public education on the education of students. I did reach out to every single community in the area and not one community enforces this rule. Many of them told me that we turn a blind eye but none of them enforced it and we'd rather have a frank conversation with students and teach them the importance of technology and how to utilize it as adults, because we agree that adults are walking around with this technology, including the faculty members and myself. I know I use my cell phone on a daily basis, walking through the halls, looking at emails and my schedule. So we thought it would be a good opportunity for us to address a small area, we're talking about three minutes a day, but in that, allowing students to do that in that period, we also have conversations with them about the importance and really the sacredness of instructional time, and that during classroom time, it's unacceptable to pull out your cell phone, just like it would be to attend a meeting as a professional. Unless, of course, the educator allowed that to take place. So these are the conversations we have with students on a daily basis. Also part of our plan for the future is to address legitimate concerns with technology use and abuse by all of society. There is an addictive nature to this and we want to discuss it. We have intentions on utilizing advisories for these conversations. We also, you mentioned the basketball court being opened. Interestingly enough, not one cell phone's out in the basketball court, because we opened up a place for students to be active. In the cafeteria, we do allow it, and most students are very quiet on how to utilize it. I would recommend that anyone come to the school and look through the halls, especially school community members. There's no change in behavior in the hallways. It's not as if we're advocating for students to pull out their cell phone. We're just addressing and allowing it to happen because we're being practical and we're trying to use it as an educational opportunity.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Ms. Van der Kloot. I appreciate your work. Dr. Perillo, I have to say the only thing which is just, well, I have two different things that's just gnawing at me, and I'll vote to go along with this, but the other day I overheard a conversation between two parents, and one of them said, my son has already called or texted me six times, and it was only 10.30 in the morning. And she said, I wish they wouldn't allow this, because it was clearly, where is that separation between child and parent? And I see that as a growing, concern, we talk about helicopter parents, we talk about, you know, kids, they're just, the advent of this ease in 24-7 technology has also meant for some kids not being as, gaining their independence. And so I And at my workplace where I supervise high school students, I know that there's been a real issue where it's been very difficult to say, nope, you can't use those cell phones when you're, oh yeah, pushing a patient or taking them, you know, and having to make strict lines, especially because there's other than employees walking through the halls on their cell phones. And, you know, when you're in the kind of environment where I work, we need to impress upon our students what's appropriate and they're just so used to having ready access that when that cell phone buzzes, they're thinking they can be there.
[John Perella]: If I could respond to that first question. I agree with you completely and I think it's a societal concern and issue. It is also I don't think it is reasonable to expect a school to make that stand in the hallways in an equitable manner, which is consistent, thanks to real concern. But we also, I would like to emphasize that students are using their cell phones, even in schools that have a zero cell phone policy. There's not a school, not a high school student that's not accessing their phone if they have one. They leave the classroom, they go to the bathroom, they sneak it in every opportunity they have. what we're having a change in the mindset of students is that we understand that, but there are certain times, sacred times, like classroom instruction, where it's completely unacceptable. And like mentioned earlier, that includes going to the bathroom during classroom time. So we truly enforce the hallways during classroom time. It's that when you have 1,200, 1,300 students going to the halls, if you try to grab students' arms and left and right, you can imagine what kind of reaction you would get from that.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Yep, that shouldn't be the whole focus of your day. So motion to approve? Second.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Ms. Cuno, on the motion, there's a primary and a secondary support for it.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: I just want to clarify. OK. The clarification on this was that it wasn't that I don't know that things are changing. You know me well enough that I've advocated a lot sitting at the meetings that we've had. My concern is If we're going to allow our students to use the phones in between classes, and if it's because of scheduling or looking at schedule because it's easier. We all know our kids right now, they come out of the womb with the cell phones. We know that happens. And I'm not foolish enough to say that every child in the school does not use their phone. I know that, I get it. What I'm concerned with is when you're saying using the phone. Are you saying that you're going to be using the phone and allowing them to take it out so they can know what class they're going to? Some kids might even put a diagram so they know exactly where the classes are. That's easier for them than the map we provide in the back of our handbook. My concern is students walking around while they're trying to get their things out of the locker, and they're all walking around with their cell phones.
[John Perella]: Yes, that's a good question. To a clarification, students are not allowed to make phone calls in the hallways. They're allowed to access their technology, which of course is also a cell phone. We do not allow them, you know, part of the expectation, and this has been communicated in a few different areas, and it's continuous, this communication, is that students, if they have to make a phone call, they go to an office, we'll happily allow them to use the phone. Also, they are not allowed to use headphones or listen to music during their hallway time either. So it's not as if students have their headphones on or music is playing from their phones. And this is part of the compromise we had with them. We literally just had a discussion and treat them like adults and say, there are expectations we have. And there are reasons for those expectations, for safety and for like reasons. So these are also part of the changes. And I believe that it was all communicated in parent information as well.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: I think that has to be clarified. Because when I said safety, that's what I mean. When you're on a crowded staircase, and you're going down the stairs, and you're holding books or whatever, and you're making a phone call. Because this does not say they may be used in a hallway during passing time only. Excluding phone calls.
[John Perella]: I'll give you a copy of the student handbook from Minton High School, which that is very clear.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: If it says excluding phone calls, then I have no problem with it. But if it doesn't say excluding phone calls, then there's a problem.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Dr. Perla, while you're here, I'm just going to take this opportunity to mention that the school committee has been without a student representative for a long time. Over the course of years, occasionally we've had some students that we've done better or worse, but now for the last last two years or more, we haven't had anybody, and certainly nobody consistent. I think it's valuable when we get to a question like this. This is when, while you've done an excellent job defending your position and explaining to us the rationale, which I certainly appreciate, but this is so much a question when we should have our student representatives present. So I'm wondering if we could ask you to explain to the students what the role is, explain that this is an opportunity for them. We've had some great, you know, vocal people in the past. We like hearing from the kids, and I'm wondering if you could help arrange that so that we could expect to have students on a regular basis attend our meeting.
