From the Office of the Executive Secretary to the School Committee
School Committee - Regular Meeting
September 6, 2016
Revised 9/1/2016*
A G E N D A
1. Public Comment (3 Minutes):
2. Student School Committee Report:
3. Presentation of the Records for Approval:
• Regular Meeting – August 2, 2016
• Special Meeting (Retreat) – August 17, 2016
4. Reconsiderations: None
5. Unfinished Business/Calendar:
#16-179 Recommendation: Revisions to Dress Code Policy (Second Reading) (Nolan, 8-2-16)
6. Awaiting Reports: None
7. Superintendent’s Agenda:
7a. Presentations: None
7b. Innovation Agenda:
7c. Consent Agenda:
#16-213 Recommendation: Revisions to Policy Governing Fingerprint-Based Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) Checks Made for Non-Criminal Justice Purposes (Second Reading)
#16-214 Recommendation: Contract Award: Cambridge Housing Authority: Educational Support
#16-215 Recommendation: Contract Award: Breakthrough Cambridge: Educational Service
#16-216 Recommendation: Contract Award: Enroot (Formerly Cambridge Community Services): Educational Support
#16-217 Recommendation: Contract Award: Research for Better Teaching: Professional Development
#16-218 Recommendation: Contract Award: Contract Award: PJ Systems: Software Maintenance & Support
#16-219 Recommendation: Contract Award: Schools for Children: Student Transportation Services
#16-220 Recommendation: Contract Award: Hummingbird Transportation: Student Transportation
#16-221 Recommendation: Grant Award: FY17 McKinney Vento Homeless Students (SC17707)
#16-222 Recommendation: Grant Award: Fy17 21st Century Community Learning (SC17854/855)
#16-223 Recommendation: Grant Award: FY17 Special Education Early Childhood Allocation (SC17607/608)
8. Non-Consent Agenda:
9. School Committee Agenda (Policy Matters/Notifications/Requests for Information):
#16-224, Motion by Emily Dexter, that whereas the City of Cambridge has established a goal of expanding access to early childhood education for all three- and four-year-olds and the 2015 Early Childhood Task Force Report recommends "ask[ing] the School Committee to study the feasibility of separating junior kindergarten and kindergarten classes in all cases" (p. 13), and whereas the current CPS JK program provides an extra year of taxpayer-funded education to some Cambridge students but not others, the School Committee encourages the administration to examine the JK program as part of this year's elementary program review period. (*Revised)
https://www.cambridgema.gov/citynewsandpublications/news/2015/11/%7E/media/F8450DA771B342529B5FF721684CAF21.ashx
#16-225, Motion by Ms. Bowman, whereas the Cambridge School Committee gathered for a Retreat on August 17, 2016, for the purpose of goal setting for the 2016/17 school year and beyond and
Whereas according to school committee members and central administration present, there was agreement on the importance of improving student achievement by focusing on family and community engagement, measurement and evaluation, school climate and excellent instruction;
Whereas the new superintendent has identified elements of these themes in his robust Listening, Observing & Analyzing: Learning –Based Entry plan which will result in and Entry Plan findings update in November-December 2016,
Whereas the School Committee understood the importance of the Superintendent’s long-term strategic planning work, there was also consensus for the Superintendent to address immediate pressing issues from the 2015/2016 school year;
Whereas there was agreement on a need to prioritize matters that included the Achievement Gap, Teachers of Color, Sexual Assault and Harassment as well as Motions referred to the retreat: C16-211: Community Relations with Schools, C16-212: Ad-Hoc Transition Planning Subcommittee Evaluation, C16-164: Providing Child Care at Meetings, C16-165: Review of Class Size Policy, and C16-166: Partner Organizations,
Whereas the committee understands the need to effectively leverage the time of our body and the new superintendent to address these issues, therefore be it
Resolved that the School Committee formally refer the above issues and motions to the Superintendent Transition Ad Hoc Sub-Committee for the purpose of prioritizing short-term issues for the superintendent to address parallel to his entry plan work and be it further
Resolved that the Superintendent Transition Ad Hoc Sub-Committee will also make additional recommendations for items not dealt with in the short term to be referred to subcommittees for further vetting and review.
#16-226, Motion by Mayor Simmons, whereas it is incumbent that the School Committee Members adopt a uniform method to be identified by the general public, addressed via roll call, and recorded for public record; and
Whereas, the School Committee formally adopted a process by which members are to be addressed by colleagues and identified by and for the general public during both School Committee and Sub-Committee Meetings via nameplate, CPSD letterhead, and signature; and
Whereas, it has long been recognized that the creation of a more inclusive method will aid the committee with reinforcing norms, establishing continuity, and executing the business of the people; and
Further, that the School Committee convene a preliminary discussion on how members are to be identified, addressed, and recorded for public record.
#16-227, Motion by Emily Dexter, that whereas Cambridge Public Schools has a chronic absence rate higher than the state average (18% for CPS vs. only 13% statewide), almost 40% of CPS students miss 10 days or more of school, research suggests poor attendance results in lowered achievement, and there is a national campaign to reduce chronic absences in U.S. schools, the Committee urges the CPS administration to: 1) conduct analyses of CPS absence data, including disaggregating absence data by grade and student demographics and investigating the relationship between early grade attendance and later achievement outcomes; 2) implement research-based methods of improving attendance at all grade levels; and 3) keep the Committee and the public informed about its efforts to improve attendance.
In addition, the Committee acknowledges that September is National Attendance Awareness Month.
http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/profiles/student.aspx?orgcode=00490000&orgtypecode=5&leftnavid=303&
http://awareness.attendanceworks.org/
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED485683.pdf
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may08/vol65/num08/Improving-Student-Attendance.aspx
#16-228, Report of the August 23, 2016 Buildings and Grounds Sub-Committee
10. Resolutions (letters of congratulations, letters of condolence): None
11. Announcements:
12. Late Orders: