2026-09-30 - School Committee

00:15Good evening. Um like to call to order

00:18the uh Wednesday, September 30th policy

00:21subcommittee. And tonight we will begin

00:23with a proposed revision to the school

00:26committee policy um section 1.7 wellness

00:29and a presentation by Mr. Welcome.

00:35>> Thank you for having me tonight. Um I'm

00:39here to discuss the school Quinsey

00:42public school's wellness policy and the

00:44updates that have been made to get us up

00:46to date with um the standard procedures

00:49for school lunch. And um just reading a

00:52statement here first and then we can go

00:54over the actual policy. The federal law

00:58through the healthy hunger-free kids act

01:00of 2010 and the USDA's implementing rule

01:02requires every district participating in

01:05the school meals program to maintain a

01:07local wellness policy. Massachusetts law

01:09also requires each district to have a

01:11wellness uh school wellness advisory

01:14committee and our committee is

01:16responsible for assessing the wellness

01:17policy, its implementation, recommending

01:20revisions and making sure the policy is

01:22a working document. Any revised policy

01:25of course has to come before you all to

01:27make uh to get those changes approved

01:29to. So to support this work of creating

01:32or updating this new wellness policy, I

01:34worked with a company called switch that

01:36stands for school wellness initiative

01:39for thriving communities and health. Um

01:41this program works directly with the

01:43department of elementary and secondary

01:45education's food and nutrition office,

01:47the John Stalker Institute of Food and

01:50Nutrition um that works out of

01:51Framingham State. in this organization

01:53is some something I use frequently when

01:56developing menus and doing trainings

01:57with my staff. Um and Switch offers a

02:02wellness coaching program to help you

02:03update your wellness policy. So with

02:06their help um we created this new

02:08wellness policy and Quinsey was actually

02:10recognized

02:12um through Massachusetts school wellness

02:15championship program through the healthy

02:17hungry free kid act. We have a big

02:18banner in the food service office for

02:20participating in this coaching program

02:21and updating our wellness policy, which

02:23of course has now been approved by the

02:25Department of Education. Um, updates

02:27you'll find in the wellness policy are

02:30just a more clear and concise definition

02:32of who belongs in the committee and how

02:34we're going to evaluate our work and how

02:35many times a year we meet um, and how

02:38it's assessed. The document also goes

02:41into detail about making sure that each

02:43school has an active wellness committee

02:45that can report to us any in anything

02:47that they're doing to um better improve

02:50the lives of the childrens during the

02:52school day. And it also creates the

02:54clear and concise guidelines of what

02:56school lunch looks like and what rules

02:57we have to follow based on the USDA and

02:59Massachusetts standards. Um, and then

03:02some extra bonus stuff that our

03:04cafeterias do, some enhancements in our

03:07food meals in our and in our program and

03:10staff, uh, professional development

03:12responsibilities that I have as food

03:13service director to make sure that each

03:15manager and supporting staff are, um,

03:18updating their credentials as far as

03:20allergy safety, um, serve safe, and what

03:24makes up a reimburseable meal, all the

03:25different components, all the things

03:26that I do talk about in my presentation

03:28every March, um, that they have to also

03:31know very well as well. And then just

03:33new trainings that come along every year

03:35there's kind of a new process that we

03:36have to follow or or new regulation or a

03:39change in the sodium levels or anything

03:41like that and they have to be also

03:42updated and documented. Um, other

03:46guidelines that are included in this

03:48wellness policy are things like what

03:50Quinsey's uh, physical education

03:52guidelines are, outdoor recess, um,

03:55before and after school activities,

03:58transportation, community partnership,

03:59and all different engagements that

04:01Quinsey has. So, it's just an outline of

04:03the things that we include in this

04:05community that we have been doing

04:06already. We just needed the

04:07documentation to prove it. So, that's

04:10really kind of the gist of the updated

04:12wellness policy. We do have to update it

04:13every 3 years and since we started on

04:16this journey for updating it in 2025, we

04:19do have to meet again in 2028 and talk

04:21about any changes we want to add and

04:23that's really it.

04:24>> Okay. Um

04:27members questions

04:29>> just question

04:32>> uh recess is back in

04:36>> I know that uh years ago it was a push

04:39the time on learning.

04:41>> Mhm. No, we have recess throughout the

04:43district.

04:43>> It was taken away years ago.

04:46>> Um, that was many years ago, but it's

04:49been restored for quite a while.

04:51>> Yeah.

04:52>> Okay. Well, I haven't been in the school

04:53for a while.

04:53>> That's okay. But we have it.

04:55>> Okay. That's good. That's good news. Um

05:00Okay. That was my question.

05:05>> This is human.

05:06>> Yeah. To to your point, it is in here.

05:08It says um outdoor recess will be

05:10offered when weather is feasible for

05:12outdoor play. That's the line in here

05:15that I found that was for recess.

05:18So that it is in here, but that's what

05:20it says. So just to clarify what you

05:22were what you were saying. Um my

05:25question was um what about the the free

05:27lunch program? I I didn't see anything

05:29like specifically in here about that.

05:31Did we need to put anything in there

05:33about that? It's hard to put it in a

05:35district policy when we're really at the

05:37mercy of whatever the state is choosing

05:38to do. Right now, we are covered for

05:40free lunch, I believe, and through the

05:41budget of 2027. Um, it is written into

05:45law that they can't change it. Of

05:47course, there could be ways in the

05:49future to try to change that, but I

05:51don't foresee it changing in the future.

05:53It just wouldn't make sense to put it in

05:55the policy because we can't control it.

05:57Um, so if it should change and we still

05:59have this active policy, we'd have to

06:01scramble and change it. Um, but yeah, we

06:03just in in the policy, it really just

06:05specifies the responsibilities of the

06:09food service department making sure we

06:10follow the USDA standards when and if

06:13they change and also the Massachusetts

06:16standards, which technically

06:18Massachusetts standards are a little bit

06:20more strict. So, we have to follow

06:22whichever one is more strict and at this

06:24time it's Massachusetts.

06:25>> Okay. And before we also had a policy in

06:28that had something to do with two days

06:30out of the year that we could not use

06:33the food wellness policy and the kids

06:35could have cupcakes on an ex on a day

06:37that the principles had decided that

06:39they were going to have a celebration

06:40that day.

06:41>> I don't believe that's in here anymore.

06:43I I remember talking to Andrea about

06:45that, but I do know that it was taken

06:48out. So has that been conveyed to the

06:50schools that that is now taken out? um

06:53when this is approved that can be a

06:55message communicated to the schools but

06:57not yet.

06:58>> Okay. All right. Thank you.

07:01>> So um let me So basically is there

07:06anything really um new that we haven't

07:09done before in the past?

07:10>> No. um

07:12>> you know, it's things we're doing

07:13already and that's great and all we had

07:15to do is put it in put it on paper and

07:17say we're doing this and we're going to

07:18continue to follow this based on the

07:20letter of the law and um that's what

07:23we're doing. So that's what's great

07:24about it. It was really just looking at

07:26our program saying, "Okay, we're doing

07:27all of this. We're documenting all of

07:29this um and here's proof making sure we

07:32can back it up." Y

07:33>> um and so am I correct? And do we have

07:37to send this to before we can approve it

07:39as a policy here? Does this get approved

07:42by um the department of education? Do

07:44they look at that and making sure that

07:45we have everything in place before we

07:47move it forward for a vote?

07:48>> Yes. As a part of the program switch

07:51that we worked with, we had a a coach

07:53who helped look at our old policy,

07:55figure out where we needed to change

07:57things. Um and then they then brought it

08:00to Desessie and somebody from Desessie

08:02approved it, sent it back and said it's

08:04good to go as long as it's approved by

08:05your school committee.

08:07>> Okay. All right. So, um I think what we

08:10I think we're I'm good. I don't know if

08:12you Oh, Paul have another question.

08:14>> Thank you.

08:15>> Kids aren't still using u uh outside

08:19vendors to come in and bring their lunch

08:21to them, are they?

08:23>> I don't believe so. No, we stopped that

08:24years ago.

08:25>> Nope.

08:26>> Like a Uber Eats or something? No, we

08:28stopped that years ago.

08:29>> Dash.

08:32>> They don't have phones now.

08:35>> Yeah, that was stopped years ago. It was

08:36a thing years ago.

08:37>> Yes.

08:40>> Thank you. You're welcome.

08:43>> Okay. So, I'm going to um we'll move to

08:47um Yeah.

08:48>> Sorry.

08:49>> Sorry. With this, was there any changes

08:50to um like in school stores like the

08:53high schools have the vending machines

08:54or stuff like that? was anything in here

08:56that's going to be changing what the

08:58high schools are doing currently.

08:59>> Um the high the vending has to just meet

09:02the smart snack standards for

09:04Massachusetts. Um and so it it's a

09:07certain amount of

09:09uh saturated fat and total calories and

09:11sodium a snack can have. Uh but our

09:13vending machines do have those standards

09:16put in place.

09:17>> Okay. because I noticed sometimes at

09:18like the the the

09:21um volleyball game there was somebody

09:22that was selling stuff at those and you

09:25know I wasn't sure if if that was

09:27something that was because that's an

09:28after school but it is

09:30before the midnight so

09:32>> um I wasn't sure if they're going to

09:34still be able to continue doing that or

09:36if that's going to have to stop.

09:38>> We wouldn't touch that.

09:39>> Okay. Yeah.

09:40>> All right. Thank you.

09:41>> You're welcome.

09:44>> So, did we have this approved already?

09:46>> Yes. Okay.

09:47>> From DZY.

09:48>> From Des. Right. Yep. So, we need a

09:50motion to um approve this to move it to

09:53um the full meeting.

09:56>> Paul.

09:57>> Second.

09:59>> All in favor?

10:00>> Yep.

10:01>> Thank you.

10:01>> Okay. Thank you so much, sir.

10:03>> Thank you.

10:06>> Um Okay. Next on the agenda, we have a

10:09proposed revision to the school

10:11committee policy section 1093, physical

10:14restraint of students, presentation by

10:17um Dr. Perkins.

10:21>> Thank you very much. Welcome. Um so

10:26this is uh the restraint, seclusion, and

10:28timeout policy that we're uh sharing

10:31with you tonight. the draft. Uh we're

10:33presenting this to you because um the

10:37regulations were updated. So in June

10:402025, the board of elementary and

10:42secondary education voted to amend the

10:45regulations regarding the use of timeout

10:48practices in Massachusetts public

10:50schools approved special education

10:51schools and collaboratives. And the

10:53amended regulations actually became

10:56effective on August 17, 2026. And one of

10:59the parts of the regulation is that we

11:01have to update our policy. Um, so the

11:04policy that you have in front of you is

11:07actually something that we worked on

11:08with our attorneys. It directly matches

11:12the regulation language. Um, and so uh,

11:16you know, it's for you to consider this

11:18evening. So, just a little background

11:20that the amended regulations are

11:23designed to reduce and eliminate the use

11:25of seclusion and promote equitable

11:27access to safe learning environments

11:29that support both academic and social

11:31emotional development for all students

11:34while ensuring students continue to

11:36receive meaningful access to instruction

11:38and the services and supports necessary

11:40to receive a free and appropriate public

11:43education. The overuse or inappropriate

11:46use of seclusion can isolate students,

11:48hinder their connections to peers and

11:49staff and have a traumatic impact and

11:52result in academic disruption. So I

11:54would say in the regulations that is uh

11:57one of the biggest things that has

11:59changed is that um seclusion is pretty

12:02much prohibited in the Quinsey public

12:04schools. We do not use seclusion. So, I

12:07am happy to report I'm going to go

12:09through the things that uh have changed

12:12and have not changed in the regulations

12:15um and talk a little bit about what that

12:17means for us. But the majority of the uh

12:20the things that are in the new proposal,

12:24similar to what Mr. Ford just said, we

12:27already do business this way. So I I

12:30don't believe that there is going to be

12:32a significant impact on our staff at all

12:34because this is how we typically conduct

12:36ourselves. Um so what's not changing?

12:41You can still use physical restraint but

12:43physical restraint is an emergency pro

12:46procedure of last resort. So, what is a

12:49little bit new here is that they

12:51tightened up um when you can use it and

12:54it does have to be a threat of assault

12:56or imminent physical harm. And they have

12:59although not in um the regulations in

13:03the guidance documents, they did really

13:06define what eminent harm means and um

13:10serious uh physical harm. And what they

13:14describe in the regulations is you have

13:16to basically be afraid of serious bodily

13:20injury injury or death. So it's a very

13:24high bar. Um you know and but again

13:28although this has been tightened up a

13:30little bit in terms of the definition of

13:32um what physical restraint is, we always

13:35for a very long time have only used

13:38physical restraint as the absolute last

13:40resort. We do not use it in response to

13:43property destruction. We do not use it

13:46um in response to a student, you know,

13:48engaging in a verbal altercation. We

13:51only do it we only use it when a student

13:54is a serious risk and we think it's an

13:58imminent risk, meaning that it's about

13:59to happen any moment to themselves or

14:03someone else, a staff member or another

14:05student. For instance, if a student

14:06picks up a pair of scissors and you know

14:09postures towards an adult makes or or

14:12another student and you know something

14:14like that which is very rare that

14:15actually doesn't really ever happen but

14:18that would be something that we would

14:19say would be imminent risk um and we

14:22would of course intervene at that point.

14:25So other some other things that have not

14:27changed are um physical restraint should

14:31only be used with the amount of force

14:33necessary to protect the student or

14:35others. The staff need to use the safest

14:39method of restraint available and

14:41appropriate and we do have um restraint

14:44teams in every single one of our schools

14:46uh that have been trained and the staff

14:49are directed on the first day for the

14:51teachers. They receive a training on

14:54who's on the physical restraint team.

14:56They are told there's a code word that

14:59um the school will use to call the

15:01physical restraint team if there's a

15:03crisis in the building or something's

15:05occurring and they need immediate

15:07assistance. Every building has a code

15:09word. Um and the team would respond and

15:12only those people are the ones that

15:14should be restraining, the people that

15:16actually have been trained and

15:18certified.

15:19physical restraint shall end as soon as

15:21the student is no longer in immediate

15:23danger to theirel or others and they

15:26that they should be observed at the

15:27whole time. So there's always our

15:29procedure is always there's a a person

15:32usually two that might be assisting with

15:34the restraint and there is a person

15:36that's always observing uh to make sure

15:39that nothing you know goes wrong nothing

15:42happens. Um any restraint beyond 20

15:44minutes requires the principal approval.

15:46That has not changed. That's always been

15:48the case. In my time in Quinsey public

15:51schools, I don't think we've ever done a

15:52restraint over 20 minutes. Um, so it's

15:55very rare for us to put our hands on

15:58students or need to put our hand on

16:00hands on students.

16:02Um and so something uh some other things

16:06that are new some so some things that

16:09have changed are the there's a new

16:12definition of seclusion and timeout and

16:15the standard as I mentioned for serious

16:17physical harm that more closely align

16:19with the federal definitions and

16:20standards. And so even though I'm

16:22talking to you about seclusion and

16:24you'll see seclusion in the policy, even

16:27I'm saying that, you know, we do not use

16:29seclusion as a strategy in Quincy public

16:31schools and have not, it is still

16:33required that we have it in the policy.

16:35So all of these components, although

16:37many of them might be things that we

16:38don't ever do, we have to have them in

16:41the policy. It's part of the

16:43regulations.

16:44Um, so there are preconditions now that

16:47are required for the emergency use of

16:49seclusion or prone restraint. Again,

16:51that is not something we ever do. We

16:54never ever ever put a child in a prone

16:56restraint, which would be face down on

16:58the floor. Um, we do not ever do that.

17:01And um, and again, we don't use

17:03seclusion, but we still have to have

17:04those components in in the policy. Uh,

17:07language to address the use of timeout

17:09and seclusion versus seclusion is new.

17:11uh basically like the difference between

17:13the two additional safeguards around the

17:17physical space used for timeout and

17:18seclusion if permitted and um as I

17:22mentioned this uh requires that we must

17:24res revise and uh the policies and

17:26procedures which we have done.

17:29So um just the new definition of

17:31seclusion. So seclusion is the

17:34involuntary confinement of a student

17:36alone in a room or area with or without

17:39adult supervision from which the student

17:41is not permitted to leave. So basically

17:45what this would mean is that you are

17:47putting a student in a room by

17:49themselves. You are closing the door and

17:52a staff member may be in the room or may

17:55be outside of the room. Um I you know in

17:59the cases that I've heard of again not

18:00in Quinsey public schools the staff is

18:02usually outside the room watching

18:04through a window. Sometimes that happens

18:06in some out of district placements and

18:09the students are not permitted to leave

18:10the room. That is called seclusion. That

18:14is what seclusion is. Um and uh so so

18:18that is now permitted uh not permitted.

18:22What is not seclusion is if you remove a

18:24student from a classroom because they're

18:26being unsafe and you take them into the

18:28guidance office to deescalate and the

18:30guidance counselor is in there, you

18:31don't have the door locked. Uh you're

18:33just in there with the student trying to

18:35help them calm down, you and maybe

18:37another staff member. Those kinds of

18:39things happen all the time. That is not

18:41seclusion. So we're not pre like locking

18:44a student in a room or preventing them

18:46from leaving a room where you know we

18:48may be uh blocking a door so that a

18:51student doesn't alope or run away but

18:53again that's that is not seclusion. So

18:57those are they're two very different

18:59very different things. Um so seclusion

19:02the the things that need to be in place

19:05in order for us to use seclusion. Um and

19:08again this isn't something we would do

19:10but we have to have it in the policy is

19:13uh there needs to be a documented

19:15history of repeatedly causing serious

19:18self-injuries and or injuries to other

19:20students and staff. So a student has to

19:22be very aggressive um in order to be

19:25able to be considering seclusion. The

19:28student is not responsive to directives

19:30or other lawful and less intrusive

19:32behavior interventions or such

19:34interventions are deemed to be

19:35inappropriate under the circumstances.

19:38Other forms of interventions have failed

19:40to ensure the safety of the student and

19:43or the safety of others. There are no

19:45medical contraindications and this does

19:48need to be documented by a licensed

19:49physician. There is a psychological or

19:52behavioral justification for the use and

19:54there are no psychological or behavioral

19:56contraindications. And again that has to

19:58be documented by a mental health

19:59professional.

20:02The program has obtained consent from

20:03the student's parent if appropriate or

20:06the student if appropriate and as such

20:09um it has been approved by in writing by

20:11the principal. Any individual using it

20:14has received training about alternative

20:16behavior interventions and management

20:18techniques and the program has

20:19documented compliance with 603 CMR46

20:23u.07 7 and through and in in advance of

20:26its use maintains the all of its

20:28documentation. So in order to use

20:31seclusion you would have to meet every

20:33single one of those you would have to

20:35check every single one of those things

20:36off. You have to meet all of that those

20:39criteria before you can even consider

20:41using um seclusion. And if those uh

20:45preconditions are not met and the

20:47circumstances warrant physical restraint

20:49then the staff would restrain. And if

20:52there is an unexpected use of seclusion,

20:55something an emergency situation happens

20:57and you unexpectedly do have to use

21:00seclusion, you would need to immediately

21:02follow up um and make sure that you are

21:06notifying the parent and that you're

21:08meeting to try to meet all of those

21:10criteria that I just previously

21:12discussed and review the incident.

21:17So, some of the requirements are if it

21:20lasts longer than 30 minutes for

21:22seclusion, you have to get the

21:23principal's permission. Um, you have to

21:25make a reasonable effort to notify the

21:27parents and uh verbally informing the

21:31principal of its use as soon as possible

21:33and by written report no later than the

21:35next school day. Um, and if the

21:37principal used the emergency

21:38intervention, then the principal would

21:40report that to the superintendent. Um

21:42and the principal shall maintain an

21:44ongoing record of all reported instances

21:46of the use of such an emergency

21:48intervention.

21:51And then conduct the the principal is

21:54required to conduct a weekly review of

21:56the data. Um anytime they do use

21:58seclusion, they should be reviewing the

22:00the data weekly with the team um and

22:03restraints as well. and then conducting

22:06a monthly review of schoolwide data

22:08related to the use of seclusion

22:11and also examining and adopting

22:13alternatives and strategies for reducing

22:15and eliminating its use. Um so again

22:19those all have to be in our policy. We

22:22will never use them. Um you know we do

22:25not use that as an a behavioral

22:27intervention.

22:28So timeout is something that we do

22:31occasionally use. This is allowed but

22:33the the definition has um you know been

22:37tightened up or you know given in the

22:39regulations. And so timeout is a

22:41behavioral support strategy in which a

22:44student temporarily separates from the

22:46learning activity or the classroom

22:47either by choice or by the by direction

22:49from staff for the purpose of calming.

22:52During timeout, a student must be

22:53continuously observed by a staff member

22:55in an unlocked setting from which the

22:57student is permitted to leave. Staff

22:59shall be with the students or

23:01immediately available to the student at

23:03all times and timeout shall cease as

23:05soon as the student has calmed. So, uh

23:08just a couple of things with timeout.

23:10What timeout is not considered? It's not

23:13considered a separation within the

23:15classroom. So, for instance, in a lot of

23:18our classrooms, we have common calming

23:19corners. And so, students will take

23:22advantage of that common corner. they'll

23:24go, they'll deescalate, and then they'll

23:27come right back to the learning

23:28environment. Um, that is okay. That that

23:32is not considered a timeout. Um, it just

23:35as long as the student has the

23:36opportunity to continue to engage in the

23:39instruction or return immediately to the

23:41instruction planned ignoring, which a

23:44lot of our teachers do. If a student is

23:46being fidgety or um, you know, maybe

23:49doing something for a little bit of

23:50attention, the teachers will just kind

23:52of ignore it. And you know eventually

23:55usually it will stop and so that is not

23:58considered a timeout. A student putting

24:00their head down on the desk is also not

24:02considered a timeout. Some of the

24:04biggest changes are that you know it

24:06cannot be used as a punishment or

24:08consequence which we do not do. Um and

24:11it must cease once the student has

24:13calmed. And the other piece with timeout

24:16that I didn't add in here is that

24:18sometimes when students go into a

24:20timeout or they take a break, the

24:22teacher or the paraprofessional may

24:24require them to they have to complete a

24:26couple of things before they go can go

24:29back into instruction like you know you

24:31you needed a break during math so you

24:33have to complete these three math

24:35problems in order to go back to math

24:37instruction. That we cannot do anymore.

24:40So once a student is calmed and is ready

24:42to return whether they've done the work

24:44or accomplished the tasks or not the

24:47student has to be allowed to go back to

24:49the instruction.

24:53So just some of the things um that we

24:56have done so far um on August 31st 2026

25:01we provided an uh updated regulations to

25:04all the principles. So we did share the

25:07the draft um and all of the guidance

25:09with the principles when they returned

25:11on September 3rd, 2026. We trained all

25:14and provided training to all of our um

25:16special education teachers and other

25:18administrators. So we actually had

25:20Murphy Hessumi um our special education

25:23attorney Alicia St. Florian came and

25:25presented to all the staff on the new

25:27regulations. Um on October 7th, we're

25:30actually providing an additional

25:32training because some of the support

25:34staff and administrators couldn't attend

25:35that day. So we have a second training

25:38for them on October 7th again with

25:40Murphy Hessumi. Um school year 2025 2026

25:45we actually updated our incident report

25:48form um and reporting procedures in

25:52collaboration with the QEA. So we

25:55actually worked with the QEA. We put it

25:57on a Google form. It comes right to us

26:00when there is an incident. Um so we are

26:02reviewing that documentation as soon as

26:04we get it. Um and uh so we really

26:07tightened up our own reporting

26:09procedures even before all of this came

26:12out. Um we have provided principles with

26:14logs for the use of timeout and

26:16restraint. So, um, because in our

26:19policy, our expectation is that our

26:22principles and our staff are documenting

26:24the use of timeout as a strategy. We

26:27know we don't do seclusion, but we do

26:30occasionally use timeout as a behavioral

26:32strategy. Um, and so we want to just

26:35make sure that we're documenting that

26:36and reviewing that an updated policy

26:39present presentation to the school

26:42committee, which we just did and um, or

26:46we're doing right now. And so that is

26:48where we are um with the updated

26:50regulations

26:56>> questions.

