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Board of Education Meeting - September 13, 2021

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hey guys at least on the on the Zumba can hear looks like everyone's on mute I great everyone hear that was anyone talking only her dram we've opened a meeting we're on a Wednesday the approval of agenda action do I have directions hey when Papa's ready we can call the board call Nicole Nicole okay real call the mystery so the streak mister ramachandran yes Miss Lance Murphy what's your phone yes yes is bregoli yes mr. weeks yes mr. gravity Jumanji who is speaking Clarissa one more time mr. ramachandran what am I doing anything on Monday okay, ideas mystery this land. Murphy Mr Weekes yes Mr laverty yes item 2 is Justin represent a report we're introducing our do student Representatives tonight or I could you do us the honors of Representatives student representatives to the board of education at your call last year we had Rachel few and pre-owned srivatsa who did the outstanding job in charge of providing updates and keeping us connected to our student body throughout the district in particular are high school students this year I'm pleased to introduce representing a high school student council stress pack and Anissa Singh who will provide an update on our first update of the school year so I'd like to welcome them and look forward to a number of a very informative board meeting approval my name is buddy. Sorry to interrupt 2020 1028 agree with Ryan and we busy cannot New York can you hear me I can hear you send it the nearest Gabby and I are looking for it on check we can raise our hands. Dragons are still active anyting continue mask and social distancing first two days we did not regular but also opportunity before moving into the plastic shield for their lunch was not need to be additionally space the weather permits but they do have them if they would like to do Mission into the star how many clubs and organizations at the high school. I'm aware that. Net worth something so just bear with us we're going to try to keep the Halls Moore of course that was excellent thank you. We have three superintendent report we're still hearing the report we can hear you oh really student report so we can read it thank you for letting car report on 3rd Avenue School done you didn't hear anything you can send us a copy of her. Be great but we don't lie okay but a try this again so you can I do think our student representatives and I apologize for the technical glitches here but we had those results for this meeting and will look to try to get the result for the septic apart of the meeting I'm hoping everyone that's tuning in remotely I have the opportunity to hear what they shared if not we will try to make sure we capture what they shared and have it accessible to the public and also board tuning in remotely right how to say I like to just be good when I really acknowledge in thinking expressing appreciation to all of our staff everyone I'm talking everyone for my buildings and grounds department or secretarial team are our teachers administrators a great deal of work effort preparation within 2 the opening of school I'm thrilled that we had the opportunity to open last week very grateful that we have an opportunity to regain a sense of instructional fluidity and Community by having students back in buildings for this year are naturally anytime we begin here we have some challenges so we've obviously you know it's as prepared as we thought we would be we typically would have a couple of issues in these two areas when we begin school on that what I call a normal year and that would be Bus arrival times in our lunches for the buses you know all of our drivers do participate in a dry run before the their particular route begins during the school year obviously this is only slightly mirrors what it will look like when you had 5000 students for the mix-up but I'm going to ask for students and parents to remain patient during the first couple weeks of school while we work out the Kinks and establish an efficient rhythm we know this year that we had a couple differences why we are offering free lunch to all students which is obviously increasing the demand and increasing some lines I was in our cafeteria with monitoring at each day and we believe we're going to be more Speedy as it were that regarding the dissemination of food especially at the middle school and high school we've noticed that we have larger numbers of students entering cafeterias there was a slight backup during the first couple of days tomorrow to the high school today seems to be a smoother operation we believe that will become quicker as we move forward in the days and weeks ahead so we're going to continually assess the situation with confidence is the time needed to wait for food decrease as we settle into school a reminder to school update September 8th I'm just kind of reminding you to refer to that that was updated I'll call you back to school safety information I wish I could sit here tonight and indicate that Kobe was not present covid is still a factor in terms of how the operating probably even more so because we do have one hundred percent of our students in buildings with that we do need to maintain a heightened sense of protocols so the communication I'll just remind Focus her to some of the areas that we referenced communication as one of us in terms of how will communicate individuals that is deemed to be close contact we will we will communicate with them. either in person or via phone there will be a letter sent to that school Community as we did last year in terms of District notification that she will just update the district covid dashboard last year we would do weekly this year we're going to try to do it almost daily and hopefully we won't need to do it daily because they won't be Bailey cases but as we get the information as we identify the post contact and we're aware of those cases we will update that that the dashboard that's located on my website it was an exception connect to the contact tracing that was based on the road for the recommendation and that is the provision with in classrooms and that is two students who were sitting with three and six feet apart who are appropriately wearing facemasks those individuals if one of them test positive the individual that was sitting three to six feet away if they both wear face masks will not be deemed a close contest what is an exception of something different to what we followed last year that only applies to student both wearing facemasks