School Committee Meeting Agenda: May 2, 2017

From the Office of the Executive Secretary to the School Committee

School Committee - Regular Meeting May 2, 2017
A G E N D A

1. Public Hearing on State School Choice (3 Minutes):
1a. Public Comment (3 Minutes):
2. Student School Committee Report:
3. Presentation of the Records for Approval:

• Regular Meeting, April 4, 2017

4. Reconsiderations: None
5. Unfinished Business/Calendar:

#17-65, Motion by Ms. Dexter, that whereas the School Committee is responsible for conducting an annual evaluation of the Superintendent of Schools, and
Whereas the current Superintendent joined the district on July 1, 2016,
Therefore be it resolved that the School Committee will complete the Superintendent's evaluation by September 12, 2017, and
Be it also resolved that the evaluation meeting will be scheduled for July 25, 2017, or for between September 5, 2017, and September 12, 2017, and that the vice-chair of the School Committee will determine and announce this date by June 6, 2017. (Fantini, 4-4-17)

6. Awaiting Reports: None
7. Superintendent’s Agenda:
7a. Presentations: None
7b. Innovation Agenda:
7c. Consent Agenda:

#17-71 Recommendation: 2017/2018 State School Choice Program-
Recommendation for Non-Participation

#17-72 Recommendation: Day & Residential Program Services not
Available from the Cambridge School Department

#17-73 Recommendation: Approval of Increase to Student Lunch Prices

#17-74 Recommendation: Contract Award: Access Manufacturing Systems:
Computer Software

#17-75 Recommendation: Contract Award: Advanced Educational Technologies
Labs: Two (2) 3D Printers

#17-76 Recommendation: Contract Award: Royal Taxi Company: Student
Transportation Services

#17-77 Recommendation: Contract Award: Home Depot: Carpentry &
Maintenance Supplies

#17-78 Recommendation: Contract Award: Mohawk Rubber Sales of NE:
Automotive Wheel Aligner

#17-79 Recommendation: Grant Award: FY17 Let’s Move/Cambridge Health
Alliance (SC17128)

8. Non-Consent Agenda

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

#17-80, Motion by Mayor Simmons:
WHEREAS On April 13, 2016, Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) students participated peacefully in a demonstration organized by Club 1/CRLS Feminism Club to raise awareness about Sexual Harassment and Assault, to outline concerns over the prevalence of this problem at their school, and to demand attention from the City regarding the seriousness of this problem; and

WHEREAS Club 1 followed up the demonstration with a letter to the CRLS administration to ask for changes to current protocol related to prevention, protection, reporting and recovery in order to decrease the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault at the school, and to offer thoughtful recommendations regarding how current protocol could be improved; and

WHEREAS In response to this letter, the Mayor convened a working advisory committee to create recommendations towards a Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Action Plan, and this committee, with representatives of the City Council, School Committee, School Department, Department of Human Service Programs, Domestic and Gender Based Violence Prevention Initiative, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge Public Health Department, Cambridge Women’s Commission, CRLS staff, CRLS students, Cambridge Upper Schools, the YWCA, and the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, has met seven times since April 2016; and

WHEREAS The Cambridge School Department has implemented Sexual Harassment and Assault awareness professional learning modules for CPS principals, administrators, faculty and staff and participated in related district-wide administrative trainings, 9th grade students and 30 CRLS male athletes have engaged in related presentations and discussions, and all the aforementioned recognize and support the important role schools must play in shaping and maintaining a climate of respect in which all students in every school can thrive; and

WHEREAS The Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention advisory committee has drafted recommendations towards a Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Action Plan for all Cambridge Public Schools, taking into account stake holder recommendations for how to avoid, mitigate, manage and address the problem through evidence-based assessment and learning measures, and for improving the reporting and follow-up protocols using evidence-based best practices, with particular focus on ensuring the safety and well-being of incidence reporters and individuals named in any reports; now therefore be it

ORDERED That the Superintendent of Schools be and hereby is requested to formally review the feasibility of all recommendations included in the aforementioned and attached systemic

Action Plan which references CRLS and all the Cambridge Public Schools, and to solicit recommendations from stakeholders from each school as to what measures should be enacted; and be it further

ORDERED: That the Superintendent of Schools be and hereby is requested to devise a timetable for the stages of a scaled implementation of these measures, devise plans for implementation, and report back to the School Committee in a timely manner on how, and how soon, this implementation can begin.

 #17-81, Joint Motion by Ms. Kelly and Mr. Fantini, whereas ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama in December 2015 prioritizes excellence and equity for all students and educators and eliminated the requirements for "highly qualified teacher" and focused instead on appropriately certified teachers.

That the Superintendent authorize the Executive Director of Human Resources in consultation with principals to hire teachers who have appropriate dual or triple certifications. A review of student educational needs and present teacher certifications should be conducted in order to ascertain which certifications would most benefit students. Areas of certification may include: content areas (math, ELA, science, ELL); special education and general education (to increase inclusion); and educational levels (elementary, middle schools, and secondary).

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

#17-82, Motion by Ms. Dexter, that the Cambridge School Committee expresses its appreciation to CRLS theater faculty member Monica Murray and the entire CRLS performing arts department--students, staff, and faculty--for their extraordinary production of Scenes from Angels in America: The Millennium Approaches, by playwright Tony Kushner. We are extremely proud that our high school is one of the few schools in the U.S. to have performed scenes from this gorgeous, scathing, and heartbreaking play about homophobia and the U.S. AIDS epidemic. All aspects of the CRLS production--the choice of scenes and creation of the script, the performances, and the visual and technical components of the production--were beautifully done.

#17-83, Motion by Ms. Dexter, that the Cambridge School Committee congratulates School Committee Student Representative Paul Sullivan for his expressive, witty, and moving performance as Prior Walter in the CRLS production of Scenes from Angels in America: The Millennium Approaches, by playwright Tony Kushner. Prior Walter is a complex and pivotal character in this important American play, and Paul Sullivan did an extraordinary job conveying this character's humanity, strength, tragic sarcasm, and suffering. His performance was a gift to the community.

#17-84, Motion by Ms. Dexter, that the Cambridge School Committee expresses its appreciation to Cambridge theater artist and CRLS Adolescent Parent Clinician Betsy Bard for her work in writing and producing Circle Up!, an "investigative theater" piece about race and opportunity gaps at Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School. The Committee also appreciates the hard work and talent of members of the Youth Underground theater company and Circle Up! director Vincent Ernest Siders. Based on interviews with CRLS students and teachers, Circle Up! amplifies the voices of students and offers the Cambridge community an invaluable look at how structural inequality in the U.S. is manifested in our high school.

11. Announcements:

12. Late Orders: