Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAboutNauset Schools -- 2020-11-12 Minutes pe Nauset Regional School Committee November 12 , 2020 6 : 00 PM F-. . - Virtual meeting, live streamed at Eastham Town Hall Present for the Committee : Judith Schumacher, Chris Easley, Richard Stewart, Robert Jacobus, Josh Stewart, Ed Brookshire, John O ' Reilly, Tom Fitzgibbons Present for the Administration : Thomas Conrad, Giovanna Venditti, Mary Buchanan, Keith Gauley, Principal Chris Ellsasser, Assistant Principal Stephanie Rae, Acting Principal Keith Kenyon Others Present : Tracy Murphy, Sharon Basso, Henry Evans , Richard Peterson, Greg Levasseur Call to Order Chair Easley called the meeting to order at 6 : 00 p . m . noting the Zoom invitation 82994592874 . Agenda Changes — Chair Easley moved the Civics Presentation and Building Committee Update to immediately follow the Consent Agenda Vote Citizens Speak — None Consent Agenda On a motion by Rob Jacobus seconded by John O 'Reilly, it was voted unanimously via roll call vote to approve both the Gifts and Grants offered to NRSD and the Minutes of October 8 2020 as written . Judy Schumacher thanked Snowy Owl for their part in the gifts to NRSD, and requested the administration research how to have all Nauset Public Schools featured as an option on their website . Currently there is only Stony Brook and Eddy Elementary Schools . PRIORITY BUSINESS Middle & High School Civics Update Superintendent Conrad began the update with an overview of the Committee request to hear from different departments and different programs on the Middle and High School campuses . The . Civics Update begins that process for the Committee . Richard Peterson, Nauset Middle School History Teacher, opened the discussion by stating that for the last couple of years the History Department has been looking at the new Civics Law that was signed by Governor Baker, which in part requires a project in eighth grade, and at one point in High School . There is no specification on when or what subject . This year, the Middle School students will begin with an inquiry on what they are interested in? What needs to you see in the community? They will build their project from there with the goal of sustainable change, something that could have a lasting legacy in the community . Henry . Evans, Nauset High School History Teacher, spoke to the future, and the requirement that all students between ninth and twelfth grade be required to take a Civics Course that offers something of interest to them . The High School currently has a Witness to War program that would qualify . If a student was interested in a School within a School system or human rights, they could build a project on that. A student could self- select what issue they would like to address . Nauset Regional School Committee, November 12, 2020 1 P a g e Judy Schumacher had a question regarding the teaching of US History, and if Civics had replaced that . Henry Evans responded that US History is incorporated into World History currently . World History 2 is a required course . After discussion, the Committee thanked Mr . Peterson and Mr . Evans for their presentation . Building Committee Update Greg Levasseur gave the Committee an update on the Nauset High School Building Project . He indicated that during COVID , he received a lot of questions which he forwarded to architects and engineers for responses . All information can be found on www . naLisetbLtildingproiect . com , Mr. Levasseur explained the unusual parameters of Nauset High School, being in a national seashore, having endangered species issues with the property, the property being Eastham ' s water resource district, as well as being a shelter for the Community in periods of inclement weather and disaster. Discussions and plans are being made around energy efficiency with all those parameters in mind . In the near future the public outreach team will be meeting to start the process of looking at when to resume moving forward and begin interacting with the public and putting a message together. The Committee is looking at safe new ways to interact with the public and Mr . Levasseur welcomed any suggestions from the Committee on how that might happen . The deadline to have the project voted on is May 31St After discussion, the Committee thanked Mr . Levasseur for the update . Administrators ' Reports Principal Kobold was not in attendance. Superintendent Conrad indicated her written report was included in the packet and that members could ask any questions of Keith Kenyon or Stephanie Rae . Stephanie Rae indicated that Julie Kobold forwarded some updates in her report, school is well underway at this point. Julie is missed, but Keith has been a great addition to help out through this time . Keith Kenyon updated the Committee on projects he and Stephanie have been working on : including forming a scheduling committee which now has about 14 members and is looking at all aspects of scheduling at the Middle School . The first school council meeting was held, with 18 members . Two subcommittees were formed within that meeting . One will be studying and putting together a school improvement plan . The second subcommittee will study professional development at the middle school . In person music lessons will be starting up , and everyone is waiting to see what is going to happen with winter interscholastic sports . Discussion was held on world languages and intermural sports . Judy Schumacher requested that Carina DaSilva, ELL Coordinator, be invited to the next meeting to give an overview on the ELL Program at Nauset. The Committee thanked Keith Kenyon for filling in while Julie Kobold is on leave . Principal Chris Ellsasser ' s report was included in the packet. Highlights included : the success of the fall sports program, the fact that students are complying with all COVID restrictions and behaving like model citizens , and a conversation with all school departments during a school meeting to see what is working and what is not working Nauset Regional School Committee, November 12 , 2020 2 P a g e well . Principal Ellsasser also indicated that Zoom seems to be the preferred platform and is working out well for most of the departments . Discussion was held on socialization, cohorts, and winter athletics . On a question from Josh