From the Office of the Executive Secretary to the School Committee
School Committee - Regular Meeting November 20, 2018
A G E N D A
1. Public Comment (3 Minutes):
2. Student School Committee Report:
3. Presentation of the Records for Approval:
• Special Meeting, SEL Roundtable, October 9, 2018
• Regular Meeting, October 16, 2018
• Special Meeting, Elementary Staffing Roundtable, October 30, 2018
• Special Meeting, MASC Resolutions Official Voting Delegate, October 30, 2018
4. Reconsiderations: None
5. Unfinished Business/Calendar: None
6. Awaiting Reports:
#18-114 Joint Motion by Mr. Kimbrough and Ms. Nolan, whereas the CPS has included in its district plan a goal to address equity and access and
Whereas a walkout in 2016 on the uncomfortable environment at CRLS as documented by students led to a number of changes and an action plan to address issues of sexual harassment, and
Whereas CPS district outcomes look to measure student/family comfort levels in our schools and meaningful relationships with teachers, and
Whereas female, LGBTQ+ students at CRLS have written in the register forum on multiple occasions to express their concerns regarding discomfort as a female, LGBTQ+ students at CRLS
be it resolved that the Superintendent will by the Summer meeting:
1) update the School Committee on the status of work on addressing issues in CRLS and district wide,
2) update the School Committee on our districts professional development regarding supporting our teachers to support our female, LGBTQ+ scholars
3) share specific details about the current work in the district with our male students that addresses hyper
masculinity and creating anti-sexist spaces for female, LGBTQ+. (5-1-18 C18-137)
#18-143, Joint Motion by Ms. Nolan and Mr. Fantini, that whereas the district has a longstanding goal of program evaluation being used to direct initiatives and whereas the Compass summer program has been in operation for many years with a goal of supporting students, that the district provide a report on any past evaluations of the program effectiveness by the last meeting in June and further that the district ensure that this summer pre and post achievement assessment data for each student enrolled be provided in a report by the first meeting in September.
#18-306 Joint Motion by Committee Member Dexter, Mr. Kimbrough and Mr. Fantini, that whereas it is critical for high school students to arrive to school on time; and
Whereas expensive instructional resources, teacher time in particular, are wasted when students are late to class; and
Whereas MBTA buses from some Cambridge neighborhoods are unreliable, resulting in some students being frequently late to school;
The School Committee requests from the administration an estimate of the cost of providing morning school buses for CRLS students: 1) from all neighborhoods, and 2) from specific neighborhoods poorly served by MBTA buses. This estimate is requested by December 1, 2018.
7. Superintendent’s Agenda:
7a. Presentations: District Outcomes:
2018 MCAS Data……
Kenneth Salim, Superintendent of Schools
Jennifer Amigone, Director of Research, Evaluation & Assessment
Anda Adams, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction
Carolyn L. Turk, Deputy Superintendent
Maryann MacDonald, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education
7b. CPS District Plan:
7c. Consent Agenda:
#18-310 Approval Cambridge Schools Food Service Employees
Association Collective Bargaining Agreement, to be Effective
July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2021
#18-311 Approval of Student Breakfast & Lunch Prices
#18-312 Approval of Revisions to Cambridge Public Schools
Uniform Grievance Procedures Policy (First Reading)
#18-313 Approval of Revisions to Cambridge Public Schools
Non-Discrimination Policy & Prohibition Against Sexual Harassment
(First Reading)
#18-314 Approval of Revisions to Cambridge Public Schools
Advisory Committee-Affirmative Action Policy (First Reading)
#18-315 Approval of Revisions to Homework Policy (First Reading)
#18-316 Approval of Revisions to Cambridge Public Schools
Head Lice Policy (First Reading)
#18-317 Day & Residential Program Services not Available
From the Cambridge School Department
#18-318 Contract Award: Marilyn Friend, Inc.: Professional
Development
#18-319 Contract Award: Pearson Education (NCS): Assessment
Materials
#18-320 Contract Award: NOVAtime Technology Inc.: Software
& Maintenance for Time & Attendance System
#18-321 Contract Award: SRC Solutions: On-Line Registration System
#18-322 Recommendation: Gifts/Miscellaneous Receipts
8. Non-Consent Agenda:
9. School Committee Agenda (Policy Matters/Notifications/Requests for Information):
#18-323 Motion by Ms. Nolan, that whereas in the past the CPS calendar included “important days” (as referenced in order C10-014) when major tests should not be administered or major projects due and afterschool activities including athletic teams could not be mandatory, and whereas the district seeks to send a welcoming message to all students of all backgrounds, the School Committee orders that the district review prior calendars and consult with staff and families to determine which days should be added to the district calendar as “important days” starting with this year’s online calendar and all future years.