[John Perella]: I think it's a fantastic idea. I'll have someone in place for the next school convening.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Thank you.
[John Perella]: Well, someone who wants to come. Yes.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: I'm sure there are a lot of people who will force him. We'll be up to help you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Mr. Benedetto.
[John Perella]: I'd love for you to hear them, by the way, as well. I think you're going to hear the same message I'm giving you, that they're happy, they're excited about some of the changes, and being treated like adults.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: If you do need us to come forward, and as Mr. Skerry said, to come recruit kids. You're always welcome. But there's always been a role. There always is a role. We've been to many other schools. We now have them, and I feel like we're really missing out right now.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Mr. Benedetto has one last.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Thank you. I also want to take this opportunity to let you know that there was a request at the meetings last week from parents to have more of meetings that are taking place up at the high school videotaped and put onto school brains or distributed to parents. So because some people don't have No, like the parent information, freshman and junior parent information night. Some parents didn't have the availability to come to those meetings. And now that we have the technology in this room, or any other, even awards, like not just award ceremonies, but informational things, or putting the PowerPoint presentations up. I don't know if that's happened. I know that there were administrators here and they did take those notes back to you. But I thought I would express that. And there was some concern about electives now being passed field. And how that, they had questions about how that would affect students GPA. So I know we're going to be talking about. those type of things soon, and I just wanted to bring that to your attention.
[John Perella]: First question, we have every intention to take advantage of the new technology present in this theater to present not only those meetings, but also the award ceremonies and things of that nature. A lot of things that happen here that are exciting, and we share your assessment that it'd be a great tool, another tool for us to share information for people unable to attend those meetings. Absolutely. Mr. Tucci brought that information back to me and we thought it was a brilliant idea. And in fact, the technology changes in this that are alone is fairly new to us, so we haven't really probably grasped the potential that it allows for. The second question, the elective discussion. There's a long list of reasons we presented this. I'd be happy to share it with the school committee at some point. I could give you a short summary of some of those points. It's something that the directors and I who met throughout the school year thought it made the most sense educationally. It does not impact a GPA. One of the things we did was remove its impact on GPA because what we found is that students were not taking advantage of certain classes because of their own reasons because they didn't want to take that class because it would lower their GPA because it wasn't an AP or honors level course. So our solution was to remove that so that we don't take away that concern so a student can take a tire and not feel bad that they're not keeping up with other students GPA wise. As far as pass fill goes, probably the belief was that we wanted to create a common experience for students. What we found is there's a lot, a real range, a spectrum of courses with differing degrees of homework. Sometimes some of the mini courses had more homework than some of the core courses, and as far as great expectations, and what we wanted to do is begin the discussion, really the conversation on how to create a common experience for our students in these really small, mini classes that they see two times out of a six-day cycle.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Okay, and another last is more notification before, like, guidance coffee hours, more than a week notice for parents so they can arrange things in their scheduling. That was another thing. Also, are we having an SAT informational session for, and you may not know this, Kathy DiMedaglio may not, for parents with disabilities about how if they need extended time on SATs or PSATs, how parents or students with disabilities, is there a way to request that? That was another question that came up.
[John Perella]: I'm sure there's a way we could address that.
[SPEAKER_08]: Could you step forward, please?
[John Perella]: So guidance does run those sessions that Kathy mentioned. We could add a special ed element to that. I think that's something that's reasonable. OK.
[Kathleen Medaglio]: And then each year during the college fair, there is a formal presentation where we have a representative from the college who comes out and talks about the whole college experience for them, and that includes applying for accommodations for us.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So some clarification may be needed for junior parents taking PSATs about who contacts College Board with a request, just on some information I saw recently distributed to parents, just in a spoken way, and some clarification about how you get your accommodations done and who actually calls the College Board, who presents the data for that decision to be made. Ms.
[Kathleen Medaglio]: Modadly, could you step forward? So beginning at age 14, each student begins a transition plan that evolves over time. And one portion of that is the discussion around preparation for what happens after high school. If a student's goal is to attend college, and if it looks like SATs may be required for entry into college. then that whole process around applying for accommodations to take the SATs or SATs, that discussion begins at that point in time. So somewhere around grade nine, that discussion takes place around accommodations. We make it very, very clear that the IEP doesn't necessarily drive the exact accommodations that a student is eligible for when they take the PSATs or SATs or ACTs. It's the testing group that decides what accommodations are approved. But we do make sure that the students have the appropriate testing in place that they'll need to apply for the testing. So we discuss with parents, grade 9, grade 10, grade 11, all of the entire process of what's needed to be in place in order to apply for accommodations.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So as the team lead for any junior parent who was, because we're all taking the PSATs for free this year. because of a grant, if I'm correct. So have all parents whose students have a 504 on IEP been notified? that in order for their children to have accommodations, the school is, is the school providing the information?
[Kathleen Medaglio]: So the teams discussed the need to apply for accommodations. The guidance Councilors actually helped the student to apply for the accommodations.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Okay. So that should have taken place through the guidance department. Okay. So what I'm saying is that did not come out of the meeting the other night, and I think some clarification is needed.