in classrooms that does not apply to staff staff the staff will staff the student if there's not a of a student the student it does you know obviously this year as much as I I'll say it again we're very excited about having all of our student physically present within our schools a challenge this year to maintain having students physics present in schools and in on a consistent basis I just reiterate the fact that we are asking families to complete a brief Health survey regarding any covid related symptoms or contacts at home lunch I just refer to that the opening to the devices that were using for the mere fact that wood that is a. Of time where students are not wearing face masks and we believe it needs to be some level of protection for potential droplets covid testing the district is offering a an optional covid testing opportunity and each Wednesday right now we may increase that in the weeks ahead or right now on Wednesdays from 2:30 to 4:30 right outside the main entrance of the high school testing is available no appointment is necessary the testing will occur in car and that is for student staff and family member in the update the most important thing as a reference document would be the exclusion criteria and that will be connected to covid positive or close contact provision and also travel-related potential exclusion criteria each of those are down as a relates to a recommendation for vaccinated individuals as well as unvaccinated individuals something I did not include and I should have done that is a reminder that if a student beats to quarantine or isolate due to meeting the the Cobra criteria he or she can participate in remotely learning during that time the same provision will apply for student needs to travel out of the region and their unboxing and upon return they need to quarantine they then also participate temporarily and remote instruction during that time if you have any questions on that please contact your school nurse regarding any exclusion criteria in your school principal starting arrangements for that remote learning to take place tonight we will be concluding the second portion of our curriculum revisions and updates we had mentioned I think at the last board meeting was couple of reasons why we there was a pretty significant wholesale review of curriculum to ensure that its addressing an innocent learning lost its a learning gaps that occurred due to the Past 18 months you want to make sure that we are meeting students where they are and also addressing some areas that we may not have thoroughly addressed due to remote hybrid learning environments last year listen to that they will be apparent friendly versions of curriculum available on our website and hoping as early as tomorrow so if you need to get a sensor unit to study and some expectations connected to a particular course of grade level that will be accessible on a website I know if you're looking for something that is Elena are our teacher created for them is a little bit more comprehensive and has a number of different lengths resources encourage families if there is looking to get a sense of the curriculum that the child is engaged in this year see what's going on website if you believe that you're looking for something else I'm going to ask you to reach out to the supervisor for that particular grade level or content area for the assistant superintendent for 3 Sandy small I will also like to commend our curriculum department for those revisions is a lot of work that involved are supervisors teachers administrative the summer and much appreciated as we all know September 11th 20th anniversary of of that event took place this past weekend to see that was a life-changing to the circumstances connected to a terrorist attack at the place in New York City Pennsylvania in the Pentagon as we reflect on the very unfortunate events from 20 years ago I'd like us to honor celebrating continue the legacy of those 3,000 lives that were sacrificed on that day in addition to that on Saturday I have the opportunity to attend to shift remarks at the East Windsor Town 9/11 remembrance ceremony that took place at the municipal building was facilitated by Mirror Mirror now and talents of a high Stein High School music teacher just been out Hightstown High School students Liliana Marina and Brooke vedran Liliana saying a beautiful rendition of the national anthem and mr. Brooke amazing duet of America the Beautiful on their trumpets putting reminders and events for this week we do have a back-to-school night scheduled for tomorrow at Melvin H kreps middle school that is a virtual event repeat that is a virtual event I believe that the middle school fees me ministration sent out this afternoon regarding tomorrow's back to school night so please tune into that it will be a very informative event it's back to school night will be actually a week from tonight on September 20th I still high school will host its virtual back to school night and then subsequent to that we have back to school night schedule for if I look at this next Tuesday that will be parallel Drew school fees at 6 p.m. start times. Looks like we have next Wednesday I want to see black and next Thursday after midnight and I think we have a the following week Grayson Rogers on on the 30th but the most pressing almost immediate will be tomorrow evening Melvin H kreps 6 p.m. hopefully you all can in TuneIn meet teachers innocence of a school year with that said that concludes my report for tonight thank you the bus report this week was that will move to item for a the first opportunity for board member comments remember the board wishing to speak at this time I just want to say welcome for Akon 2 * 18 are you happy you hear that so good just another principal while my phone is working at anybody else nearby remote just wanted to say I think the parents not to cancel start the staff did a wonderful job and I actually got a chance to with my with my son being so young I got a chance to go to the school and I saw you know all the hard work that all the staff is doing which is really nice I did just have a few questions with in the superintendent we talked about the lines and the like the wait time for the lunches I was actually told that some kids actually didn't receive lunch so what so when they do when when they run out of search for that day are they been able to go and get like you know substitute lunch from in the back or what happens with that cuz I was told that there was some little kids that didn't receive lunch at all and then my second question is I'm crossing guards