#18-324 Motion by the Buildings and Grounds Sub-Committee, that the Mayor is directed to work with the City Manager to set up a date for a presentation to the full School Committee before year end on the Vassal Lane construction project as well as updates on the Cambridge St. complex project.
#18-325 Motion by Vice Chair Kelly, whereas: The Ad Hoc Attendance Violation Policy held its first meeting on Tuesday, December 5, 2017 and was created without an end date, that the Ad Hoc Attendance Violation Policy hold a final meeting by Thursday, February 1, 2018 and submit a summary of its findings to the School Committee (Committee of the Whole) and the Superintendent.
#18-326 Motion by Mr. Kimbrough, whereas Cambridge Public Schools has a strategic outcome of connecting students with adults who work in CPS, and
Whereas; over 170 students at CRLS are currently not eligible to participate in athletics because we have a higher standard of eligibility, and
Whereas; the CRLS Athletic Department is in the process of creating a new eligibility policy for athletics that the School Committee will eventually need to approve. And that the Athletic Department wants to have a policy in place for the 2019 season,
Be it Resolved; that beginning in the Winter and Spring seasons of 18-19 that students who have a GPA between 60-70 will be allowed to participate in athletics through the current guidelines of athletic probation.
#18-327 Joint Motion by Mr. Kimbrough and Mayor McGovern, whereas in the Spring of 2018, the School Committee approved a proposal for a protocol for CRLS students and families to report instances of all forms of oppression to the school district; and
Whereas the School Department is working on creating a system to report forms of oppression experienced by students in Cambridge Public Schools; and
Whereas; CPS vision promotes equity and access to vital information and processes as well as engagement; now therefore be it resolved that
CPS will investigate the creation of a system where CPS educators and staff can report their experiences with oppression with the district without fear of retribution; and
CPS will inquire how BPS has created an app for students and families to report instances of oppression; and that CPS admin will report back to the school committee with an approximate process and timeline for creation and implementation of a ‘know your rights’ app by spring 2019; and
CPS will further explore how to engage Friends of/PTO groups as well as school liaisons in ways to promote their capacity to assist families in accessing processes and reporting micro-aggressions as well as other concerns to the district.
For reference please see:
http://www.bostonstudentrights.org/
#18-328 Joint Motion by Mr. Kimbrough and Ms. Bowman, that an Ad-Hoc Sub-Committee be put in place to work towards creating a new policy for athletic eligibility beginning in the 19-20 school year.
Whereas Cambridge Public Schools has a strategic outcome of connecting students with adults who work in CPS, and
Whereas over 170 students at CRLS are currently not eligible to participate in athletics because we have a higher standard of eligibility, and
Whereas the CRLS Athletic Department is in the process of creating a new eligibility policy for athletics that the School Committee will eventually need to approve.
#18-329 Joint Motion by Ms. Nolan and Vice Chair Kelly, that whereas the Trump administration has published a change to the public charge ruling, and
Whereas the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), Health Care For All and Health Law Advocates have joined together as part of the national Protecting Immigrant Families (PIF) campaign to fight back against this regulation here in Massachusetts, and
Whereas the proposed rule change would fundamentally change the government's approach to immigration, making family income and potential use of certain health care, nutrition or housing programs a central consideration in whether or not to offer people an opportunity to make their lives in this country, and
Whereas the proposed rule may lead to people dropping or not seeking out benefits they need, the School Committee directs and authorizes the Mayor and Vice Chair to submit a statement on behalf of the entire Committee against the rule change.
#18-330 Joint Motion by Ms. Nolan and Vice Chair Kelly, that whereas the district has a commitment to equity and a goal of proficiency for all our students by grade 3, and
Whereas there are models of effective high quality summer programs that are successful in addressing the needs of students who require additional support and close the literacy gap K-2, including Camp Summit in Texas, and
Whereas the district is working on options for programs for next summer, that the Curriculum and Achievement Sub-Committee is directed to work with the administration and review the status of plans and explore ways to significantly improve CPS’ offerings, by the end of January, so that any recommendations can be included in budget discussions.