[Kathleen Medaglio]: OK. Well, I'll talk to Amelia and find out what the timeline is for that. But my sense is that that happens on an annual basis, and it's a rotating task that happens each year with the entire group of students. So it could be that, I don't know, take a look maybe. Somebody overlooks something.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: There's a motion for approval by Ms. Van der Kloot, seconded by Mr. Scurry. Roll call vote, please. Mrs. Cugno?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Yes. Mrs. DiBenedetto? Yes. Mrs. Kreatz? Yes. Mrs. Mustone? Yes. Mr. Scurry? Yes. Mrs. Van der Kloot? Yes. Mayor Burke?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yes. Seven in the affirmative, nine in the negative. The motion is adopted for the change in the electronics policy with the inclusion of that. With the inclusion of the student handbook on not taking phone calls. Next item before us, recommendation to approve revised school dress code policy. There's a motion for approval on the floor by Mr. Carey. Is there a second? Sorry, Mr. Carey.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: He's laughing because he knows.
[Beverly Nelson]: I'm right here. Sorry, I can't see you.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: I can't.
[Beverly Nelson]: You have too much light. We have no light down here. We have to just share.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: So I just remember when the dress code came up between the Andrews and the McGlenn and how they were so different. So in the handbook at the elementary, like every elementary has their own handbook, the two middle school have their own handbook. Will this just be cut and pasted into it, or is this like an addendum to the part that it already speaks about the dress code in the different handbooks?
[Beverly Nelson]: This policy, if you approve it, will be the policy that will be in all handbooks. Let me just explain a little bit what we've done, and I will be brief. Again, as you mentioned last spring, this discussion began because we saw that many schools had dress codes that were outdated. The dress codes among the schools were inconsistent, and there was the request to bring consistency to the dress code issue. And we began our work, the administrators began talking about this back in June at our meetings, and we finalized our discussions when we came back together in August. The issue of dress code is very complex. It's being discussed all around the Commonwealth, as you can see from the article that was in the recent Boston Globe. Dress codes, I think what's not understood is that dress codes by law that are too specific or restrictive can be overturned. The law, again, basically says that student dress must comply with reasonable standards of health, safety, and cleanliness, and must not cause a distraction or disruption in the educational process. And that's it. So when people mandate that you all have to wear blue jackets on a certain day, anybody could challenge that because if it doesn't adhere to the state mandate, and that's what the state says, health, safety, and not disrupting the educational process. So the dress code that we have developed, we feel, meets the state law mandate, the mandate of the state law, yet it provides some specific guidelines for the different levels of school. And again, this was done with input from the elementary principals, middle school and high school principals, and basically all the administrators working together. So the first part of the dress code is what I call the umbrella clause that covers the state mandate concerning dress code that must be adhere to health safety and not be disruptive to the educational process. We also put a statement in that we are sensitive to cultural differences, but again, the differences must not violate the law. The elementary level, after the umbrella statement, the elementary will add what they felt was specificity Again, it stays within the confines of the law, but it does give more specific guidance to what would be considered to be safe dress for elementary shoes, things of that sort. The middle and high school principals felt that the middle and high school one could be consistent. They felt that the same specificity was applicable to both middle and high school. So what we have here, if it's approved, will be a dress code for the entire school district with at the elementary level the clause that deals with a sentence that or the paragraph that deals with elementary specificity, but the middle and high school, they would add the middle and high school specificity. So with that.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: So the current ones are all getting removed.
[Beverly Nelson]: I'm sorry?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: The current ones are all being removed and this will be the same.
[Beverly Nelson]: Well, this is not officially approved yet, but they would, once you approve it. Once it is, yeah. This would take the place of what's in place.
[SPEAKER_08]: Got it, mm-hmm.
[Beverly Nelson]: Okay.
[SPEAKER_08]: Thank you. There's a motion on the floor for approval by Mr. Skerry, Ms. Cunha.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Because I don't know what was, I don't have it in front of me to compare what was on it before and what isn't on it before. Now, I like the idea because we have discussed, we have to make sure that everybody is on the same page. And I think it's important, especially when the kids are going from the middle school to the high school and to the elementary schools to the middle schools that everybody knows that. I guess my thing, I was reading a few of these things and like anything else, I know teachers have a lot to do and it's difficult. And I know administrators have the same type of responsibilities. The only thing I guess for me is that if we're implementing this, if we're putting it out there, we have to make sure that we abide by it. So if we're putting it out there, that means everyone is going to abide by it and it's not going to be like, gee, I could go through this hallway. And so and so doesn't see me, and I could go through the other hallway where I know someone's going to see me. So I just want to make sure that everyone's on board with this as far as, it says here, I don't mean to pick on the high school, but I know it has been done in the past. That if a student will be provided a school issued suitable item of clothing. So I just want to make sure that everyone is on the same page with that. And if we're looking at our students, we as adults have to be their examples too. So I'm just putting it out there that everybody should be very well-weared. If we're asking our students to wear certain clothing, then we ourselves should be wearing the same and not wearing one thing or saying one thing and showing the students something different.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: On the motion for approval by Mrs. Scurry, seconded by Ms. Vandekloot, roll call vote, please.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Mrs. Cugno? Yes. Mrs. DiBenedetto? Yes. Mrs. Kreatz? Yes. Mrs. Mustone? Yes. Mr. Scurry? Yes. Mrs. Vandekloot? Yes. Mayor Burke?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yes. That confirms there is a negative approved revised school dress code policy. Item nine, recommendation to approve revised student activity account policy and practice.