26:58Mr. Beg

27:00>> um

27:01assuming of an IEP who is not a district

27:03placement

27:04>> is um the use of physical restraint

27:08written into that IEP.

27:09>> We can't write it into an IEP. No.

27:12>> Okay. So, how's the out of district

27:14placement handle something like that?

27:16That's not our

27:19>> they still have there's still document

27:21documentation that's required. So, like

27:24for instance at the RDLC um we do we

27:28have physical restraint information that

27:29we share with the parents before the

27:32child starts. It's actually part of our

27:34like you know registration process. It

27:37would be the same for an out of district

27:38placement like the collaborative or

27:40something like that. um they usually

27:43tell the parents that ahead of time. In

27:45most places, if they use physical

27:47restraint, they'll actually have the

27:48parents sign off that they understand

27:50that in in in the event of an emergency

27:53situation when there's imminent harm as

27:56a strategy of last resort that um this

27:59your child may be restrained and they do

28:02actually ask parents to sign off on it.

28:04if it happens um at the out of district

28:07placement the staff are required to

28:10notify the parents within I think 24

28:12hours um and also the principal and if

28:16as I said if it lasts longer than 20

28:18minutes they're um then they're supposed

28:21to get the principal and the principal

28:22has to make the decision about whether

28:24the restraint can continue or not um

28:26they do also if it lasts more than 20

28:29minutes it needs to be reported to the

28:30department of ed within a certain amount

28:32of hours and um if anyone is injured, a

28:36staff or a student are injured during a

28:38restraint, it needs to be reported to

28:41the department of ed also.

28:44So,

28:44>> and a question about the teams.

28:47Um how many staff members are on the

28:50teams and who selects them?

28:53>> Um we usually ask for volunteers. Um

28:56it's usually the guidance counselor, the

28:58principal, the assistant principal, um

29:00the special ed teachers,

29:03uh could and potentially a regular ed

29:05teacher if they were willing. We don't

29:07force anyone to do it. Um but we it

29:10usually almost always is the guidance

29:13staff security at the high schools are

29:16trained. Um but it's almost always the

29:19principal, the assistant principal, and

29:21the guidance counselors, the nurse

29:22potentially. uh in a lot of places it's

29:25the nurse too. Um and so there's usually

29:28you know about six maybe I'd say members

29:31of the team. Um and so and not that

29:34doesn't mean that all six you know

29:38assist with every single restraint. And

29:40again I will say restraints are pretty

29:43rare in in our district. We only have a

29:46handful every year and it usually isn't

29:49a substantially separate program. it is

29:51not usually in the general education

29:53setting. Um and so you know so there

29:57it's pretty rare and normally our

30:00procedure for when we have to put our

30:02hands on students is usually that we'll

30:05do it for about a minute or two and then

30:08we let go and we back off and we you

30:10know try to let them calm down on their

30:12own. we're only doing it because, you

30:15know, they're uh throwing a desk at a at

30:19a staff member or a chair or they're um

30:22you know, like I said, they you know,

30:24grab scissors or they're punching and

30:27hitting and kicking so much that you

30:29know, um you know, they're hurting staff

30:31people. And so then we will put our

30:34hands on and we and then like I said, we

30:37will hold for a minute, maybe two, and

30:39we let go and we back off. Um and and

30:42that that's our typical procedure.

30:45So

30:46>> So there are no it's not there's not a

30:47set number. It could could vary from

30:50school to school.

30:51>> It could vary from school to school. You

30:54definitely need I would say at least two

30:56to three that you know that are trained

30:58to be able and and again our first line

31:00of defense is deescalization. So even if

31:02the crisis team gets called, they're

31:04going to try to deescalate before they

31:06put their hands on the student. Um

31:09that's going to be the first line of

31:10defense. And 90% of the the restraint

31:14training or the crisis prevention and

31:16intervention training is deescalization

31:19strategies. So I would say you probably

31:22need at least three people that are

31:24trained to be able to perform a

31:26restraint if it's needed. Um and then

31:29you need at least one person that's that

31:31can observe. So you should always we you

31:34should never be putting your hands on a

31:36student without in someone in the room

31:38observing. So that's our kind of

31:41standard uh protocol.

31:44>> Thank you.

31:44>> Yeah,

31:47>> this is Hubert.

31:48>> Thank you. And thank you for the

31:50presentation. Um so the teachers that

31:54are and staff that are on the restraint

31:56team, how often are they um updating the

31:59training that they're having if I

32:01primarily because it isn't something

32:03that's happening all the time. So I feel

32:05like it should be h they should be being

32:06retrained. Yep.

32:08>> Um, so how often does that happen?

32:09>> Yes. So, we have trainers on staff. We

32:12have two staff that are trainers that

32:13are certified trainers in CPI and RDLC

32:17actually uses the well program and

32:20there's uh one or two staff over there

32:22that are trained as trainers uh for well

32:26and so we they have different timelines

32:28depending on the program. Um, but we and

32:32we're actually sending someone a team

32:34from RDLC right now to look at safety

32:36care because our BCBAS are recommending

32:39that program as well. So, we're actually

32:41sending people out to go um look at that

32:43to see if how that compares. Um, but so

32:47usually there's a a refresher um every

32:50year. So, it's it's like a half day

32:52maybe if once you're certified and then

32:54you have to renew your certification

32:56every other.

32:57>> Okay, great. Um, also on here it says,

33:00um, the principal or designate shall

33:02make reasonable efforts to inform the

33:05students parents of the restraint within

33:0724 hours of the event. Um, how is that

33:10done? I I assume if they if they are not

33:13um

33:13>> if they're speaking another language, we

33:15use our telephone service where we have

33:17languages or but that are there multiple

33:20ways that that is that's done.

33:22>> Yeah, we we are getting parents on the

33:24phone immediately. Um, so usually if a

33:28student is that escalated, um, and then

33:31it's that kind of a safety risk, we're

33:33typically we're calling the parents say

33:36they need to come, they need to come

33:38right to the school. Um, and so we we're

33:41calling them immediately. Oftent times

33:43if someone is that escalated and then

33:45trying to hurt themselves or others,

33:48then we might be talking about going to

33:50crisis. That's probably where we're

33:52going to send them. So, we're telling

33:54the parents, you need to come, you need

33:56to get them um and you need to take them

33:59to crisis. If you know that if we if we

34:02can't safely calm the student down or

34:05and you know get the student to

34:06deescalate so that the parent or the

34:09guardian can safely transport them, then

34:11we're talking to that family about

34:13calling an ambulance. Um so, we we we

34:16get the parents. We will not stop until

34:19we get the parents. Uh so we immediately

34:21notify them and I I should say too at

34:25the end of the year too we do have to

34:27report all of our restraints to the

34:28department of ed which we do. So in our

34:31incident report form it's actually

34:33there's a link if you had to restrain uh

34:35if you had to put your hands on a child

34:37there is a link to the restraint form.

34:40So they're simultaneously filling out an

34:42in the principles an incident report

34:43form and the restraint form because we

34:46need that information so that we can

34:47report it to the department of ed. Okay.

34:50And for this um policy that we have,

34:52should it say um parents and guardians

34:55or is that just

34:57>> Sure. Definitely do that.

34:59>> Okay. Thank you. Yeah.

35:04>> So um let me ask you, so this again

35:07these are mandated changes that um DESI

35:10is asking us to make, but most of this

35:13is are things that we already have had

35:15in place. There's really not that much

35:17other than the um the biggest piece is

35:19the seclusion piece. That is the biggest

35:21change for us, which we really never did

35:24anyway, which I'm glad we're not doing

35:27that because it's doesn't seem

35:29>> um but we have to have it in here that

35:32there might be situations where we're

35:33going to have to have some seclusion. Um

35:35what how do we do that? Like it's if if

35:39we had to do it, right? Um are there

35:42certain areas in our buildings where we

35:45have a seclusion space or how do we how

35:47do we perform something like that?

