[Edouard-Vincent]: learning, chronology of events from July and August of 2020, and the Medford Public Schools return to school dynamic planning framework. In summary, school year 2020-2021 will be recorded by historians as the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, which demanded incredible flexibility on the part of all educational leaders, students, and families. But thanks to all of the Medford Public Schools community and the Medford community at large, we were able to coexist with the rapid changes and brought back the option of in-person learning and remote learning. The following further describes these accomplishments. The three goals that I, the superintendent identified The district improvement goal was in fact the district strategic plan, which was presented last week. The three overarching goals of the district strategic plan were safety, equity, and consistency. I attached the strategic plan in this as a hyperlink and the slide deck for additional information. Please note that the strategic plan is not a final document, but it's a living document that will continue to be revised and updated. Under the area of safety, we charged ourselves with implementing a district-wide reopening plan that met the guidelines of Massachusetts Department of Public Health and provide in-person learning opportunities for all students pre-K to 12 who selected that option. As evidence under safety, I stated that in collaboration with Tufts University, the city of Medford and the Broad Institute, the Medford Public Schools was able to provide COVID-19 testing for all staff beginning in September of 2020 and testing of all students, which began in November of 2020 for those that were in person. As hyperlinks documents, supporting safety. I included a sample dashboard, a COVID-19 dashboard, the metrics from the Board of Health and the MPS consent form. Under equity, our goal was to provide all students with access to district opportunities to ensure individual student success. The evidence was that the Medford Public Schools was able to prioritize our most vulnerable students first with in-person instruction beginning the last week of September. Our most vulnerable students attended school four days a week, and we were able to provide one-to-one technology for all students through the purchases of Chromebooks. In addition, we were able to provide hotspots for our most vulnerable students and families in need. When looking at our limited technology in 2019, the additional funding that we received from CARES Act and ESSER, we are now able to meet the needs of all students and staff. During the fall of this school year, we purchased over 500 MacBooks for all educational staff. Again, documents supporting this claim are our elementary hybrid reopening document. And I listed the technology status document from 2019 to see how far we've come from 2019 to 2020-21 school year. Under the area of consistency, to prepare principals and other district leaders for remote and hybrid instruction by developing a common language and adopting common practices that ensure all remote and hybrid students have access to high quality instruction. So the evidence in the Medford Public Schools, we are committed to holding ourselves accountable and providing transparent expectations for all of our learners, I listed the Medford Public Schools language of expectations for remote learning. Not only was it for administration, it was for staff and also for students. The Medford Public Schools elementary hybrid schedule and our elementary remote days for hybrid instruction. The second goal that is required to be presented is the student learning goal. The student learning goal is this past year, the focus, the continued focus was elementary mathematics to improve elementary achievement outcomes in mathematics by deepening teacher and principal knowledge of math. As evidence I stated, the superintendent remains committed to addressing elementary achievement in mathematics. Even though due to the pandemic, all learning walks were suspended out of an abundance of caution and due to the blended delivery of instruction for our remote and in-person students. The superintendent will resume learning walks and invite Lesley University once again to participate for the fall of 21 this coming school year. Medford Public Schools continues to partner with Lesley University in other capacities. The superintendent continues to closely partner with the math director as we are going to pilot a few elementary programs next year. Please refer to the attached documents for greater information about what is happening in mathematics. And again, we will be piloting three programs for next school year come September in mathematics in all of the schools in order to make a formal recommendation to the school committee in the spring of 22 for a new elementary mathematics curriculum. My third goal, which is a professional practice goal. This, in fact, was my third year of the new superintendent induction program, which is called NSIP. In that program, which is a program endorsed by DESE and in collaboration with our Department of Ed. It is to develop skills in strategy development, data analysis, and instructional leadership by completing, which I did this year, the third year of the NSSEP program. The evidence I provided was that Dr. Edouard-Vincent successfully completed the full three-year NISP program. Due to the pandemic restrictions, all classes this year were held remotely by Zoom. However, in light of the racial awakening that has taken place across the nation and the globe, NISP added an additional model of affinity groups with a focus on equity. These additional modules created opportunities for superintendents to discuss potential problems of practice and proactively address issues around equity. Dr. Edouard-Vincent presented a significantly revised district strategic plan to the school committee on June 7th, 2021, and it was approved. This key expectation of all superintendents entails developing an action plan for all strategic priorities, the alignment of all school plans, the budget, leadership team meetings, and evaluation within the district strategy. The final expectation of the program is for superintendents to monitor progress and refine priorities and action plans. The school committee will receive an annual update on the district strategy for improvement, our strategic plan to assess, provide input and make the necessary budgetary decisions based on our most current priorities. As attachments, I included the NISP program at a glance and the district strategy for improvement. And so I am going to stop there. And now this is the official portion of the evaluation based on the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. It's the four standards, instructional leadership being standard one. Standard two is management and operations. Standard three is family, community, and engagement. And standard four is professional culture. And so in the information that was shared, many of the articles listed as evidence, including school committee documentation, which are available in your drives, I will pause there for questions. comments and feedback from the school committee.
[Lungo-Koehn]: Member McLaughlin.
[McLaughlin]: Thank you. Thank you, Superintendent, for your self-evaluation. I was just noticing on the family and community engagement, I would encourage the addition of the ongoing exceptional relationship with the Medford CPAC. Thank you.
[Lungo-Koehn]: Member van de Kloot.
[Van der Kloot]: Yes, thank you. So Superintendent Marisa Edward-Vincent, I think that you continue to do an exceptional job under the most difficult of circumstances this year. At every turn, I think that you've certainly displayed an incredible commitment to your role, to being available to us, to the community, to the kids at every turn. As the four standards are outlined, I think that you have met them all and done an exemplary job. So I thank you and I look forward to your continued leadership in our community.
[Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Member van de Kloot. Member Kreatz?
[Kreatz]: Yes, I just wanted to say thank you, Superintendent Edwin Vincent, for your evaluation and all your goals that you sent to us. And I also want to mention that you do continue to exhibit exceptional instructional leadership. You motivate your team and the teachers and all the students. Everywhere you go, you walk around with a smile. You make the students happy. It's like they're your family. an extended family. You make everybody feel warm and comfortable and very personable. So I just wanted to say that those are just a brief summary of my feedback. Thank you.
[Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Member Kreatz.
[McLaughlin]: I know, how do you figure who's next? Member Graham.
[Graham]: Thank you for all your hard work, it's pretty interesting to reflect back over less than 12 months and think about how much has been accomplished not just pandemic oriented but really well beyond the pandemic, and how much. Notable change, there is a foot. So when I think about the presentations we received from your, your leadership team and the commentary and feedback. It's notable that things are moving forward and changing. And so that's way more than you can ask for in this year. So thank you for that. And then I did have a question about procedurally for the school committee in terms of how we will formalize our feedback to the superintendent. I think member Rousseau offered to collect all that feedback earlier today. And I just wanted to establish what that timeline would be since this is our last scheduled meeting so that we can make sure that we complete this this year and get to go into next year sort of as it's intended instead of as we have been forced to do for these last couple of years.
[Ruseau]: Thank you member Graham members up. Thank you. Yes, so around the procedure and timeline so I mean I my suggestion here would be that I know we have to have at least one more meeting to prove the allocation the city's budget. I believe that's a committee of the whole. I think that if we were to finalize and approve at that same meeting and then revote it at our first regular we have to do a real vote at a regular meeting. But I think that if we did that vote of the committee of the whole that I I'm suspect expecting that that could be submitted to death see without anybody be concerned if we can plan to vote it in September. That sounds reasonable to everybody.
[Van der Kloot]: It's One question? Yes, Member Van der Kloot. Is the meeting that we're going to have to confirm the budget a committee of the whole, or are we going to add a regular meeting? What does it have to be?
[Edouard-Vincent]: I mean, we could make it a special meeting if we needed to. We could do it as a special meeting.
[Ruseau]: And if I may, then I believe our regular votes actually count there as well, so. Yeah, we could change it to that, special meeting.