[Roy Belson]: We're going to call on our Director of Administration and Finance to explain this revision mandated by the state.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: There's a motion for approval by Mr. Skerry.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: Good evening. So just a matter of housekeeping and basically to revote the school committee's authorization to maintain student activity accounts at each of the schools. In addition to that, the Department of Education also identifies the importance and need for a balance in what would be the checking account versus the deposits and savings account. So what we are asking for is a two-fold vote to reaffirm the Mass General Law recommendation for maintaining these student activity accounts that are created by and held with the treasurer's office at City Hall. and to establish thresholds at each of the school levels. And the thresholds were identified through reviewing actual utilization and dollar amounts that have transpired through each of the accounts. So the request is looking at the Checking account balances for each of the elementary schools to reach $5,000. And at that point, the documentation will be provided for the sweep to replenish each up to that threshold. The middle school amounts have a little bit more activity and more balances within their savings account. So their threshold has been identified for $10,000. As well as the vocational school for that $10,000 amount, which maintains their own checking account as well. And the high school level would be $25,000 and noting that during high volume times, such as a spring when we have proms and large dollar value items, that there is flexibility to request a one-time transfer and replenish above and over that based on what is available within their savings account. So this is really to create these thresholds and re-establish those thresholds. affirm our accountability for the student activity accounts and be able to reconcile both of these, their savings and checkings within each school itself and be able to provide the principals with more clear information as well as us to be able to monitor what's being charged in those capacities that are student-oriented in nature.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Very good, thank you. So just quick, does the $25,000, is that really sufficient for the high school when I think about all the different class events? I mean, I see the checks that are paid out and some of them are quite substantial. Is that enough of a cushion to make sure that
[Kirsteen Patterson]: So again, the intent is to have a replenish that would occur either monthly or biweekly rather than independent transfers. So the $25,000 was identified with the main secretary who monitors all the activity and it was determined that that would be a comfortable amount for items going through the regular course of the year and notably that we would need a larger amount in those high volume times such as the spring.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Okay. Thank you. On the motion for approval by Mr. Scaria, Mr. Benedetto.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: I just want some clarification about exactly what accounts this is talking about.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: Sure, so this is establishing a dollar amount that will be maintained within their checking account, their checkbook availability to process the checks for items related to student activities within their school that the principal has purview.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Okay, so those are accounts that the principal and the school district has, like not PTO accounts? Correct. Not any outside groups, not any friends of, this is just like clubs, like the robotics club up here might have an account.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: Correct, so the high school has notably substantial different club accounts, whereas the elementary and middle schools have a few that go into a general account there.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So if they have an event and raise money, those funds go back in? Are they kept separate for those groups? Yes. OK. And any time they need to access those funds, they have the right to, no matter
[Kirsteen Patterson]: Well, so long as there is availability within the account. And so this process identifies a threshold up to a dollar value. If they exceed that, we need to request the replenish to get back up to that dollar value.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Identify what was needed. So for Clara picture can be audited as well. Correct. Plus we budgeted a certain dollar amount.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: No, this is outside of the budget. This is strictly fundraising student activity events.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: I didn't know if that was including budgeted allowances for those outside activities.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: On the motion for approval by Mr. Skerry, is there a second by Ms. Kreatz? Do you have a question or a second? Second. Roll call vote, please, on the approved revised student activity account policy in practice.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Mrs. Cugno? Yes. Mrs. DiBenedetto? Yes. Mrs. Kreatz? Yes. Mrs. Mustone? Yes. Mr. Scurry? Yes. Mrs. Vanderpoot? Yes. Mayor Burke?
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yes. 7 in the affirmative, 0 in the negative. The policy is approved. Thank you, Christine. Report on school brain software and implementation.
[Roy Belson]: So this report is a comprehensive report on how school brain software is implemented in the Medford School District during this 2016-2017 first full year. We converted from the I-pass system, which was the system we used for multiple years, to school brains. It was a major undertaking. And it's still reasonable to expect that some bumps will be in the road as you make that kind of conversion, especially since there's many more complex elements to school brains. And there's much more that the state expects us to keep track of than ever before. The interaction between a management software package and the myriad of longstanding specific policies and practices doesn't get untangled overnight. Overall, the school brain software system has been a major improvement. Based upon our experience during year one, we are making adjustments that will address the issues that emerged in year one. And there'll be certain policy decisions that we will have to make to avoid other concerns going forward, and I listed some for our consideration going forward. Should a weighted GPA system be continued in any format? A lot of places have discontinued it. Should special awards for achievement be based upon GPA-related ranking? Or are there other ways to make these determinations? How can we allow optimum access to student records and still provide optimum privacy and security? Because the more people that can use the records for good purpose also opens up the door for what they know about individuals. How can we promote advanced student learning that is not driven by GPA style ranking? There are other things, I referenced it in my opening remarks, that we want our young people to be able to do, and the GPA doesn't necessarily reflect that. And how can we systematically increase parental participation in the communication opportunities offered by school brains? Because it's not easy to get people to use a new system, which can be a little bit daunting at times. But nevertheless, that's what happens when it gets complex, and there are a lot of things you can do with it. So we're going to try to address many of these questions in the next few months as we seek to effectively assess student learning and properly value their achievements. Now, the report that's attached was generated primarily by Curtis Tootin. Curtis, are you in the room? Yeah. In conjunction with myself and other members of the administration to give you some in-depth understanding of the strengths, weaknesses, and some of the issues associated with school brains. And there's a lot of data here. So I'm going to have Curtis go through some of it. And I don't want to dwell on every item tonight because I think it's too long and too much in depth. But I want you to get an idea of some of the strengths and some of the things we have to work on. And the headmaster is here also to give you some feedback as to these types of issues. So go ahead, Curtis.
