[Peter Cushing]: So all right, while we don't have a quorum, we can still, I believe, have a conversation to kind of recap the year's activities. And if Darren and Noah would be able to provide their suggestions as we move forward into next year as well, I think that might be a really good use of our time and a good point for critical feedback. But I leave it to member Reinfeld, member Rousseau, and member Opati. I always mess up your names, so I'm sorry. Someday I'll get it. How we can, you know, for you guys to ask questions and move forward as well. So Darren and Noah, yep, go ahead.
[Adam Hurtubise]: So, our first question is, if there's anything we can do on this advisory committee, now that the levels budget has been proposed in the city council recommendation committee.
[Peter Cushing]: So I think you guys have done a lot. I think it was definitely taken at city council last night, if I remember correctly, that your petition slash proposal was taken under advisement by them. I think that the work that you did on the school committee was definitely one of the pieces of the puzzle for our school committee. to request the $79 million number to really make sure that district operations are able to continue. So I don't know there's much more that can be done other than allowing the political machine to really move forward, but I'm just one person who, you know, but I think you've done a lot.
[Erika Reinfeld]: Yeah, I would agree the district side. The school committee side is now waiting for the actual number we requested leveled services actually. Not level funding level services and. We're waiting to find out.
[Sheila Freitas]: So, you know, the work you guys have done has been fantastic. You know, I know, why don't you two speak about what your request of Ms. Cabral and myself with kind of carrying on the work for Jayden and the rest of the, you know, juniors, sophomores and freshmen class moving forward for student advisory council, because I really think that you guys put in the work and came up with this, you know, diagram to help out elementary schools because you came up with an idea that was pretty amazing, homework policy, something that, you know, as a district, you know, we needed to revamp and redo. You know, so through that, you guys did the work and found out, all right, we need to start, you know, from the foundation level. What is Student Advisory Council do? And we kind of learned as we went. Now that you two are enjoying this last week at Medford High, explain to everybody kind of what you would like to see happen moving forward.
[Adam Hurtubise]: So I think part of our vision for student advisory was to be a position both for the school and for the district as a whole, as sort of a conduit of student voice. And that's sort of what we tried to emphasize in what we made like definition docs, as we called them. So we're just defining sort of like the general rules and how we basically just like give people a template. uh advisory members like the tool really just a definition of what they're doing and how they should be trying to do that because that was something we struggled with early so i think going forward um just having some way pursue mind uh those documents and uh to better understand their role that'd be a very helpful portion to get students to get continual involvement in the advisory Yeah, I also just want that. I think it's nice if we could have the definition. It's uploaded onto the school website website so that students have access to it. In addition, I don't know if it's within the school committee jurisdiction to do this, but encouraging other schools or even requiring other schools to have some sort of a student council. I reached out to a couple schools and some of the schools do have student councils, but some of them doesn't have any sort of Yeah, and something that I've been working at with the other principals in the Greater Boston League, which is Malden, Everett, Revere,
[Marta Cabral]: Somerville and Lynn is at the start of next school year. There'll actually be all the student advisory councils, student councils, and student government that's gonna come together and have like a conference day. And it's gonna be hosted at Revere High School. So that'll be a great way to like start off the student voice and all of the different kind of committees that you all have created. And then also see like what other schools are doing to either borrow ideas or for them to borrow ideas from us. which you're gonna leave next year, or be one of them.
[Jayden Vil]: I think that'd be great, because like, you know, like when we're doing our research about like the different like level, like we heard like the regional student advisory council, like the state student advisory council, we reached out to like the email that they had under them, but like they didn't provide any more information. So like, I think kind of like something like that, I think would be helpful, like facilitating like student administration conversation.
[Marta Cabral]: And I think everyone after COVID, no one's really got their, you know, student councils and everything back up and running. So like I said, we're beer is going to host it September, October once we're all back in school.
