School Committee Meeting Agenda: September 20, 2016

From the Office of the Executive Secretary to the School Committee

School Committee - Regular Meeting                                                                        September 20, 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 6, 2016

4. Reconsiderations:  None

5. Unfinished Business/Calendar:  

#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) 

#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.  (Mayor Simmons, 9-6-16)

#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:

#16-229 Recommendation:  Approval of a Request from the School Committee To the Election Commission for Mailing Addresses

#16-230 Recommendation:  Day & Residential Program Services not available from the Cambridge School Department 

#16-231 Recommendation:  Contract Award:  City Sprouts:  Develop & Maintain Gardens in Elementary & Middle Schools

8. Non-Consent Agenda:

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

#16-232, Joint Motion by Ms. Kelly and Mr. Fantini, that whereas significant discussion has occurred between the CRLS principal and CRLS students regarding the Dress Code Policy and the second reading of the Dress Code Policy was passed over at the School Committee Meeting on Tuesday, September 6, 2016, that the School Committee discuss the Dress Code Policy and make changes as its members deem appropriate.

#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.

#16-234, Joint Motion by Ms. Nolan and Mr. Harding, that the Superintendent work with the School Committee secretary to review the status of orders passed by the School Committee prior to July 1, 2016, which were referred to the Superintendent and are still outstanding.  Further that the Superintendent make a recommendation on how best to keep the Committee informed on progress on ongoing initiatives and orders.  

#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.

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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