[Curtis Tuden]: Sure, thank you. Nice to see you all. I produced this report on July 14th, which was after a meeting on July 11th, where Roy had us in his conference room, a bunch of other administrators. We just talked out our first year with School Brains. And a number of different issues were brought up. The report was asked for a summary. So that's why it touches on so many different things, because the meeting was comprehensive. After the first draft was produced on the 14th, there were a series of meetings after that, and different staff members collaborated on changing language here and there. For example, it originally started as a SWOT analysis, which is a commonly used tool for assessing systems operations. So that's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. But threats is something that maybe isn't an appropriate word in this situation. Liabilities might be a bit more appropriate. So edits to language, and like I said, it was a collaboration amongst a bunch of different staff members that I ultimately compiled. The most recent meeting was between Roy and I to produce this printed report. But I think you could look at this as an ongoing document. I hope you look at each of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and liabilities. And there's, at the conclusion, something that's recommended. It's a process for following up on a SWOT analysis. That is observation, orientation, decision, and action. So you could think of each topic as an observation. And then if a meeting or specific I don't know, council. If the council wanted to address specific issues, then you could address them in that systematic way. So I hope it sheds light on what was, I think, still overall a very successful year. There are obviously many more strengths listed there than anything else. And I'm happy to take any questions you have at this time or during the rest of the year.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: I could ask just one question from the Chair. I believe in June it was a parent that came forward that had an issue with the ranking and the GPA for their daughter. Have we analyzed that individual's case to make sure that all the information that went into school brains is included, everything from the prior system, to make sure it's fully accurate as a test case?
[Curtis Tuden]: Yes. The data is always being reviewed, and since that issue... But was it for that individual? Yes, so we determined the error that that individual came to school brought to school committees attention and we have an understanding of how it happened and And it's something that we can correct for in the first grading period of this year And that's really the time that things will ultimately be finalized and reset because yeah either controls in place For those types of mistakes, so was it a manual error. It was a manual error. It was one specific class got coded wrong and their GPA credit didn't appropriately coincide with their class ranking so it wound up with a discrepancy that affected that student and we've now figured out what that was specifically so that specific problem will never happen again. And then GPA is now under scrutiny and we know after a full year of using the system what to go into the first grading period with.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: So does the burden lie on the student and or family to discover an error or are there checks and balances that can make sure that we do as much as we possibly can? Nothing's foolproof.
[Curtis Tuden]: We all understand that sure So teachers students they play the main role in finding errors because ultimately They're determining what a grade is and it's very common for a grade to get changed after a term period closes That happens all the time with students making up work people just updating data on a regular basis and And that is a great culture to have, because it allows for students to make up work and correct any grades that might have hurt them. But it also makes it tough for data management, because we're making these constant updates to student grades. And every time that happens, the students then request for a GPA recalculation, and they're ranked to be adjusted accordingly. So you wind up with a lot of different recalculations that haven't had Like a real method behind it. So that's something that we're going to be addressing with the first term grading period this year, where everyone will have those finalized grades and then a plan going forward for adjusting GPA and rank like I know that at the first parent info nights, it was made clear that the GPA and rank would only be calculated and shared on the term grading periods, and we'll address specific circumstances, whether it's correcting errors, things like that, as needed, but it's just something that we're a lot more aware of now, so we don't see it causing a problem again.
[Kathy Kreatz]: Great, thank you. I have a question. Hi, Curtis. I have a question, and this happened a few times last year, where what we experienced was a couple of different times, like each progress report and each report card, it wasn't the grade point average. It was the grade that was completely wrong, and it was completely wrong on school brains. And I'm not sure if it was because maybe somebody wasn't entering the grade or they needed some more training on how to use the school brains tool. But when this occurred last year, it caused great stress and anxiety on the student, the family, and going back and forth between the administration and the teacher. The student would get the report card or the progress report and the teacher was already gone for the day. And the actual grade on the report card and progress report was wrong. And it even had wrong comments. So this happened to my own son. and some friends of his. And it was really concerning. And it was just really, really upsetting. And it caused great stress and anxiety on the students. I mean, these students were B plus students. And their grade showed as a failing grade on school brains and progress report because the grades were not entered. So I just want to make sure that there's precautions in place for this first term because It didn't happen consistently with one particular class. It was just, you know, randomly this one, another one, and, you know, it was, you know, it wasn't reliable. So, you know, you never knew if it was going to be accurate, and we had to back up our grades on paper and notebooks, and that was more reliable than the school brains. We kept track of every single grade and it was just a lot of record keeping that you have to do on your own. So I didn't know if you have any plans in place for this first quarter coming up.
[Curtis Tuden]: Yes, and the main way to address that issue is through training and making sure that teachers are able to use the system and input data effectively. So when the first term grading period happened last year, it was every teacher's first attempt at using it. And there were many errors put in the system. So it took sometimes, and unfortunately for some students, a full year of getting things straightened out. And then even towards final grading period, There was a specific process that we didn't know how to account for when students changed classes mid-year, and it resulted in some terms counting as zeros as opposed to no credit. So you had these students with very good grades winding up with failing grades just because of this one technical oversight. So if there are any outstanding issues, they should know to contact the school because it's very straightforward to correct them right now. But we have now, after a full year, learned what the do's and don'ts are. with the progress report grading period, that'll be a great practice time for teachers because the steps to input grades are the same from progress reports to report cards. So if people could have patience during that one upcoming grading period, then I know that we'll have term one all figured out.
[Kathy Kreatz]: And I know when it did happen, you were extremely helpful, and so was the assistant principal in issuing revised progress reports and report cards. In fact, within the next day. So I really appreciate that. I just wanted to make sure it was on the radar.
[Curtis Tuden]: Oh yeah, totally.
[Kathy Kreatz]: Because it's on my radar.
[Curtis Tuden]: Yeah, and it's on the radar in time for even tomorrow night when the guidance department is talking with seniors about college information, like we have transcripts that are up to date with the records the way they should be. All that stuff has been accounted for. And it started this summer when we sat down after the 4th of July break and met to figure out what we needed to fix for 2017-18.