[Erika Reinfeld]: Yeah, you mentioned about it being in under the weather and not sure whether it's under the purview of school committee to mandate that kind of thing. I don't think it. I mean, I think there could be, but I don't think it is. And I know that some of the schools and the other schools in Medford do have student councils. I know the Roberts, the student council is the entire fifth grade and there is an advisor there. So what my advice potentially would be, would be to schedule some really targeted outreach for the high school student council to meet with, to go to one of their meetings. I know that gets complicated with coming out of class and whatnot. but to find some really targeted ways to meet, to have that communication come either from the younger schools through the high schools council. I know I talked with folks in a couple of the schools about listening sessions or an open forum where people could come and listen. It gets complicated with school committee because we can't all show up at the school that's a quorum and then it's a public meeting. That's not what you want for the student. to get that council spirit within the school. So I wonder if there's a way for this council at the high school to build those relationships and be that conduit, not just from the high school, because that's always a question I have when you all present really important things at the meetings and saying, this feels like it's from the high school, absolutely, but is Curtis Tufts included? Are the middle schoolers included in this? And I would love to see that as something that happened. to build those relationships. And I think you have a lot of people on the school committee right now who are really excited to have student voices be part of the conversation. But it's a lot harder. I mean, we saw some fantastic fifth graders get up at the last school committee meeting and present their CCSR project. That was fantastic. It's very hard for students of that age to get up and say, here's what I want to change in my school or here's what I don't, here's what's not working about the homework policy for me in middle school or the binders. And I think you in leadership roles have a real role to play in bringing that kind of input to the school committee.
[Adam Hurtubise]: That's right, excuse me.
[Peter Cushing]: We do, and Member Reinfeld, just so you know, we do also have a group that we meet with at the middle school, as opposed to more of an application process at the high school. It's a principal selected process at the middle schools. And I don't know if I shared it with the new members of the group, but I can share documentation that we have that kind of outlines those selection processes.
[Erika Reinfeld]: That's fantastic, so how does their input get to us? And I know they're now a great flowchart and bringing that to life will certainly be a mission of the next class of leadership here.
[Peter Cushing]: And I would like them to, in the future, be presenting. If not, I think middle school might be a little young to be at every school committee meeting, but to at least present at the end of the year or maybe at a midpoint of the year, but at least give the middle schoolers an opportunity for one presentation a year of their conversations.
[Erika Reinfeld]: Yes, and I would love that built into the schedule. We don't have a great schedule at the moment for when groups come in to the school committee, but we have a list and we've done it on a kind of year-to-year basis with the high priority reports. I see member Ruseau going, no, no, we have this, but it needs work and I would love to see the students built into that.
[Adam Hurtubise]: I think the recorder might be backing up, so we're just going to wrap up and really quickly. So I've actually reached out to a couple of the LMSC schools and gotten their response back from them. However, I don't have the time to meet with Mr. Allen, but we've been in a lot of communications with them. And I just want to touch briefly on the test project policies. I know for who wanted to know, and I understand that we need to get that council. However, I just wonder what we need to do along with the future student budget. We need to do in order to get the policy implemented.
[Peter Cushing]: You were able to decipher. There was some background noise.
[Sheila Freitas]: I kind of know what he's talking about, obviously, trying to decipher. But part of the is having a test and a project, correct, Noah and Darren, during the same time and having things a little bit spaced out. That's something that we can bring to staff. uh mrs cabral obviously and myself can you know um come up with something uh with workloads and um you know bring that forward to staff i think that obviously um you know you guys bring up a good point and also it does tie into the homework policy right you know because that's something in which We did the research and we have the data to prove that kids were being inundated with homework and getting it at the end of the day and not having enough time to finish it. The same goes for a test and a project due in the same week. That's something that we as administrators need to work on with the staff.
[Adam Hurtubise]: I think we're just curious about But what would we need to do to look at revamping sort of the district-wide homework policy as opposed to sort of the local one, MHS? Like, what kind of surveys would we need? What kind of steps would we need to take to get there?