are crossing guards employees of the district because I know that when leaving some schools there's no one helping the kids across the street or trying to rob me comments okay we'll turn it over to Mark then for some response I'm not sure about that I would like one children to run around at recess so that is not been any part of a conversation that I have initiated or sanctioned in terms of metal Saint Stephen's to move around it may have something to do with establishing some routines and procedures and sometimes our little ones need the boundaries before they start running around but I'll have to find out if I'll get back to you okay Gene in terms of your question didn't I didn't receive lunch I am not familiar with that my expectation would be that if we believe that the student doesn't have lunch we're going to find some food so we got plenty of food we do have a hide them the fruit which is great but I think our food service provider is very resourceful and if I think we're finding ourselves to be running out of food on a particular day they do sense that and I think it may even if it's not the exact meal. waiting for that day but we're not looking to see any student go without eating during the school day but I will address that with Chartwells to get a sense of what's going on they're crossing guard crossing guards are not employees of the school district they are employed Billy be of the town open Police Department if you have a specific location we know we do communicate with them in the summer and there are assigned areas where they do have crossing guard so there's a particular area that you're concerned about please let me know and I'll definitely will investigate that okay okay thank you I think you were trying to speak or okay I think we are just having a real hard time figuring out who's picking the last message last person to the next person speaking Zocalo I didn't hear anything Nicole said or Tina so anyway I just had I think probably not close to the Administration Beatriz and everyone for you know starting of the school year with all the challenges that behind I know thanks for all the good work and I think you know I'm sure things will fall in place as we go along but I just thanks from grieve okay item for bees the first opportunity for public comment all at least we have any we have three submitted comments that at least will read and just want Melissa okay the first comment is from Siri Hendrix he said if a child test positive for covid-19 stats cooling option for them during the 10-day isolation. Can they attend remotely or will they have to make up that work when they return and the second comment is from Tyler Greenberg he says I would like to know if MK will be teaching CRTs eldery or any other ways the state would like to abbreviate the subject I'm interested in finding out what grade you will begin teaching any of these new Mandy and then what grade I have requested the complete 1st grade curriculum as I know many other parents haven't other grade levels I was told it will be available after tonight's Board of Ed meeting my point why is everything so difficult and secretive when it comes to our children Asian Meet the Parents have every right to know what they are learning without pulling teeth thank you we have one hand raised from the panel okay trumpski go ahead Jay to children in the High School freshman and a senior and I kind of wanted to get back with a question that was already asked by one of the prepared statements about the options Frank's I promote a virtual learning that would be available to students have to isolate either be covid positive or just has a close contact is it going to be like last year where are each class will have a zoom available for the students to attend or will they just be careful of the information posted by the T-shirt your review and then maybe contact the teacher if they have if they need help or some like that so appreciate it more information about how that's going to work if you made available thank you if there are any others sure please play I'm solo all respond to the Pope comments first I think the first one I dressed earlier tonight regarding students having access to remote learning and that would be very similar to the process we use last year with we will Leverage. but that's what car second comment reference curriculum actually think I reference that during the superintendent's report as well curriculum as it will be available tomorrow if upon review bring that if there's something that you would like to know more about I'm going to encourage you to reach out to a supervisor principal or assistant superintendent for curriculum in terms of the acronym that we share Miss some of those I heard s e l s e l is not we don't look at STL as being a mandate for us that's the yellow has been embedded in what we do and will continue to highlight that social emotional learning that is without content but also Bluetooth Standalone intentionality as a relates to the social emotional learning the students s cross the Continuum some of that content will be delivered by a counselor some of that will be over by reliable teachers but also our accountant teachers as well in terms of those other questions I'm going to have to follow up with you specifically that engaging in a little bit more specific conversation with the Greenburgh so I will follow up regarding that I think you mentioned cr-t we are not teaching CRT and that's the critical race Theory but we are teaching aspects of our nation's history I would bury perspectives and that's set something up this more so course Pacific and at the high school level I think that was your question was related to the students need to quarantine isolate where that will resemble a remote learning from last year so like I said if it's a situation Services where you believe your child would need to quarantine be out of school physically for a. Of time connect to a covid related Fusion communication with wood would go with tween the building principal nurse and then the building principal would either have the assistant principal of classroom teacher kind of line the process for typically will be a son because we assume during that temporary. That's all the questions I see and seen your hands raised so there will be a second up unit before coming in later in the agenda right now we are going to go into executive session hope to keep it as brief as possible keep in mind it takes us a few minutes to get to another the secure room and get logged on two separate meeting so bear with us we have some personal items to