HomeMy Public PortalAboutNauset Schools -- 2021-03-11 Minutes (2) Nauset Regional School Committee _
March 11 , 2021 hi r
Virtual meeting live streamed at Brewster Town Hall ! fLAU
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Present for the Committee : Judith Schumacher, Chris Easley, Richard Stewart, Josh Stewart, Tom Fitzgibbons ,
Steven Leibowitz, Griffin Ryder, John O ' Reilly, Ed Brookshire
Present for the Administration : Thomas Conrad, Giovanna Venditti , Keith Kenyon, Stephanie Rae , Chris Ellsasser
Others Present : Maxine Minkoff
Call to Order :
Chair Easley called the meeting to order at 6 : 32 p .m . , and read the meeting notice and Zoom information aloud .
Agenda Changes :
None
Citizens Speak:
None
Consent Agenda :
It was moved by Judy Schumacher, seconded by Tom Fitzgibbons, it was voted unanimously via roll call vote
to approve the Consent Agenda as presented .
Priority Business :
Overview of the Strategic Plan
Judy Schumacher gave an overview to the Committee on the timeline and development of the Strategic Plan . The
plan was finalized and submitted to Superintendent Conrad immediately preceding the COVID 19 Pandemic . The
plan is now 1 year old , and is formally being presented and distributed to all schools and school Committees in the
Nauset District ,
Maxine Minkoff stated that the Strategic Plan has a few overriding goals : to develop curriculum that represents real
world experiences and opportunities ; to help students cope academically and develop social emotional coping skills ;
to prepare students ' for tomorrows world, with a focus on the needs of the world at large ; community focused
schools ; and support and resources for teachers with an extensive professional development program for staff. This
plan will help prepare todays Nauset students to live and work in tomorrow ' s ever changing world .
Judy Schumacher reported that the plan has already spurred individual school improvement plans in each school .
The Nauset Regional School Committee ' s role in the plan is threefold : the first is the responsibility to monitor the
implementation of the plan, to continually review the information and to work with administration and faculty ; the
second is to provide support (i . e . resources) , so that administration and faculty have the resources they need to secure
and implement professional development; and thirdly this is an interdependent world and we are calling on students
to become innovators and problem solvers , and we have to allow our faculty to do the same . Tell the story of what is
Nauset Regional School Committee March 11, 2021 11 P a g e
happening in the schools and bring the community in which will take an effort on the part of the committee . Items
concerning the strategy and implementation of the Strategic Plan should be included on future Agendas .
Administrator ' s Reports :
Principal Ellsasser ' s written report was included in the Committee ' s packet . Updates included : the high school
newsletter that goes out every Friday is now structured around the Strategic Plan as is the written Principal ' s Report .
Principal Ellsasser reported to the Committee on an image that was shared with him recently drawn by a student: the
image was of Nauset Light, with the saying ` Shine Bright Nauset Light ' underneath it. This was the result of ninth
grade student ' s brainstorming who they want to be and what they want to represent, and also what Nauset High
School represents .
Principal Kenyon ' s written report was included in the Committee ' s packet . Updates included : the second round of
parent teacher conferences were well attended; transitions are now being planned for 5th graders coming to the
Middle School and 9th graders moving on to the High School ; fundraising updates ; the intramural program was very
successful and has just finished up for this season; a common place digital check-in which is registered by a QR
code ; the possibility of full in person learning which is scheduled to begin on April 28 , 2021 .
Discussion was held on the return to in person learning, vaccines for staff, and MCAS .
Superintendent Conrad updated the Committee on the budget process and the presentations to the Towns regarding
the FY22 Budgets . Superintendent Conrad thanked Giovanna Venditti for her hard work and communication with
each Town Administrator, FinCom and Select Boards . In addition, the Superintendent reviewed a recent document
from DESE regarding the mandated return to in person learning, highlighting some key points within the document.
This changes does not have a large impact on the elementary schools, all of which have been in person since
September 2020 . There are a few elementary students who are fully remote , and the principals will be in touch
individually with each family to discuss the return to in person . In all grades, K42 , students who are currently in a
remote setting have the option to stay in that model through the end of this school year . DESE has said that a
distance of 3 feet is adequate for safety. There will be a survey and letter going out to all parents by next week. The
bottom line is every student can now come back into school by the directive of the Commissioner of Education .
These guidelines are required, and School Districts are responsible for implementing this back to school initiative .
Middle School must be back in session by April 28 , 2021 . There is no definite date for High School, however
DESE is stating that there will be at least a 2 week notice once the date is announced . Once the surveys are out and
returned, and we know how many students will be returning to full time, we will be able to make arrangements and
make concrete decisions moving forward . Discussion was held on vaccines for all staff prior to a full opening,
hybrid models , and remote choices .
Discussion was held on a more comprehensive process in fielding financial questions from various town boards and
committee .
FY21 Budget Dashboard Report
Giovanna Venditti reviewed the updated Dashboard Report .
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ADJOURNMENT
It was moved by Griffin Ryder, seconded by Tom Fitzgibbons and voted unanimously via roll call vote to
adiourn at 7 : 49PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Arlynn Consiglio
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