Stewart on how kids are feeling about this new learning model, Principal Ellsasser responded that coming to school has been both a good thing and a disappointing thing . It ' s been a shift for students to adapt to , but they are making the best of it. It is and will continue to be a work in progress, evaluating what is working and what isn ' t working . The staff and students will be surveyed to see how things could change for the better . The Senior Class in particular is being looked at in terms of making this year special for them , as their social activities are now so restricted . Superintendent ' s Report Superintendent Conrad gave an overview of the Middle School Basketball Court, backup details for which were included in the Committee ' s packet. He then asked Tracy Murphy to speak to the Committee on the proposal from the Orleans Recreation Advisory Committee . Ms . Murphy reported that Orleans citizens are very interested in a basketball court for community use at Nauset Middle School . Ms . Murphy and Ms . Basso explained they would like Committee authorization to apply to the Orleans CPC for funding to get an estimate on construction of a basketball court . After discussion on a motion by Josh Stewartseconded by Rob Jacobus it was voted unanimously by roll call vote to authorize the Orleans Recreation Advisory Committee to apply to Orleans CPC for funding to get an estimate on construction of a basketball court at Nauset Middle School . Superintendent Conrad reported on the following to the Committee : Labor & Management meetings with various schools continue and should conclude within the next two to three weeks . He thanked Ann McConchie and Mark Mathison for their time working on this Committee . Issues addressed are schedules, spaces at the buildings, ventilation etc . Now that DESE has approved snow days, if they are used as remote learning days, can be counted towards student attendance for the year. The administration is currently looking at this, and will bring it back to the Committee for approval once a determination is made . The Business Office, and Giovanna Venditti, have been working on budgets for FY22 and are currently working on the Central Office budget. Wellfleet budget is close to being completed, and all budgets are being worked on and developed . On a question from Judy Schumacher regarding negotiations, Superintendent Conrad indicated these are continuing negotiations on the new contract, which were stalled due to COVID . On a question from Rob Jacobus, Superintendent Conrad discussed remote learning, snow days and electric outages . Special Education Update — Director of Student Services Mary Buchanan Mary Buchanan thanked the Committee for inviting her to speak to them at this meeting . Ms . Buchanan indicated she has been with Nauset for 5 months and began during the unprecedented time of COVID . She has been very impressed with the District and staff handling of the pandemic , their professionalism and integrity in coming together for all students . Ms . Buchanan shared that the focus at this time for the Special Education staff is student and staff mental health . Nauset was not awarded funds under the Mental Health Grant this year, however Ms . Buchanan was able to amend the Special Education Entitlement Grant to fund a LICSW to work with and support students and families during this school year . Nauset Regional School Committee, November 12 , 2020 3 P a g e Discussion was held on the results of previous Youth Risk Behavior and Mental Health surveys given to stridents . Ms . Buchanan will work on getting the results of those previous surveys to the Committee . The Committee thanked Mary Buchanan for attending the meeting and for her report . FY21 Budget Giovanna Venditti reviewed the Dashboard Report with the Subcommittee in detail . Capital Asset Reclassification After discussion it was moved by Tom Fitzgibbons seconded by Judy Schumacher, it was voted unanimously by roll call vote to approve the Capital Asset Reclassifications as submitted . Harassment Policy — Approve for a Second Reading It was moved by Josh Stewartseconded by Robert Jacobus and voted unanimously by roll call vote to approve the Harassment Policy for a Second Reading. Unfinished Business None at this time Reports and Information Cape Cod Collaborative Robert Jacobus reported on the previous Cape Cod Collaborative Board Meeting, with focus on an application for forgiving the PPE loan previously secured . That application will be submitted . Mr. Jacobus thanked the Committee for and indicated it was a pleasure and privilege to be part of the group . Budget and Finance Subcommittee Judy Schumacher reported on the recent Budget and Finance Subcommittee meeting, in which the Committee reviewed the dashboard in great detail . Ms . Schumacher indicated she was very concerned with the deficit in the cafeteria budget in both the middle and high school cafeteria . Due to COVID, and number of meals served, that deficit will not be going away, and will eventually conclude in a large loss for this school year . In addition, the cafeteria staff are the very ones that have been working tirelessly to be sure free meals are available to students and families in the community, and have done so even during the worst of the COVID pandemic . Next month there will be a greater look into the cafeteria numbers by Sue Murray and Jim Nowack. MASC Conference Tom Fitzgibbons reported on the MASC Virtual Conference , sharing that it was well set up and done efficiently. There were no break- out sessions , and each of the 10 items was voted on . All items with the exception of one passed . Capital Asset Subcommittee Chris Easley reported the Capital Asset Subcommittee met and reorganized, went through the five year and one year capital plans and had good discussion on it . Nauset Regional School Committee, November 12, 2020 4 P a g e Future Agenda Items Invite Carina DaSilva to give an overview on the ELL Program at Nauset . Adjournment On a motion by Robert Jacobus seconded by Josh Stewart it was voted unanimously via roll call vote to adjourn at 8 : 31PME Submitted by, Arlynn Consiglio Included in packet: Principals ' reports, Dashboard, Capital Asset Reclassifications, Harassment Policy and minutes Nauset Regional School Committee, November 12, 2020 5 P a g e