discuss is that we will Bebe meetings for a while so on the agenda will finance policy curriculum and mental health in October November December 6 p.m. these are Monday nights before board meetings do you have any questions on us is it raining I will ask to have the administration send out a reminder of the dates and the members of each other committees I just to be sure we were today has been quite a few months refresh everyone's memory on my own thanks I'm 7 Mandy to policies first meeting a Austin 48 11 the road for covid-19 not sure if that was calling or Nicole I just got dropped any discussion All Aboard please mr. Rochelle mister ramachandran yes restrict this Lance Murphy miss your phone yes yes the two weeks yes this is Robert E the meat is a mandated regulation for second meeting is my water in joules what is mr. ramachandran yes the street this land Miss Murphy miss your phone yes yes Pittsburgh Joel yes mr. weeks Guess the Celebrity 11 day is the 2nd of June for board member comments any Deport members wanted to make sure that it is before Tina I think our next meeting I may be figure out something about the seeds obviously something about this would happen last meeting to enter the school that my siblings go to do to just just fixed they did like one camera for all the board members were sitting so we didn't need individual screen on so that would mean that all the board members would have to be here but since the school is anyway I guess it's something that we can start doing all of us being in person to make it easier for the public to hear the meeting if it's recorded live just an idea I am all for that Colleen told the couple things tonight and I will take full responsibility for this to the Chromebooks are not the device of choice for zoom and sit in this form that's first and foremost secondarily I would love for us but it didn't see the Board needs to be comfortable to move towards a scenario where we spin transition right now we're doing a hybrid model I still would like the public to have access to I'd like to move towards a model where you would all be in person and then we would record the meetings but we would not use do we would use a YouTube to stream it out that would disable the ability for those remotely to have comments if you need to make, you have to come into the meeting but that's something that we need to talk about is important but I definitely would like for us to transition towards an in-person setting still providing access to the public are you listening stamp weight with a different platform yeah I think things that we talking about how to keep the public add the meeting available to the public live and be really good I can speak to the technology part I'll leave that to our Administration to recommend the best approach to that call Rex in person I would encourage that we all start attending regularly in person ask the question and the legitimacy of a board with absent members during an in-person meeting and unless somebody race is an issue with that the expectation is that all of their votes will be in person only and so we we would like to try to move towards that I think that's the the standard we want to move to as a group and have you ever be back here in person okay I think that's the only board member comments is was there anyone else I just want to send it earlier Rocky thanks Tina walked up and wanted to see all the hard work in years past we usually this year it did not come out in advance in the whole school that came out as if that's what we're changing to do some students do you need to know in advance if the Middle School tradition has been the students families find out the academy homeroom teacher and counselor prior to school beginning students have always found out their entire schedule on the first day of school at the middle school it's been accurate that's how it's been just telling you how it been since I've been the eye and I didn't create that that was that was the process of what we can and I'm not sure why we do it that way before, but I know that's been the tradition for the Middle School by the high school always get this before school begins we can definitely look at potentially have in the middle school binders this cuz I don't actually think it would be helpful to be completely honest I mean the 6th grade does I mean this year is different I'm just going back to my life deliberately didn't give the 6th grade students a schedule did not want to overwhelm them we wanted to make sure they landed at their home the first day so young when they came in for the tour was like you only need to know they're going to one place on the first day but I think your point is well taken and we'll take a look at that moving forward thank you it was too much showing that they think it wasn't supposed to be it was only supposed to be homeroom Academy counselor homeroom teacher we came across as a teaser of sorts I know that wasn't that was not the plan people said I think you're great most certainly you're the phylum for all whether I have to go where do I have to be I need to review and it helps alleviate some of them so they can go to school and call and you know no matter how many times you know Elsa Advocate and ask for help you find your way you know that you shouldn't have to have an anxiety before the understanding of how to change made me go upstairs and the only thing I can think of right now but that wouldn't that wouldn't explain why 7th and 8th graders set a hard sell for me tonight we will look to have scheduled for the middle school out in advance or I mean I won't ever work public art that is it for for never Cummings now have 90 second opportunity for public comments we have any hands raised Salman Khan Arlington machine items items by exception having read the materials restivo I've moved. the routine said that I submitted a Grant application 2021 I'm 22 services for students and related expenses Kaiser to new revised curriculum curriculum 8 912 New River Creek ulam Jo donation wor express our appreciation for the donations to the music Parliament in the high school hall of fame real scholarship are the questions, please sister ramachandran sister-in-law she wants to that was that was G as in girl thank you miss your phone yes yes it's for Julie yes mr. weeks Mr laverty we don't have any need for a second executive session so I will call Frontier have a good night everybody have a good night

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Board of Education Meeting - September 13, 2021

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