#18-331 Motion by Ms. Bowman, whereas the School Committee represents a key leadership role within the School District, and
Whereas the School Committee seeks to be well informed on issues of sensitive matters that impact our students and staff;
Therefore be it resolved that the Superintendent works with the Administration to create a communication protocol that will inform the School Committee on highly sensitive issues in real time that may garner significant public attention;
Be it further resolved that the Superintendent have the new communication protocol in place by Spring 2019.
#18-332 Joint Motion by Ms. Bowman and Mr. Fantini, whereas the Cambridge Public School District is committed to providing an equitable approach to staffing to increase opportunities and achievement for all students, and
Whereas, leveraging additional education supports such as internships and mandatory practicum hours has been a tool to extend support to educators throughout the district, and
Whereas those placements often depend on informal relationships between individual teachers and school leadership rather than a systematic approach to allocating additional support within the district which equates to an imbalanced distribution of interns and practitioners amongst schools,
Therefore be it resolved that the Administration identify an individual from the Administrative Team by December 2018 to review the district’s approach to leveraging interns and practitioners in collaboration with Fletcher Maynard Academy educators who are working to create a database to centralize practicum and internship opportunity.
#18-333 Joint Motion by Ms. Bowman and Mr. Kimbrough, whereas in accordance with the Cambridge School Committee's Policy and Procedures Adopted January 1, 2018, Subcommittees, except the Subcommittee on the Budget which shall be a Committee of the Whole, shall be comprised of three members; and
Whereas there are currently three Sub-Committees that are set up with only two Committee Members appointed to the Committee including the chair; and
Whereas these Committee appointments make it challenging to do the work of the Committee, in addition to being out of compliance with the School Committee Rules,
Therefore be it resolved that the Vice Chair moves forward with appointing three members to each Sub-Committee to ensure the Committee is in compliance with the Cambridge School Committee's policies and procedures.
https://z2policy.ctspublish.com/masc/Z2Browser2.html?showset=cambridgeset&collection=cambridge&doccode=BDE
#18-334 Report of the May 29, 2018 Buildings and Grounds Sub-Committee Meeting
#18-335 Report of the October 24, 2018 Buildings and Grounds Sub-Committee Meeting
#18-336 Report of the October 31, 2018 Curriculum and Achievement Sub-Committee Meeting
10. Resolutions (letters of congratulations, letters of condolence):
#18-337 Motion by Ms. Nolan, that whereas Breakthrough Greater Boston leader Elissa Spellman has been honored as an outstanding young leader by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and City Awake, and whereas Breakthrough Greater Boston started in Cambridge and has been working effectively to close opportunity and achievement gaps for all students and to develop a pipeline of diverse excellent teachers, that the School Committee send a letter thanking Elissa Spellman for her efforts and congratulating her and BTGB for the their work on behalf of Cambridge students.
#18-338 Motion by Mr. Fantini, that the School Committee congratulate Thomas McGaffigan, an A+ student who is a Junior at CRLS for the video he submitted to the MIAA Sportsmanship Essay/Multimedia Contest and won first place. He is the Captain of the CRLS Hockey Team and a member of the Varsity Baseball Team, and;
Whereas: Thomas acknowledges and thanks his parents for their guidance. They taught him to be an “animal on the ice and a gentleman off” and;
Whereas: Thomas gives 100% while remembering it is not about winning or losing, and;
Whereas: Thomas exemplifies good sportsmanship and is an unselfish teammate who is always respectful to the opposing team; and
Further: Thomas believes in always giving back by being a role model for younger kids by coaching hockey and T-ball,
Be it Resolved that the Secretary to the School Committee send a letter to congratulate him on winning the award.
#18-339 Motion by Committee Member Emily Dexter, that the School Committee commends the CPS Superintendent for inviting teachers to participate in the Roundtable on Elementary Staffing, thereby expressing respect for the professional judgment of CPS teachers. The Committee also expresses its appreciation to the Cambridge Education Association and to the educators and administrators who contributed to the Roundtable. The Committee is particularly appreciative of the time educators spent describing their own classroom experience, surveying their peers, and generating recommendations for ways to improve elementary staffing in order to improve student learning and socio-emotional growth.
11. Announcements:
12. Late Orders:
13. Communications and Reports from City Officers: