School Committee Meeting Agenda: October 18, 2016

From the Office of the Executive Secretary to the School Committee

School Committee - Regular Meeting                                                                        October 18, 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 – September 20, 2016

4. Reconsiderations:  None

5. Unfinished Business/Calendar:  

#16-233, Motion by Mr. Fantini, whereas the Rules of the Cambridge School Committee Chapter 1, Section 7.1 state the following:  

Special sub-committees and ad hoc sub-committees may be established as proposed by the Vice Chair and confirmed by vote of the School Committee with such membership and duties and for such duration as the School Committee deems fit.  The Vice Chair shall appoint members of any such special sub-committee and/or ad hoc sub-committee.  

Therefore, the Vice Chair proposes an Ad hoc Sub-Committee on Goal Setting to be established to facilitate the discussion which took place at the August 17, 2016 School Committee Retreat, and further that the Vice Chair appoint Kathleen Kelly, Patricia Nolan and himself to this ad hoc sub-committee for the duration of no later than January 31, 2017. (Nolan, 9-20-16)

#16-235, Motion by Ms. Dexter, that whereas the School Committee is currently prioritizing issues of long-standing and serious concern to students, families, CPS educators, and members of the community; 

And whereas the Committee, at its summer Retreat, generated a long list of issues and goals for the coming years;

Be it resolved that the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Goals consider the following goals, most mentioned at the retreat, as among its priority goals:

1) Eliminating race-, gender-, and income-based imbalances in all 6th-8th grade and high school classes;

2) Further integrating the general and special education programs;

3) Working in collaboration with City departments to expand access to the CPS and City preK programs;

4) Ensuring that CRLS students continue to have access to rich and plentiful academic and extracurricular opportunities in the face of increasing enrollment;

5) Preparing for the possibility of increasing enrollment in grades JK-2 and 6-8;

6) Determining how to measure and document student agency, initiative, empowerment, and entrepreneurship at all grade levels. (Fantini, 9-20-16)

#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.   (Dexter, 9-6-16) 

6. Awaiting Reports:  None

7. Superintendent’s Agenda:

7a. Presentations:  None

7b. Innovation Agenda:

7c. Consent Agenda:

#16-236 Recommendation:  Approval of Revisions to Physical Examinations

Of Students Policy (First Reading)

#16-237 Recommendation:  Approval of the Revisions to Teaching About

Drugs, Alcohol & Tobacco & About Family Life/Sex Education Policy

(First Reading)

#16-238 Recommendation:  Approval of Revisions to Student Health Services

& Requirements Policy (First Reading)

#16-239 Recommendation:  Approval of the Revisions to Communicable Disease

Policy (First Reading)

#16-240 Recommendation:  Approval of the Revisions to the Health Education Policy

(First Reading)

#16-241 Recommendation:  Day & Residential Program Services not Available

From the Cambridge School Department

#16-242 Recommendation:  Contract Award:  Lion Buses Inc.:  Electric Powered

School Bus  

#16-243 Recommendation:  Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee:  

Educational Services

#16-244 Recommendation:  Contract Award:  Apple Inc.:  Computer Hardware

#16-245 Recommendation:  Gifts/Miscellaneous Receipts

#16-246 Recommendation:  Grant Award:  FY17 Title III:  English Language

Acquisition for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students (SC17737)

#16-247 Recommendation:  Grant Award:  Massachusetts Skills Capital Grant

Program (SC17135)

#16-248 Recommendation:  Grant Award:  FY16 Circuit Breaker Allocation (SC17776)

Funding Increase

#16-249 Recommendation:  Grant Award:  FY17 Circuit Breaker Allocation (SC17776)

8. Non-Consent Agenda:

9. School Committee Agenda (Policy Matters/Notifications/Requests for Information):

#16-250, Motion by Mayor Simmons, that the School Committee authorize the Vice-Chair to enter into negotiations with the Executive Secretary to the School Committee for a contract extension and to report back to the School Committee.

#16-251, Motion by Ad Hoc Superintendent Transition Planning Sub-Committee, 

WHEREAS:  the Ad Hoc Superintendent Transition Planning Sub-Committee met to move Motion #16-225 forward, prioritizing short-term issues for the Superintendent to address parallel to his current Listening, Observing and Analyzing: Learning-Based Entry Plan,

WHEREAS:  there was agreement on addressing issues which included the Achievement Gap, Teachers of Color, Sexual Assault and Harassment and motions referred to the School Committee Summer 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, there for be it

RESOLVED:  that the Ad Hoc Superintendent Transition Planning Sub-Committee recommend a) that Vice Chair Fantini incorporate current district wide achievement gap goals in newly appointed Goals Sub-Committee, b) Cambridge Public School affirmative action report include a historical overview of the current strategies, outreach and retention efforts associated with reaching the district’s 30% diversity goals, and c) Director of Social Emotional Learning research age appropriate trainings and curriculums for the prevention of sexual assault and harassment for grades 5th , 6th, 7th , 8th, and 9th, and athletic programming by January 2017, be it further 

RESOLVED:  that the Ad Hoc Superintendent Transition Planning Sub-Committee recommend the following amendments to motions: a) C16-211: Community Relations with Schools be referred to the Community Relations Sub-Committee for review and recommendations by December, 2016; b) C16-212: Ad-Hoc Transition Planning Sub-Committee Evaluation be referred to the Committee of the Whole, where Vice Chair Fantini will establish a Goals Sub-Committee, then the matter will be referred once Sub-Committee is established ;c) C16-164: Providing Child Care at Meetings be referred to the Executive Secretary and the Confidential Secretary to research cost and logistical needs to provide for this service by December 2016; d) C16-165: Review of Class Size Policy be referred to the Budget Sub-Committee of the Whole to work with the administration to examine existing class size policy for JK-3rd grade and present recommendations by January 2017; e) C16-166: Partner Organizations be referred to the Curriculum Sub-Committee to set up a Partnership Roundtable between the CPS administration, City of Cambridge Human Services and CPS Partner Organizations to discuss current programming, evaluation models, and data sharing by December in order to review findings by February 2017 to include recommendations in the FY17-18 budget.    

#16-252, Joint Motion by Mr. Fantini and Mr. Harding, that the School Committee adopt a non-cut policy for freshmen sports and further, that the Superintendent report back on how such a policy could be implemented.

#16-253, Report of the September 22, 2016 Meeting of the Superintendent Transition Planning Ad-Hoc Sub-Committee.

10. Resolutions (letters of congratulations, letters of condolence):   

11. Announcements:

12. Late Orders:

At the conclusion of the Regular Meeting, the School Committee may entertain a motion to enter into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing strategy for collective bargaining (CEA Units A&B) as an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the School Committee.

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