[Kathy Kreatz]: I just have one more. And Curtis, I wanted to know if you could put something on the website or in the instruction booklet, because what I ran into last year was that there were block out dates where you can't access your grades. And, and I had asked you, you know, why can't we see the grades? And you can't quite remember. I think it had something to do with contractual. Yeah. But I'm, don't recall.
[Curtis Tuden]: So as I understand it, and people can clarify if I get it wrong, but per the teacher's contract, the grades and specifically the term grades are not available to students and parents. And the thinking behind that is teachers are catching up on a term worth of grading at that time, and as they're entering data into the system, maybe they don't enter things completely, and they don't want students to get misled with bad data, so they take the access away, and then report cards are produced with their fully entered grade books. There's another side of the argument where you could say, oh, they should have access all the time, but then I think you'd wind up in situations where people see inaccurate information or even more inaccurate information, and it would result in more issues as opposed to, you know, the unfortunate surprise that might come when two weeks of not being able to view a term grade results in a surprising report card. So it's kind of a balance we're figuring out how to strike.
[Roy Belson]: It's important to everyone understand We are in an age where there are so many data points that are now being collected, and so much information that has to be cross-validated between student information, teacher licensure, course selection, student discipline, across the board, and it's all getting reported in, and it's cross-validating. And as a result, the need to be precise has been exponentially created, so therefore, You know, there's a lot of learning to go on as people want more and more data. So it takes a period of time for everyone to get used to it and also to be diligent about it. You can't go into it and say, Oh, well, three weeks ago I should have made that change. You've got to do it when it happens. So it's a process in the long run. It'll work out in the short run. There'll be a few bumps in the road and there'll be a few situations where some people aren't as diligent or as good at doing it, but we'll continue to stay on it.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Mr. Benedetto. Thank you. I have two part questions. First of all, I want to make sure that, um, the glitch in the system for that particular student didn't, um, have any effect on her applying to any colleges or her or class ranking or any longterm things. So I don't know if you know that information. or if the headmaster knows, if that was, you know, like if she's already applied, you know, early decision in first quarter is a little late for that GPA to be changed or that class ranking to change, is that going to affect her in any adverse way? So I just want someone to follow up and make sure that that's not the case and that we don't need to fix it prior to the end of first quarter grades.
[John Perella]: So that has been corrected, their GPA, and like Mr. Tudin just mentioned, the most critical time period for correct GPAs is for the fall for students applying for college. That's when the actual application tends to go in. So in that case, it won't impact the GPA. So I don't see that as being an issue for her in that process.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: All right, great. Thank you. The second part of my question.
[Curtis Tuden]: One last thing about the first part of the question. So ultimately, transcripts are what we really work towards getting 100% correct, because they're the permanent records. And as I said before, data is constantly changing during the school year. So adverse effects. really play out in terms of the accuracy of that data. So I definitely regret how we've learned about the problems from last year, but we have corrected that one student's issue. And the transcripts, which is the final record, is accurate.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Thanks. That's great. I'm glad it was all resolved. And that's what I just wanted to make sure. So the second part of my question is more for the superintendent. So I just want clarification. With the new key teacher contract, what is the expectation of how often and how quickly And how much data teachers are required to put in in the use of school brains or provide training. Like homework assignments, are they being posted daily? I don't know exactly what the new contract says and I'm just curious what their obligation is and how that's affecting our teaching staff.
[Curtis Tuden]: So I know the term in the teacher contract is regular updates. So the definition of regular is always open to interpretation. My general rule of thumb when I'm training teachers in the system is two weeks of regular updates gives you multiple times logging in, checking data between grading periods. Emphasizing the importance of double checking and making sure things are accurate for those grading periods is my definition of regular, but it's a culture change across the school, so people are working to figure out what the best practice is.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So my question's more directed to the superintendent. like what's the expectation of parents using only school brains and to use that as homework assignments and that way of communication with parents. If they need to send an email, they do it through the school brain so the teacher becomes more, it becomes more of a habit for the teacher as well as the parents to utilize this new system. So it's the first go-to for everybody because I know that in prior years to having school brains, Parents were saying, for three different children in the district, they would have three different ways to communicate with parents. So I want to know what the expectations are from our teachers. Now that we've had it a whole year, for this school year, what are we expecting our teachers to do and how often to post important information to parents? Is this the only way that we're expecting them to do that?
[Roy Belson]: So when we negotiated the last contract, this was one of the items that was specified in the contract. And the teachers obviously indicated that they didn't want to be putting stuff in every day and so on and so forth in different levels. For example, the elementary school didn't really apply as much, with much more broad based information. At the middle and high school, probably once a week. Every couple weeks that they would update that material, that was sort of the way they were thinking. And towards the end of the quarter again, there would be some of the drop off from that because they were concentrating on consolidating the grades. But I'll do some talking to some teachers and get a sense and get you another report because I think it's something that's going to grow. Because people will use so many different systems for so long, they're comfortable with those. And now they're switching to this. And we've also got to get parents to really use it because you can't motivate someone to use something if no one is looking at it. So we've got to find a way to bring them both together. And I think that's sort of where we're coming from. But overall, it's the right direction to head in, albeit it's not a perfect system.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So this was part of the reasoning for going with the new system was to consolidate So parents didn't have to go to three places. And that's the ultimate goal for the district K-12, and even preschool. So I would like to stop people on that, especially in our early grades, and build straight through. So I do think that it does affect our elementary teachers. If they're assigning homeworks, and parents can go on at night and just check and say, oh, you forgot tomorrow is you get to bring your special thing and do it at show and tell. So let's pick it out now. So I think it's an important tool that everyone in the district is consistent throughout the district, every school district. So if you could talk to your principals and your leaders throughout the district and really at their meetings with their teachers, tell them that this is what the expectations are moving forward. So that way, even in our preschool K classes, those teachers are using this. all the way through our seniors.
[John Perella]: If I could speak to that a bit too. I think it's very important to you. understand the massive culture change that is taking place in regards to that. In the previous years, most teachers used a wide variety of systems for grading. So what we have been doing, at least at the high school I can speak to, is that we've been making a focus of our unit discussions, evaluation discussions, and just building expectations that we are all using this system now to communicate and to regularly update grades on, like Mr. Tood mentioned, a regular basis. It is part of our expectation, it's part of our conversation, and I think you'll see a significant change this time next year.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: So is our other areas of the district doing that? Ms. Caldwell, is your area doing that as well as the middle schools? Like I want consistency K through 12. I don't just want the high school to use it. I want, if I have a fourth grader and a second grader and an eighth grader and a kid graduating, I want to go into one system.
[Diane Caldwell]: Good evening again. So contractually, the elementary grades have to put in attendance and report cards only. We do have a new contract coming up, so we may be able to negotiate something else. But according to the teacher's contract, it is just attendance and report cards.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: Can we encourage people to start using it in this fashion because of a request from parents? Because that's what we're hearing through the district?
[Diane Caldwell]: I'd like to have a further conversation with you about the parents, but yes, certainly we can ask our teachers to put in as much as possible.
[Erin DiBenedetto]: I haven't heard as much of it recently, but when we were deciding on this program, I did hear many Facebook messages from parents telling me how important that was and how frustrating it was in the evenings, trying to figure out.
[Diane Caldwell]: We find that at the elementary level, we do a lot more when we meet with parents one-on-one in person, that it just makes a bigger difference to them. But certainly, we can encourage our teachers to go online.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Okay, thank you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Ms.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Van de Koot. I had a couple of first nuts and bolts questions. You listed in your report Curtis liabilities and one of them was notification of rights and suggested that this could be easily resolved by adding a message to the school brains login screen. Has that been done?
[Curtis Tuden]: So that hasn't been done. The report was just produced on Friday, so it's something that we can address tomorrow.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: It's very easy to... Then it would just seem that we should try and take these liabilities off. Another one was the current ad hoc method of assigning user security roles. is unsustainable and may expose sensitive information. So I would think that that would be another one that we would need to spend some time on. The data storage, I understand, being an issue. So those are kind of nuts and bolts issues. Since you've identified them, I'd like to try and resolve them. The bigger issue that is also brought up in this report is the whole GPA system and the weighting of courses. And I think that's a much larger conversation than certainly any of us have the wherewithal tonight. I think that should probably happen within the course of meetings and probably in the curriculum subcommittee, perhaps, if my colleagues thought so as well. I think that there's a lot of input we need to get and a lot of information for all of those questions which were presented to us, really saying is that the best possible way to go in the future to determine student achievement and how we emphasize that, how we tell schools, colleges, when kids are applying, what sort of student this is. It also goes on and says, you know, how do we give out awards and is it based on GPA or is it based on other stuff? So a lot of information in that. And something that I would suggest that we send to the curriculum subcommittee, which is my subcommittee, and ponder and work on that over some period of time this year.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Very good.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Great. Ms. Mustone.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: I just had a question. I was surprised at the under the behavior system that all the information now that we have at our fingertips that there were 278 suspensions and I was just hoping you could give me a report at some time in the near future if that's One student who may have been suspended 10 times, or that's 270 individual students that were suspended once. I was just surprised at that number.
[Curtis Tuden]: Sure. Yeah, there's a detailed report called the School Safety and Discipline Report. It's something that's annually reported that has everything broken down. So the summary reports are all available online. I'd say send me a message, and we can figure out the details of what you're most interested in. But I can say that that number has been drastically reduced over the years. So that's a great sign for the district.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Yeah, I don't even know where it's right.
[Curtis Tuden]: I know the number itself jumps out at you. But if you look at it over time, it's something that we're doing continually better on. But to get more into the weeds is a conversation.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Thank you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Ms. Cuno.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Thank you. I just don't actually went upon that one, but I'm concerned about the GPA. And as my colleagues just mentioned it, I think that the GPA part of this really needs to be, we need to sit down, clarify it. This is a huge impact on parents and students on both ends, whether your GPA is high or low or in the middle. We really need to clarify it because, I mean, I was reading this and I totally understand on certain things, but I don't want to go from one extreme to another. And we're saying that we're not going to maybe do the GPA the way it is, but it's important for parents to understand, is this something that's going to impair our students that are going to go on to higher education? I don't want parents thinking that if we're going to change our system, it's going to impair their children when they go off to college. If we're all on the same page, that's great. But I just don't want to turn around now and hear, OK, we're going to be doing it in one way. And then they go to apply in a totally different way. I mean, with all due respect and everything, I'm looking at this, and it says, you know, problems with the GPA are concerns of high-achieving students and their parents. Time spent resolving them is time spent not helping the school's lower-achieving students who already don't value GPA. I don't want that message to go out thinking that we're only going to be now concentrating on one group rather than concentrating on all the groups. And it's just as important it is to make sure that our educational gap gets closer. I want to make sure that we put out the correct information and that we're doing the correct thing of making it closer, not just changing the GPA. I know the next thing that's going to come out of this, if people start reading it, and students start reading it, we're going to be almost in the same situation of what Ms. Kreatz said at the beginning of this meeting, and that is, what does that mean? Are we going to start taking away valedictorians? Are we going to start taking away certain things? And if that's the case, and if that is a culture that this school and this district is going to do, it has to be very important that we clarify it and we disclose it and we are transparent about it. Because I don't want to get a phone call in May saying, guess what, in June we're not going to have it. If that's something that's going to be discussed across this district, and more importantly with the students in this school, I want to make sure that they are very much aware of where we're going to go with this. And I think as a school committee, we definitely want to know. how we're going to achieve this.
[Curtis Tuden]: So- I would say that it's in the purview of the school committee to set the policy, because all of the GPA issues are set according to the student handbook, which is up to this group to decide. So I look forward to all those discussions. It'll be great.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Okay.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: So, and when we do have- Ms. Vandekloot suggested that we send this paper to the subcommittee on curriculum.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Absolutely. And definitely have it open. Are you going to also have a discussion with parents once this is done?
[John Perella]: Can I jump in too? So I'd like to just clarify that there's a difference here in the GPA discussion. One is obviously is accuracy, and that's critical for us. I think there are many excellent points that Kouros brings up with his GPA reflection piece, things to ponder. It is not necessarily what we're advocating as a building. I think Kouros is brainstorming and being very creative in how he approaches the situation he's viewing. So we're not in the process right now of changing GPA to that degree. So I just want to make sure that it's clear. I think there's two different pieces here in that report.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Well, and that's exactly what I'm saying, that if parents start reading this, they're going to jump to conclusions. And I don't want parents to have the fear out there. And I don't want the students to have the fear out there, no matter which group or subgroup they're in. And that's why I said it's very important that we do discuss this the proper way. And not starting rumors out there.
[John Perella]: I think that's incredibly important. I think unfortunately some of the information presented here tonight is the victim of that. There are some confused narratives that I think would be better served if we could clarify. But specifically to GPA and school grades. It's critical for us to realize that, as Mr. Belson mentioned, that there's a substantial increase in the state expectation for data systems. We have to invest substantially in those systems, in our own internal systems, if we're going to keep up with the expectations of the state. This is all new territory for us, obviously. It changes on a yearly basis. But it should be a priority of the school committee and of the school system itself. The data systems that we presently have and how to increase in support and actually add to those systems.
[Kirsteen Patterson]: Thank you.
[John Perella]: Mayor?
[Kirsteen Patterson]: Mr. Skerry.
[Robert Skerry]: I think that this would be best served if we had a committee of the whole meeting soon. And then the information gathered from parents and students at that meeting be filtered down so that we can assign parts to the various subcommittees so that once and for all we can have a clear, concrete idea of what we're dealing with, find out what happened, why it happened, and how we fixed it, and how it's going to work in the future.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: There's a motion on the floor that this paper be sent to Committee of the Whole by Mr. Skerry. Is there a second? Second. Seconded by Mr. Benedetto. All those in favor of sending this to Committee of the Whole? Aye. All those opposed? Motion passes. Thank you. Motion that negotiation and legal matters be tabled until the meeting, our next meeting, which is next week. Madam Mayor.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: I just have a question that I'd like to throw out.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: On the executive session papers to the next school committee meeting, basically tabling it. Is there a second on the floor by Mr. Skerry?
[Unidentified]: Second.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Seconded by Mr. Skerry. All those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? Motion passes. Thank you. If I might. Stand included.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Since we're talking about next week's meeting, I have to tell you as one committee member, this has not been an ideal setup for me tonight. It's very difficult to feel like I'm having a conversation with my fellow school committee members. The lights are in our eyes. We only sort of see the audience. And I'm not sure whether the television was capturing the speakers who came before us. Yes? Okay. Oh, good.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Good for them.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: That's great. The only problem is that as a body who is interacting with my colleagues, frankly, it's very disconcerting to be trying to have a discussion in this. So I'd like some thought put into this next week.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: If I could just piggyback, we held city council meetings here during some renovations several years ago. And we did set up a horseshoe up on the stage, and it worked out very nicely. So maybe we can consider that for next week.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Can I just ask? I know that the city council meetings, the last few of them, have been done in the station. And the reason that I know that there's been discussion of having it here is because the issues that they've brought at the meeting has brought in a lot of people. So it's been difficult to have it over there because it's packed. We're at a situation where we're not like that. Is it possible maybe for us to go back in there? Because it's a lot more intimate than this.
[SPEAKER_08]: We can.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: All righty, new business.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: School committee resolutions. Be it resolved that the Medgar School Committee expresses some safe condolences to the family of Joan Gorman. Mrs. Gorman was the mother of school committee member, Erin DiBenedetto. Be it resolved that the Medford School Committee express its sincere condolences to the family of Carl Galusi. Mr. Galusi was the father of Medford teacher Matt Galusi and father-in-law of principal Suzanne Galusi. Be it resolved that the Medford School Committee express its sincere condolences to the family of Mitchell Chester. Mr. Chester was a commissioner of the Mass Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Be it resolved that the Medford School Committee expresses sincere condolences to the family of Rosemary Alfie. Mrs. Alfie was a former Medford High School secretary and the aunt of Public Information Officer Lisa Evangelista. Be it resolved that the Medford School Committee expresses sincere condolences to the family of Anina Scaramuzzo. Mrs. Scaramuzzo was the mother of Director of Foreign Language Rita DeCarlo. And also be it resolved that the member of the school committee expresses sincere condolences to the family of Robert Murray. Mr. Murray was the godfather of city employee Lisa Caticcio and uncle of school committee member Erin DiBenedetto. If we could all rise for a moment of silence on the passing of these residents and relatives.
[SPEAKER_08]: Thank you.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Is there a motion to adjourn? Ms. Cugno.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Just before, I just want to say, I just want to congratulate the family. Well, first of all, I'd like to congratulate Dr. Nicole Kieser and her family for her new baby. And also for the Nelson and Kieser families, congratulations on them for their grandchild. So that was a nice thing.
[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Congratulations. Congratulations. Very good. Thank you very much for coming tonight. Did you say motion to adjourn?
[Unidentified]: Thank you.
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