[Lungo-Koehn]: Okay. So we could maybe have everybody's evaluation by the beginning of next week and have the final special meeting the last week in June, if that is amenable to my colleagues.
[McLaughlin]: Member McLaughlin? Thank you. So yeah, I was going to ask one, if there needs to be a motion for that, but also that, you know, we have a schedule. I would make a motion that we move to the rules subcommittee, a schedule for next year's evaluation process with a month advance notice of our evaluation that needs to be presented and dates on the calendar for each of the timeline items. Can I have a second? Second that.
[Lungo-Koehn]: Motion by Member McLaughlin, seconded by Member Ruseau. before the roll is called, Member Mustone?
[Van der Kloot]: Member McLaughlin, could you repeat it? We were just trying to figure out the scheduling, so I missed what you said.
[McLaughlin]: May I, Mayor?
[Van der Kloot]: Yes, Member McLaughlin.
[McLaughlin]: Timeline for the superintendent's evaluation process referred to the rules, equity policy subcommittee, so that we have a laid out timeline for the future with a month advance notice to school committee members to prepare our rubric. and a date where we have the superintendent's self-evaluation and our response to the evaluation.
[Van der Kloot]: So no more the week of June 27th?
[McLaughlin]: Yes, the week of June 27th this year. I'm talking about for the future.
[Lungo-Koehn]: Her motion is to create a plan for next year so that we don't run into going over the last meeting in June. Correct, thank you. Okay, motion. Do you have a question on that motion, Member Kreatz? I sent in my tally today. We haven't done that yet. Right now, it's just a motion on the floor to get a calendar together for next year so that we don't run into this timeline. But we ran into this timeline because it seems like yesterday, we just did your last year's evaluation. So motion by Member McLaughlin, seconded by Member Ruseau. Roll call, please. Member Graham.
[Unidentified]: Yes.
[McLaughlin]: Member Kreatz.
[Unidentified]: Yes.
[McLaughlin]: Member McLaughlin, yes. Member Ruseau. Yes. I'm sorry, Member Mustone. Yes number or so yes, I'm a van to clear. Yes, 7 in the affirmative the motion passes there may ask a question is make member mclaughlin the member van de Kloet are we doing the on favors I mean didn't we make that that we don't have to do roll call and I'm sorry yes. What was that this number.
[Graham]: I thought that voice votes are not allowed until tomorrow under the emergency provisions.
[Lungo-Koehn]: I didn't see it in the guidance, but why don't we do it just to be safe? Okay. Yeah, I didn't read that part of it.
[Van der Kloot]: Member Van der Kloot. So I think that what we're thinking, but if we could just look and determine when we think the special meeting would be, what is the latest that the city council can give us the budget It's usually, I know it has to be done by the 30th, right? Their last Tuesday meeting is the 29th of June. So does that mean that we are going to, our special meeting will be held on the 30th? Just in case, I mean, if they have to, if they go all the way to the 29th to confirm the budget, then it would suggest that our special meeting would be on the 30th. Is that correct? I really need to set the date so I know what, you know, if we do it the previous week, we might not yet have the budget from the City Council. Is that correct? That's correct. All right. So therefore, I make a motion. that the special meeting be held on Wednesday, June 30th? Is that? Second. Superintendent, is that a date?
[Edouard-Vincent]: June 30th is my son's birthday. It happened last year too. Right. I know. It's like we're always backed up, but we'll make it work.
[Van der Kloot]: Do we think that the city council might be done sooner so we could do it on Monday the 28th?
[Lungo-Koehn]: The city council has meetings. They're trying to schedule meetings for this Saturday. and then they'll still have the schools and multiple departments left to go, which will bring them to having a meeting or two the week of the 21st. So I would assume they would vote on the budget on the 29th.
[Graham]: Mayor. Member Grant. So I guess two questions. One is just looking for clarification about whether whether meetings must be held in person at that time, because that obviously changes scheduling. And then my other question is, the city council can approve or decline the budget. They can't change the amount, is that correct?
[Lungo-Koehn]: They can reduce line items either in the operations itself in a certain department or in the operating so they could reduce line items. Yes.
[Graham]: So we could meet in anticipation that nothing will change next week in a special meeting and then call a separate meeting if it becomes necessary after they vote. Is that another potential option?
[Lungo-Koehn]: I'll defer to the senior members. Do you usually have your final approval meeting after the city council approves?
[Van der Kloot]: The truth of the matter is we never had a final approval meeting. What happened was we submitted it. We always understood that the city council has never declined the amount that we submitted. So this is something new that we're doing this year. You know, it's difficult because if they go all the way to the end, you know, we can't really, if they haven't voted the budget, how can we accept it? This really is a question I think Mr. Murphy might have to weigh into since he was the one who suggested, because otherwise I'd say let's do the meeting on Monday the 28th. Right, I agree. Which would be far, far preferable. And if you go to July 1st, it's the beginning of the 4th of July weekend.
[Edouard-Vincent]: So could we work on doing like a doodle poll or getting the specifics? Because I know he's probably on campus somewhere. I'm just not sure where he is just yet.
[Van der Kloot]: And yeah, so once we get that, I would actually suggest otherwise that we look at Monday the 28th. So let's put a hold on Monday the 28th.
[Lungo-Koehn]: And let's get a date that the evaluations will be delivered to member Ruseau.
[Graham]: Monday the 28th doesn't work for me, if at all possible. It's what? It does not work for me.
[Edouard-Vincent]: How about Thursday or Friday, the 24th or 25th? Yeah, both are fine. maybe earlier in the day. I'll send out a poll. Thank you.
[Lungo-Koehn]: A doodle poll. Monday the 21st, which gives us one full week. Does that sound like a good day to get your evaluations to Member Ruseau? Absolutely. Do we need a motion? Member Kreatz? It won't be earlier than three. It won't be earlier than three. Maybe four o'clock start? Would four o'clock work? on that Thursday, the 24th, potentially?
[Van der Kloot]: Yeah, I'd have to do a leader's time.
[Edouard-Vincent]: I'll send out a poll.
[Lungo-Koehn]: Okay, so please have your evaluations to Member Ruseau by Monday, June 21st, and you will get to the poll tomorrow on a new date. Any other questions or comments before we adjourn this meeting?
[McLaughlin]: Mayor? Member McLaughlin? Two things. One is I'm wondering what the process is for identifying us. Do you want us to just put our mics on and say Mayor? Because I know when we have people in the queue, I'm not sure that you can see or can you see on this edge. So I know this microphone process is different. So if you could just define that. And then before I shut it off, I just wanted to also thank the superintendent for this year. It's been It's been very interesting and it's been really good to work with you. And I especially appreciated your communication around the commercials and your willingness to go into the studio and give that a shot. So thank you.
[Van der Kloot]: I did want to read, I thought I saw him here earlier, so I thought he might chime in, but I do want to read a letter that we received for the committee of the whole. Dear members of the school committee, I'm writing to express my utmost appreciation and support for Dr. Marice Edouard-Vincent. The courage and grace that she has displayed over the past year is truly remarkable. The city is blessed to have her leading our school system. I am sure that the members of this committee feel the same. I look forward to many more years with Dr. Edouard-Vincent at the helm. Respectfully, Sean M. Began, Esquire, Zero Governors Ave, Medford, Mass. Wonderful.
[Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Member Van der Kloot.
[Van der Kloot]: Thank you. Motion to adjourn.
[Lungo-Koehn]: Seconded by Member Ruseau. Roll call, please.
[McLaughlin]: Member Graham.
[Lungo-Koehn]: Yes.
[McLaughlin]: Member Kreatz.
[Lungo-Koehn]: Yes.
[McLaughlin]: Member McLaughlin, yes. Member Mustone, yes. Member Ruseau, yes. Member Van der Kloot, yes. Mayor Long-Kourn, yes.
[Lungo-Koehn]: 7, the affirmative, 0, and the negative. Motion is approved. We have 21 minutes, and we'll start our regular meeting.
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