[Sheila Freitas]: I think that, you know, one of the things that we have to do is reach out to the other principals at the elementary and middle school level. And I would love to utilize and revamp your survey to make it more geared towards the age group. and, you know, present that to, you know, obviously the administrators and ask if they would be interested. Is this something that they're seeing? You know, one of my takeaways from your survey that you guys did was the social emotional piece and, you know, managing your extracurricular and being tired. And Darren, I think you made the recommendation that sometimes kids in middle school come up here and they're not prepared for the amount of work that they're receiving and that they don't have good study habits. Is that something we need to look at for ninth graders? So I think what we do is we revamp your survey and we ask the elementary and middle school principals if they are interested in serving their students. or parents rather in elementary.
[Adam Hurtubise]: So we, I think I actually have to get going at this point. Yeah, I looked through the transportation document briefly, and I just want to say that I'm in full support of these steps outlined in the transportation document, and I think when those steps are implemented, they'll have a huge positive impact for students who are taking the bus, and for the safety of students who are taking public transportation.
[Sheila Freitas]: I'm working on bike lanes for you too, Darren, don't you worry.
[Adam Hurtubise]: We're going to head out. Bye, guys. Thank you. They're gone. They're gone. In 20 minutes, I'm like, I need more sunscreen. Especially Noah. Especially what? I can't listen.
[Peter Cushing]: So Jayden, do you have any other thoughts as your class now rises to be seniors?
[Sheila Freitas]: Oh, Jayden's going to be a junior. Oh, junior, sorry. I always think that you're a junior right now. I do, too. It's week, Erin.
[Marta Cabral]: Especially after last night. OK, he took away basically all of the awards in every single category yesterday at awards night.
[Erika Reinfeld]: Congratulations. Thank you.
[Jayden Vil]: But yeah, one of our biggest concerns going into next year is making sure that the work that Darren and Noah and that we have done this year continues on for the next classes. And so at the end of this year, our final meeting is next week. That's the seniors last week. It's to really just get concrete ideas on what we want to do for next year. Some of them are getting a bathroom policy proposal done. Because right now, the bathrooms, I mean, I feel like there's a lot of issues with them. And that's something we want to try and work on. That's great. fixing something like with like the schedule to like right now like yeah you figure out like your schedule like in april and march and like you're saying oh yeah the class you want to take it should work out but then like after you like student enrollment is done and stuff and like you have like four different schedules but i like the past like two days i've been trying to like fix my schedule because like a bunch of things are in conflict and they're like maybe finding a way like to try and fix out on the high school side but also especially the Vogue side because like when you're given like the list of like all the different classes you can take it seems like pretty impressive like all the different classes that Meckler High offers but yeah like you can't really take all of them because of like the different so many different scheduling problems going on and so like if there's a way to make that easier and like we like want to look into that too.
[Sheila Freitas]: Well, yeah, because that's, and essentially what ends up happening is it puts you guys in a conundrum because you have to choose. Do I want to go this pathway or do I want to go that pathway? If you want to like do, you know, uh, computer, uh, web stuff and, you know, it conflicts with your AP maths or whatever, you know, like, that's something that, you know, I think that Ms. Fabral is working on with Mr. Fallon that to make, but I will say this because of my experience in Somerville, it's gonna be, it's a hard challenge to get a schedule that will be equitable.
[Marta Cabral]: So that's something that we're working on with Dr. Cushing and with central office as to get a schedule that works a little bit better between vocational students and I hate to call them two sides for all MHS students. I know I have to like train myself because I just heard you say and I don't want to say that anymore. So for all students, how we made the skit work for all of us. So that is already very much in the works.
[Peter Cushing]: There's also a real movement across the country to re-envision what high school is. And in Massachusetts, while there's been a focus on CTE programming and education, there's also been for schools that don't have those opportunities to move to what the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education calls innovative pathways. And so, you know, we may look at Medford High School. We approved through the school committee the other night to examine four new CTE programs. All right. That doesn't mean that they will launch, but it means that we're seriously considering them for launch as we move forward and what is it going to take. But perhaps there are other innovative pathways that, you know, shifts the experience for students so that they're getting more tangible, career-focused items as they leave. So, Woburn High School has added innovative pathways. I know other high schools across the state have. And while they're not CTE tracks, they do say focus on, say, hospitality and entertainment or business and marketing or things like that. That is something for us to consider as we move forward with a new schedule as well. And how can we re-envision the high school experience?
[Marta Cabral]: And the bathroom policy I welcome any day. I really think it has to be all of us and the students need to work with us in order to get the bathrooms to be, I don't want to use the word safe, but welcoming to all.
[Erika Reinfeld]: Yeah, I will say that the bathroom policy came up on our day on the hill with the senator and the Medford students, you know, she turned to them and she said, what should we do? And it's so hard. It's there's so much here that. complained about one little thing, but the solution is so multifaceted.
[Sheila Freitas]: And one of the things that makes me feel a little bit okay about it is it's not only us that struggle with this. As Marta talks to the GBL principles, I can tell you being a former Somerville employee, same issues in Somerville with the bathrooms. Mind you, in the new building, I think we had 19 gender-neutral bathrooms and we still had the same issues as Medford. I think that someone could write a book on SEL in the bathroom and make millions of dollars on it. Go ahead, Jaden.
[Marta Cabral]: Anything else?
[Jayden Vil]: And then just continue like we found like the student involvement organization to like continue to help like students voices be heard through like this is only like five members can technically be on the student advisory council to just try and like get as much voice as possible to like be influencing these decisions. And also for next year's student government election, in our definitions document, we had a lot more roles listed out. So different positions so that when we're making fundraisers, it's a lot easier and more student involvement can be a part of that. And so making sure that's carried through is one of our
[Sheila Freitas]: And what's your role on student government, Jaden?
[Jayden Vil]: Right now I'm president of the sophomore class.
[Sheila Freitas]: I knew it. I knew he was the president. I didn't want to say vice president or president and offend, but I know that that's been also Darren's issue being the president of the senior class, that everything kind of falls on you, you know, and that's something which, you know, like, any good team, you know, any good group of people work together so it doesn't always fall on you and, you know, like in Darren with the senior class. Right. Yeah.
[Jayden Vil]: And we also had a like commitment document drafted just like at the beginning of like after the election, like all the officers like sign in just like their shirt like that. They're not running for a position just like the popularity before, like really trying to make positive change in the school. So that's something we've been trying to work on.
[Peter Cushing]: Right. That's great. Anything else?
[Jayden Vil]: At least that's it for me. I know Marie and Mandy had more stuff on transportation, but they weren't able to make it today.
[Peter Cushing]: Yeah. And also, just so you're aware, Mr. Jackson in the metal fab is working with his students to set up barriers. They've got the metal stock in. To set up barriers along Steve Miller drive as it heads into the bus loop. So it creates a protective barrier. I believe that was brought up during our last meeting. So they're working to build those as far as bike transportation. I'm submitting a grant. to the bike just so you know, we were going to do through Mr. Jackson bike racks to have them made in-house, but this project has taken precedent. I'm applying for a grant to get three bicycle repair stations and some bike racks as well through the Community Preservation Commission. We have bike racks that will be installed probably in the next week at the Andrews Middle School that were part of a grant. Um, and people from, um. Walk Manfred, bike Manfred, I apologize, but they helped us get. Um, and Ellery Klein in particular, and then. Trying to remember what else and then there are 2 bike racks as part of the McGlynn University accessible playground construction that will be installed 1 near the middle school side. 1 nearly elementary side. And we'll have installed there. 1 of those 3 bicycle repair and bike pump stations.
[Marta Cabral]: Awesome.
[Erika Reinfeld]: Yeah, yes. So that is fantastic to make, I apologize, this is co-opting the meeting just a little bit, but there is currently a plea out to, I forget if it's DOT or DCR, on the Main Street intersection in Medford Square, which could use some support about where they need to go safely. Particularly, there's a divide between the work done to reimagine that Medford Square Main Street intersection, and there's no connection to the Clippership connector, which is gonna be a huge, asset for our middle school students who are biking and walking. So that's something to definitely to some of this transportation, again, looking beyond the high school needs.
[Peter Cushing]: And as someone who frequently transits Medford Square, I would not want to ride a bike through there for fear of a door opening or anything like that. So I would love to be able to see eventually a designated bike lane. But I know that when those things happen, you lose a lot of parking. So I know that that will be an area of consternation for business owners. But I think that that type of safety to be able to move from the Winthrop Street Rotary through Medford Square to be able to access all points for our students who might want to commute to school that way, I think would be really tremendous.
[Paul Ruseau]: I'm safe to drive.
[Peter Cushing]: Say again?
[Paul Ruseau]: I'm not even safe to drive.
[Peter Cushing]: It's definitely harrowing. I remember driving through there in a truck in my 20s and just always having white knuckles.
[Erika Reinfeld]: I do it, but not with my kids.
[Peter Cushing]: So, but those are things that are happening. Those grants will be submitted by the end of this week, early next week for an off-cycle grant review by the community preservation. So I'll focus on making sure students have good bike racks. I'm not gonna get the covered ones from Medford High School just yet because we'll hopefully roll that into the larger project. And so these bike racks will probably have a life cycle of about five years. Anything else from anyone on the call? Member Reinfeld? Members at the table or any members of the community who are here?
[Erika Reinfeld]: I mean, I would ask Jayden and if there's anyone else, if there's a particular relationship to have with school committee, I know Darren and Noah have been able to come to many of the school committee meetings, or I think most of them, and that's been great. We obviously are coming to these meetings. Are there things you're hoping for with this relationship?
[Jayden Vil]: Yeah, just hoping that, like Darren said. communicative relationships is that like, if we have like any suggestions, like any questions, like, you can feel free to reach out to school committee. And also, like, we always have like some one of us from the panel to like come to school committee meetings. So like that week, we're in the know. So like, we can coordinate our efforts with the students to help propose policies or raise any questions that the students might have to or any school committee policy.
[Adam Hurtubise]: Great.
[Sheila Freitas]: And we can only have two present at your meetings, is that correct? Yeah, it's one. OK.
[Paul Ruseau]: We let two in.
[Sheila Freitas]: You've let two? OK. So that's something we're going to work on, too, for next year, maybe designating and voting for one person and have a backup.
[Paul Ruseau]: We've done that in years past. We had a backup. Is that one going to be there? And I don't think we ever had a problem where both of them could ever show up at once. So it was a nice problem to have. So I mean, I certainly don't feel strongly that there's a problem with the two. This was an unusual year, frankly. Most years, most meetings, the student rep couldn't make it. And the alternate couldn't make it, which I totally understand. So it was pretty unusual that we at two, but I think one of them was actually technically the rafting as the object, but whatever. But having both of them show up. a lot of communities would be very jealous.
[Peter Cushing]: Yes, I agree with that. I mean, I think I'd like to see if we were to continue with the two, which I don't have a tissue with whatsoever, is maybe like a lower house, upper house, like a freshman, sophomore, a junior, senior, some way to really re-envision and make sure that we're spreading the student voice. But I also, I know that the law states five, however, I think that the more people that we can involve and get voice to is really critical. When you look, and one of the reasons why people are re-envisioning high school is because of the disillusionment and really disenfranchisement that is felt across the nation. And this like malaise that seems to be gripping some of our youth. And so the better ways to engage them and to make sure that they're a part of our community is really critical. All right. Well, it's not an official meeting, so there's no need for a motion to adjourn. I want to thank everybody for being here today, and we look forward to seeing you next year. We'll work to set the schedule with the school committee in the month of June. Thank you and have a great day. Thank you. Bye.
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