35:49>> Yeah, we don't really have seclusion

35:50spaces. Um we would take if a student is

35:53escalated and needs to leave the room,

35:56we would take them to the guidance

35:57office, maybe the principal's office,

35:59>> maybe just even out in the hallway. Um

36:02depending on the space, um if they're

36:04very escalated, we're not going to try

36:06to transport them pretty far. And I

36:08should say, you know, when we talk about

36:11physical restraint, like some of the

36:12things that physical restraint is not

36:14and still remains true is you have to do

36:16a guided escort, like, you know, you're

36:19trying to walk a student to the office

36:20safely and you have to kind of put your

36:23hand maybe on their arm or on their, you

36:25know, behind their back to kind of help

36:27them guide them. Um, that is not a

36:29physical restraint. So there's still

36:31kind of like normal interaction that

36:33happens that's not uh considered like

36:36handoverhand instruction that is not a

36:39physical restraint. Um you know so that

36:41there's definitely those components but

36:44we don't have a seclusion room exclusion

36:47rooms in our schools. Um it we it's

36:50literally not something we do. So

36:52>> it's a it's basically what we do in

36:55terms of removing a student from a

36:57situation and bringing them to guidance

36:58or whatever. is removing them from from

37:01a situation. Um,

37:02>> as soon as we can get them back, we get

37:04them back if we can safely do that.

37:06>> Because that's what I guess my question

37:07also was if we do remove a student and

37:10because they're escalating and they're

37:12having a situation, um,

37:14>> there are situations where we find that

37:16they deescalate, they calm down, and

37:18then they can then re-enter into the

37:20classroom or whatever they're doing. Um,

37:22and my only other question would be, um,

37:25you know, when we have policies like

37:27this, do we share them with the parents

37:29and families that have students that,

37:31uh, might be in in these situations at

37:33the beginning of a school year or when

37:35they enroll in the, you know, is it

37:36something that they're aware of how we

37:38deal with situations?

37:39>> It is it will be it it isn't right now

37:42updated, but it will be updated once

37:44it's approved in the rights and

37:45responsibilities. Just the handbook.

37:47Okay. So, it will go into the handbook.

37:49at RDLC they do they have a version of

37:52this policy because their documentation

37:55is a little bit more um because they are

37:57considered a private separate day a

37:59public separate day school. So they have

38:01like a little step up in the regulations

38:04in terms of what the requirements are

38:05for their documentation that is required

38:08for them to be a public separate day

38:09school. So they they're um they actually

38:13are handing before the student starts

38:16they have to have the parents sign off.

38:18That's all required as part of the

38:20process for a public separate day

38:22school.

38:22>> Okay, great. Okay, thank you. Um Oh, Mr.

38:26Begali,

38:27>> this is designed to also protect our

38:30staff

38:31>> with correct training.

38:33>> Yes.

38:34>> Correct.

38:35>> Right. And we did so every single staff

38:38member in the Quinsey public schools and

38:40it is it's been part of the regulation.

38:42It's still part of the regulations. We

38:43updated it this year on the first day of

38:45school for the teachers when they come

38:47in. They we do a big presentation for

38:50them at each of the individual schools.

38:51It's civil rights, it's confidentiality,

38:53it's all of those things. And in their

38:56presentation this year was the updated

38:58information on the restraint policy,

39:01timeout procedures, use of seclusion. We

39:04do have to name in the presentation who

39:07are the people that are trained. So we

39:10had a slide that said your crisis team

39:12is and everyone uh filled it in. their

39:14code word is you know um so they go

39:17through the principles it's required on

39:20the very first day for the teachers they

39:22go through that every single year

39:24>> thank you

39:27>> motion to approve and to move this to

39:30the uh full

39:32>> committee to approve move to the full

39:33body

39:35>> second all in favor I I thank you

39:38>> thank you thank you thank you

39:45motion to adjourn the policy meeting.

39:54>> Like to welcome everybody. We're going

39:55to open our regular meeting of the

39:56Quinsey School Committee for Wednesday,

39:58September 30th. Um read pursuant to the

40:01open meeting law, any person may make an

40:03audio or video recording of this public

40:06meeting or may transmit this meeting

40:08through any medium. Attendees are

40:10therefore advised that such recordings

40:12or transmissions are being made whether

40:14perceived or unpersceived by those

40:16present and are deemed acknowledged and

40:18permissible.

40:20At this time, can I have a roll call?

40:22Superintendent

40:24>> Mr.

40:33Quincy High School.

40:37>> And North Quinsey High School student

40:39representative Isabella Scaresi.

40:42>> Thank you both for joining us tonight.

40:45>> Thank you very much. Please rise for the

40:47pledge of allegiance.

40:51Pledge algiance to the flag of the

40:53United States of America and to the

40:56republic for which it stands one nation

40:59under God indivisible with liberty and

41:01justice for all. If

41:03>> we could please remain standing for a

41:05moment of silence and men and women

41:07overseas serving our country.

41:16Thank you very much.

41:23Okay, next on the agenda, we have open

41:25forum. Open forum is an opportunity for

41:28community input regarding the Quinsey

41:30public schools. Community in this

41:32context is defined as a resident of the

41:34city of Quinsey, a non-resident parent

41:36of a student who attends the Quinsey

41:38public schools or a non-resident

41:40employee of the Quinsey public schools.

41:42After giving his or her name name and

41:45address, each speaker may make a

41:47presentation of no more than three

41:49minutes to the school committee. An

41:50individual may not exchange their time

41:52or yield to others. Residents or

41:55non-comm community persons may submit

41:57written statements of up to 300 words to

41:59the school committee at QSC

42:02open forum at quinseyublicschools.com

42:05by 400 p.m. of the day prior to the

42:07posted school committee regular meeting.

42:09Written statements will be posted on the

42:11school committee section of the Quincsey

42:13Public School website by noon the day of

42:15the posted school committee regular

42:16meeting. Miss Owens, did we have any

42:18letters that were submitted?

42:19>> There were no letters.

42:20>> There were no letters. Thank you. Do we

42:21have anyone for open forum?

42:25Open forum.

42:28Seeing no one, this part portion of the

42:30meeting is now closed and we will move

42:32on to our superintendence report.

42:36>> Thank you and good evening everyone.

42:37Hope everyone is doing well. Our first

42:39item on the agenda is the DZY School of

42:42Recognition. And so I'm happy to report

42:44that the Department of Elementary and

42:46Secondary Education has released the

42:48MCCAST data from spring 2026. And I'm

42:52pleased to announce that the Snug Harbor

42:54Community School has been designated as

42:56a school of recognition due to

42:58substantial progress towards the annual

43:00accountability targets including ELA and

43:03mathematics achievement. Congratulations

43:06of course to Dr. Berkins and Mr. Morani

43:09who worked tirelessly with principal

43:11Scott Profettio to reach this amazing

43:13benchmark. The work that you did is

43:15amazing and of course the entire staff

43:18at Snug Harbor for this important and

43:20amazing achievement. So thank you all uh

43:23to you and to the staff at Snug Harbor.

43:26and we'll be obviously filling in with

43:27more information on that as we go

43:29through our school improvement plans as

43:31well. Uh for the 2026 2027 school year,

43:35the early college high school program

43:36enrollment has continued to grow with a

43:39total of 354 students enrolled in grades

43:429 through 12. 56 of these students are

43:45enrolled in the accelerated associates

43:47degree program, which is amazing with

43:49the first cohort completion anticipated

43:51with the class of 2028. Thanks to Keith

43:54Sagala for his continuing uh

43:56coordination of this program along with

43:58our high school principles and the early

44:00college high school staff. Over 90% of

44:03the staff have had consistent

44:05involvement since the program's

44:07beginning in 2022. And that's no doubt

44:10one of the keys to the program success.

44:12So I really do want to thank the staff

44:14for sticking with this program and u

44:17being great assets to our students. Uh,

44:20in the last month, Quinsey Public

44:22Schools has welcomed over 800 new

44:24students at all grades, including our

44:26youngest students in pre kindergarten

44:28and kindergarten. Preliminary district

44:30enrollment is currently at 9,665

44:34with a small number of student

44:36registrations pending.

44:38Uh, preliminary enrollment is lower this

44:41time uh, compared to last year uh, by

44:44about 200 students. And this year's

44:46kindergarten is the smallest in 20 years

44:49at 600 students which reflects the

44:51decline in the birth rate in fall of

44:542020 and spring of 2021

44:57uh during the COVID pandemic. So a

45:00direct correlation there. Last spring

45:02the class of 2026 graduated over 800

45:05students which was a extremely large

45:07class and of course that explains the

45:09difference in enrollment.

45:12The October 1 enrollment data and class

45:14sizes will be shared at the October 14th

45:16school committee meeting. So, you'll see

45:17that in greater detail school by school.

45:21Uh the Quincsey Public Schools music

45:23department is hosting anformational

45:24event for students who are interested in

45:26playing a stringed instrument in our

45:27afterchool string lesson program on

45:30Monday, October 5th at 6 p.m. at Quinsey

45:32High School. Details are posted on the

45:35Quinsey Public Schools website and were

45:36shared in the QPS community notices

45:39email as well. Uh the QPS English

45:42learner parent advisory committee held

45:44their first meeting of the school year

45:46this past Monday with 147 people present

45:49on the zoom call and that is an

45:50impressive amount of people compared to

45:53uh prior meetings. Of course, Quarry was

45:55the guest community partner and

45:56presented about their resources for

45:58families including free English language

46:01classes for adults. Of course, thanks to

46:03school committee members Kathy Hubley,

46:05Tom Le Young, and Courtney Pertios for

46:06attending. Uh the ELPAC meeting uh

46:09schedule for the school year was shared

46:11with school committee in their packets.

46:13And lastly, the first parent academy

46:15event of the new school year will be a

46:17grades K to5 parent math workshop with

46:21popular presenter Greg Tang on Thursday,

46:23October 15th at 7 p.m. at the Clifford

46:26Marshall Elementary School. Uh and with

46:28that, that ends my superintendent's

46:30report. I can't tell you how happy I was

46:33to read that Greg Tang is coming back.

46:35If any parents have not

46:36>> He's very popular.

46:37>> Oh, he's he's amazing. He is really,

46:40really good. If you haven't seen him, I

46:41would totally go. I was going to ask

46:43you, is this going to be recorded or

46:44hybrid? I know in the past it hasn't

46:48he doesn't allow it.

46:48>> He does not allow Unfortunately, we wish

46:50and we we ask every time, but he um has

46:53uh copyright concerns and unfortunately

46:55does not get recorded. I was hoping he

46:57was gonna this time because we could

46:59create a library of all his

47:00presentations, but unfortunately

47:03probably for economic reasons, he

47:04doesn't doesn't want them recorded.

47:06>> Okay. Well, October 15th, everybody mark

47:09your calendars. Um, all right. So,

47:11moving on. Did anyone else have anything

47:14else for the superintendent? No. Okay.

47:16Uh, old business. Uh, Miss Cahill.

47:20>> So, um, I apologize. I wasn't here for

47:23the last meeting. Um and because of that

47:26there are a couple of items in the

47:28policy subcommittee that um we have

47:30completed and we need to take off the

47:32list um of the of the things we need to

47:35review um going forward. Um item number

47:3812, number 13, number 14, and number 15.

47:43Um they are on the list there and um

47:46they're items that we have completed um

47:49in the past so we can take them off the

47:51list. 12, 13, 14, and 15.

47:54>> Yeah.

47:54>> Okay.

47:55>> Okay.

47:55>> So moved. Thank you.

47:56>> Thank you.

47:58>> All right. Next on the agenda, we have

48:00new business and we have QPS summer

48:03programs review, Dr. Perkins and Mr.

48:06Moranny to present.

48:23Yeah.

48:25>> Good evening. Thank you very much for

48:28having us tonight. We uh wanted to just

48:31take a little bit to talk with you about

48:33another very very successful summer in

48:36the Quinsey public schools. And uh we

48:39really want to thank you and thank the

48:41mayor for the support with the funding

48:43for these programs. I know we've said it

48:46before um but I truly do not believe

48:49there's any other district that does as

48:50much in the summer um as we do and in

48:54addition to that just the things that

48:56the city does. So we have such a robust

48:59summer program selection for our kids in

49:02Quinsey and then in addition to that all

49:05of the recreation opportunities that are

49:07available. There should be no student in

49:10Quinsey who is sitting on a couch in the

49:12summer. So they are very lucky children

49:15to live in a city that does so much for

49:17them in the summertime uh to keep them

49:19busy. And so we just want to with that

49:22just thank you again because we couldn't

49:24do this without your support every year

49:26because it is it is expensive to run

49:29this kind of quality programming and uh

49:32we appreciate that we have a committee

49:33and a mayor that recognizes how

49:35important that is to our students and

49:36our families. Um and so, uh just to

49:41review what happened over the summer, uh

49:44our our objective when we provide our

49:47summer program is to provide high

49:49quality summer learning and enrichment

49:51experiences

49:53um that intentionally monitor, promote,

49:55and reinforce the health and well-being

49:57of students and staff. And it is a that

50:00our programs are very very popular um

50:02both with the staff and with the

50:05students. We every, you know, the past

50:07couple of years we have had to do

50:09interviews because we have so many staff

50:11that want to work in the summertime,

50:13which I think is really a testament to

50:16what we do here in Quinsey. Um, so we

50:19had 21 total summer programs this

50:22summer. It is basically like running a

50:23district in the summertime. Um, and we

50:27had a total of just about 1,750

50:32students who participated. Uh we

50:35employed 324 staff and our programs ran

50:40from June 29th all the way through

50:43August 21st depending on the program

50:45that your student was attending. We

50:48offered programs in many different areas

50:51of general education. We also offered a

50:54ton of special education programs and

50:57our English language learner programs.

51:00>> You got it. You got it.

51:04So, one of the programs that has been

51:06around for a very long time. Uh, it's

51:09this started as a title one program and

51:12it's expanded from there is the bridge

51:14to reading and math. And for those of

51:15you that remember years ago, it was just

51:17bridge to reading and then we thought,

51:20why wouldn't we just add math? And so,

51:22we have. And so, the goal of Bridge to

51:24Reading and Math is to help our students

51:26learn and practice essential literacy

51:28and math skills. So really foundational

51:30skills um to help increase their

51:33proficiency in the classroom and

51:35accessing grade level materials. It is

51:37for students who are rising first grade

51:40to rising fifth. Um and it runs for a

51:43month. We had 102 students participate

51:47this year. It is we do take over between

51:50this and some of our other programs.

51:51Pretty much the entire building of

51:54Clifford Marshall Elementary School in

51:55the summer is full of children. And um I

51:59do just need to thank the custodians

52:01because it is not easy to clean around

52:04102 students and get those buildings

52:06ready for the fall. Uh and somehow they

52:09get it done and it looks beautiful. So

52:11we really do appreciate them working

52:13with us to to make that happen. Our

52:16facilitators have been the facilitators

52:17for a long time. Uh it's Kim Quinn and

52:19Justine Sullivan. They do a phenomenal

52:21job. Um there was a total of 24 staff

52:25and we this was such a popular program

52:27the past few years we actually did have

52:29to turn some staff away because we had

52:31so many people that applied to work. Um

52:35and again it was located at at Clifford

52:37Marshall.

52:42And the next program is Quest for

52:44Learning. This program started as a

52:47result of the pandemic. Uh and it's just

52:50become one of our top sellers in the

52:53district. Um it's a very very popular

52:55program and it's a summer enrichment

52:59program. We have kind of played around

53:01with the structure of this and we feel

53:03like we really now have it down pat uh

53:05with the way that it runs. It's the

53:08perfect blend of engaging activities

53:10that ignite curiosity, creativity, and

53:12critical thinking in both humanities and

53:14STEM. Um, and so it is also for students

53:18in rising first grade to fifth. It runs

53:20for a month. This program had 264

53:24students. So you can see just how

53:27popular this program is. Um, and it was

53:30at Bernazani. And again it took the

53:32entire building of Bernazani was full

53:36with these children. There was not a

53:38classroom left to be had. Um and there

53:40were 27 staff members and the

53:42facilitators again have been the

53:44facilitators for a long time now. Um

53:46again I think that just speaks to the

53:48strength of the programs that our

53:50facilitators are just chomping at the

53:52bit to get back at it every summer. They

53:54love doing it. Um the kids love coming

53:57and so do the staff. So the facilitators

53:58were Megan Healey and Laurel Hendrickson

54:02and I'll turn it over to Mr. Ronnie.

54:04>> Thank you Dr. Perkins. Good evening

54:05everybody. It's good to be back here

54:07with all of you. Uh so at the middle

54:09school level uh we were able and

54:12fortunate enough to run summer boost. Uh

54:14once again that's a remedial support uh

54:17program that offers um support within

54:21the four core academics. So math,

54:23science, social studies, and ELA. We had

54:26110 students entering grades six through

54:29eight participate. Took place at Central

54:31Middle School. Uh a special thank you to

54:33Michelle Kiff and Nancy Serani as the

54:35program facilitators. They've been doing

54:37it for many years. Uh and it certainly

54:39shows that way in the way that it's run.

54:41Um we have a lot of students walking in

54:43who have been there the previous summer

54:45before. Uh and it's a strong experience

54:47each year. Um, the focus is helping

54:51address any gaps that may have formed

54:53over the school year, but also targeting

54:55prerequisite skills as students enter

54:57the upcoming year so that their

54:59transition into September, October,

55:01right around now is as smooth as it

55:03possibly can be as they reaclimate to

55:05the school year. So, it's a great way

55:07for students to access really deep

55:09learning uh and address anything that

55:11they might need a review on from the

55:13previous year and they can do that

55:14throughout the month of July. Again,

55:17that was 110 students taking place at

55:19Central Middle School.

55:22Also at Central Middle School was our

55:24hands-on STEM program. Uh, this took

55:27place over two standalone two-week

55:30sessions. So, what was great about this

55:32was the flexibility that it offered to

55:34families and participating students.

55:36Specifically, a student could sign up

55:38for both sessions and have two sessions

55:41that are completely unique from one

55:43another. So they're not just repeating

55:45session one over again when they

55:46participate in session two. However, you

55:48don't have to attend session one as a

55:50prerequisite. So very flexible in that.

55:53Let's say if there's a family that's

55:54traveling for a week in July, they can

55:56still sign up for one of those two week

55:58sessions. However, you could also have a

56:00student that's participating all four

56:01weeks. So a great flexible program. The

56:04thing that I find most impressive about

56:06this is that we fill up every year and

56:09we often add staff to keep adding

56:12students. So there's definitely a strong

56:14interest which just kind of reiterates

56:16the importance of what Dr. Perkins

56:17shared, how grateful we are that we're

56:19able to offer these programs because the

56:20students are interested in this. It's

56:23it's essentially project-based learning.

56:26So students are learning with their

56:27hands, hence the title, hands-on STEM,

56:29and it's really promoting curiosity.

56:31You'll see that that's a common theme in

56:33all of our programs. really just trying

56:35to encourage students to be curious in

56:37their learning experience to be

56:39creative, use their hands while they're

56:41learning, think critically, and think in

56:43a deep manner, right? Really be

56:45thoughtful in what they're doing as they

56:47take on learning. So, that was a great

56:49program. Also, that was the same window

56:51of time as summer boost. So, that's four

56:52days a week, Monday through Thursday, um

56:55from uh July 6th through July 30th,

56:58depending on the sessions uh students

57:00attended.

57:03Uh, I said this last year, I'll say it

57:05again. This is our summer scene hidden

57:06gem. The Quinsey Summer Theater Arts

57:08Academy. This is just a phenomenal

57:11program. I call it a hidden gem because

57:12it's small, right? So, it's a two-eek

57:14program Monday through Friday. It takes

57:16place at Quinsey High School. Uh, and

57:18it's, interestingly enough, it's kind of

57:20a unique group in the sense that we have

57:21students entering seven, but also

57:23entering eight and entering nine. So,

57:25it's a nice little transitional program,

57:26too, where you have middle school and

57:28entering high school students together.

57:30So, it's great to put a cohort like that

57:32uh all in the same activity together. Uh

57:35a lot of credit to Tom Ducet, Joanna

57:37Martell, and Christopher Bull for their

57:39work in running such a great program.

57:42You know, when I was looking at this to

57:43really assess what's happened over the

57:45couple years, I just want to highlight

57:47in 2024, we had 27 students participate.

57:51Last year, 2025, we had 30. And as you

57:53can see, for this year, we had 48

57:55students. So again, it's a small program

57:57by design and we don't want it to be too

57:59huge because a trauma program is very

58:02difficult to run when there's tons of

58:03kids. Uh but it was the growth I think

58:06shows how valuable this uh program is

58:09for students that are interested in

58:11theater and they really worked in all

58:14aspects of theater. So it was writing,

58:16it was performing and it was getting the

58:17set ready. So it's all aspects of

58:20theater uh production and so it's a

58:22great opportunity despite the fact that

58:24it's two weeks the amount of learning

58:26and the fun that's occurring it go far

58:28goes beyond the twoe period that it ran.

58:30So a special thank you uh to those staff

58:33members

58:34and kudos to those students. At the high

58:37school level we have the summer pathways

58:40to success. Um, again, not to be

58:42redundant, but last year I described

58:43this as the welloiled machine of the

58:45summer program. And I would say that

58:46that is also a true statement. There are

58:50uh with with Pat Lane as a facilitator

58:52and his team. Um, and this I think is so

58:55important and Dr. Perkins mentioned this

58:57earlier. We're so fortunate that we have

58:59so many QPS educators that want to

59:01participate in summer programming that

59:03want to come back over the summer and

59:05work with students. And as a result,

59:07across all the programs, but especially

59:09this Pathways program, students are

59:12getting access to really high quality

59:14learning and instruction throughout the

59:15summer. And I think I don't think we're

59:17second to any district nearby in any

59:20way. I think this is by far one of the

59:21best summer programs you're going to

59:23see, not just in Quinsey programs, but

59:26throughout the state and and probably

59:27beyond that. Again, that's a testament

59:29to Pat Lane and his team just with the

59:31amount of effort they put into helping

59:33kids reconnect to their academic needs

59:35to help prepare them for the next year.

59:37We had 122 students participate. 64 of

59:41those students were in in-person

59:43learning. 19 were online. And new this

59:45year, because of the recent policy shift

59:47with attendance, we had 39 students that

59:50were earning credits back based on

59:51attendance. So if if the attendance

59:53policy prompted them to lose some

59:55credits throughout the year, they had

59:57the opportunity over the summer to earn

59:58those credits back. And the reason why

1:00:00that's important to point out is because

1:00:02it's not necessarily a student who's

1:00:04struggling academically. So they might

1:00:06be getting an average of A's and B's and

1:00:08C's, let's say, within their report

1:00:10card, but they still might need those

1:00:12credits because of attendance. So we

1:00:14tailor the instruction to still meet

1:00:16them where they are. So if they're a

1:00:18highlevel, high achiever student

1:00:20academically, we want to make sure that

1:00:23we give them content that's meets that

1:00:25rigor, meets that level. And so we do

1:00:27that. And uh as a result, we were able

1:00:29to get 39 students some credits back

1:00:31throughout the attendance matters um

1:00:33recovery window. That was all within the

1:00:35Quinsey High summer pathways to success.

1:00:37And I do just want to highlight the

1:00:39point. 316.5

1:00:41credits were recovered this summer

1:00:43across our participating students. So

1:00:46again, pretty impressive stuff and thank

1:00:47you to uh Mr. Lane and his team.

1:00:52QPS Ladders to Success 25 eligible

1:00:55incoming 9th grade students. So this is

1:00:58a program I love this and this is a

1:01:01great program for those that can

1:01:02participate. This is a great segue into

1:01:05uh the youth works program which I'll

1:01:06talk about in the next slide. But really

1:01:08there's three core points of this

1:01:10program. The number one is um or one of

1:01:13the three is the focus on helping

1:01:16students get acclimated and comfortable

1:01:18to high school. Right? So these are

1:01:19eighth grade students entering nth

1:01:21grade. So there's a lot of emphasis on

1:01:23trying to get them acclimated to high

1:01:25school style learning, high school style

1:01:26teaching and just the ins and outs of

1:01:29the personnel, the building the building

1:01:31that they're in. So we're focusing on

1:01:33that because we know that eases some of

1:01:35the anxiety over the summer as students

1:01:37prepare to enter high school.

1:01:39uh we're giving them opportunities to

1:01:41explore CTE. So that's a core uh

1:01:43component of the program. And then also

1:01:45they're taking on workbased projects. So

1:01:49that encompasses quite a bit. But just

1:01:51really quickly, that means students are

1:01:53learning how to budget. They're learning

1:01:55uh what it means to have a credit score,

1:01:56how to manage a credit score. They're

1:01:59looking at um or they're developing

1:02:01resumeumés and cover letters. They're

1:02:03also going through mock interviews. So,

1:02:05a lot of work experience skills that

1:02:08students need to learn. They're getting

1:02:09that opportunity to practice and develop

1:02:11those skills throughout this ladders to

1:02:13success program. Uh, and then finally,

1:02:16actual uh product development. So,

1:02:18they're learning how to go from idea to

1:02:20reality, which I think having an

1:02:22opportunity for students to think with

1:02:24that entrepreneurial mindset so

1:02:26important. So, we're we're very lucky.

1:02:28Uh and the the the the bow on top of all

1:02:31of this is that while these students are

1:02:33participating, they're earning up to 90

1:02:36hours at $15 an hour while this is

1:02:38happening. So they're also being

1:02:40compensated as they go through this uh

1:02:43experience. So very very fortunate uh

1:02:46for that. And I should just add there is

1:02:47a criteria that qualifies students. So

1:02:49we're looking at high needs populations,

1:02:51we're looking at economic disadvantage,

1:02:53English learners, special education

1:02:55learners. Uh so there's multiple

1:02:57criteria that go into how we solicit uh

1:03:00the invit or solicit participation on

1:03:02the part of the students. Again that's

1:03:04QPS ladders to success that took place

1:03:06at Quinsey High School.

1:03:09And I had mentioned that you know if you

1:03:10look at uh ladders to success as part

1:03:14one we would say youth works is is part

1:03:16two. Not that you have to participate in

1:03:18ladders to success to take advantage of

1:03:19youth works but it's a great segue into

1:03:22that. And of course this is all four

1:03:24years. So we had 90 students across uh

1:03:27you know all high school students so

1:03:28grades 9 through 12. The facilitator

1:03:31there was Christopher Benson. We had a

1:03:32total staff of six people 26 community

1:03:35partners helped make it help helped make

1:03:36this possible. The diverse industries in

1:03:41terms of what students were be a were

1:03:44able to participate in in terms of their

1:03:46youth works experience or what they

1:03:48refer to as their internship. uh is just

1:03:51we're so lucky and that comes out of the

1:03:53local partners that we have. We're able

1:03:55to connect to local businesses

1:03:58throughout the city of Quinsey and as a

1:04:00result we're able to offer uh

1:04:02experiences in healthcare, education,

1:04:04business, hospitality, STEM, the arts,

1:04:07uh so on and so forth. So we're very

1:04:09very lucky and again there's

1:04:11compensation involved. So, these

1:04:12students can earn up to $274 hours at

1:04:16$16 per hour, which puts it at $4,384

1:04:21per student if they worked that total

1:04:23amount of hours. They might not have

1:04:24worked up to that, but it's up to that

1:04:26for every student. They have that

1:04:28option. So, another incredible program.

1:04:30Um, and then with that program, I do

1:04:33just want to mention that it was the

1:04:35Mass Hire Southshore Workforce Board

1:04:37that made it possible financially. So,

1:04:39it was a grant that was over $200,000

1:04:42that allowed us to compensate those

1:04:43students and get them that experience.

1:04:45However, as I mentioned, there's

1:04:47businesses throughout the city that if

1:04:49if they didn't allow us to place our

1:04:51students there, we wouldn't be able to

1:04:52get them this experience. So, it really

1:04:54is a community effort that makes such a

1:04:57great program possible. So, I just want

1:04:59to thank and acknowledge the youthwork

1:05:00partners uh for helping us.

1:05:04And finally, the early college high

1:05:06school pathway summer academy. When you

1:05:08look at these numbers, it's really

1:05:10incredible. 344 students this summer

1:05:13participated in college level courses.

1:05:16So, I just want to say that again

1:05:17because it's easy to breeze over and I

1:05:19found myself breezing over it, right?

1:05:21344 students decided to take time out of

1:05:24their summer to participate and enroll

1:05:27in college level courses despite the

1:05:29fact that they're high school students.

1:05:31I just find that so impressive and it

1:05:33really is a strong point and something

1:05:35that the city of Quinsey should be very

1:05:36proud of because again I don't think

1:05:38this is true in too many nearby cities

1:05:40and towns. So it's very very impressive

1:05:43and I do want to highlight that we had

1:05:45183 students that chose to take more

1:05:47than one class. As if one college course

1:05:49wasn't enough over the summer we had 183

1:05:53take two and they could earn up to eight

1:05:55college credits depending on the courses

1:05:57that they took. So if they took a

1:05:58standard course in a lab that would be

1:06:00seven credits. So it would be anywhere

1:06:02from three up to eight credits uh

1:06:04depending on what they took and the

1:06:06range of topics within the summer course

1:06:07offerings is there. So lucky to be able

1:06:10to offer such a menu of opportunity for

1:06:12students that they can truly pick what

1:06:14they're interested in and and learn in

1:06:16that way and get credits along the way.

1:06:20So with that I'll hand it over uh to Dr.

1:06:22Perkins.

1:06:24>> Thank you. Uh and so uh in the area of

1:06:27students with disabilities, we offered

1:06:29multiple programs. So we had the CARES

1:06:33our rising preK K uh extended year

1:06:36program. It this was a fiveweek half-day

1:06:39program and it was located at the Dr.

1:06:42Victor Christopharo Learning Center. Um

1:06:44and this is primarily developed to

1:06:47continue a student's IEP goals and

1:06:50prevent a significant regression. And so

1:06:53this was um from July 6th through August

1:06:566th. It did have 75 students and the

1:06:59facilitator was Daniel Perry and there

1:07:02was a total of 46 staff. Um and again

1:07:06this is another building that was just

1:07:09jam-packed over the summer. And we're

1:07:12very I I mean I know I've said it a

1:07:14million times but we are so thankful for

1:07:15this building. It's a beautiful space

1:07:18and it's a beautiful space to be in over

1:07:20the summer.

1:07:24And uh another program for our students

1:07:27with disabilities is the Elementary

1:07:28Cares Special Needs Learning Center.

1:07:31This also was at the RDLC and it's also

1:07:34a fiveweek halfday program. It's for

1:07:37students who are entering grade 1

1:07:38through grade 5. And uh this had 60

1:07:42students and the facilitator was Joanne

1:07:44Elder who was new this year and did an

1:07:46absolutely fantastic job. Um, and there

1:07:49were 38 staff members.

1:07:55And then we had our LDC Cares Learning

1:07:59Center and LEAP students. They were back

1:08:02at North Quinsey High School this

1:08:03summer, which they really love being

1:08:05there. Um, this is a fiveweek half-day

1:08:08program. It's an excellent program. It's

1:08:11for students entering grades 6 through

1:08:1312 and um it had about 105 students. The

1:08:18facilitator has been Tracy Failen for a

1:08:21long time and there were 42 staff

1:08:23members. Uh you can see all of the

1:08:25things that the students got to do

1:08:27there. They um did cooking in the cafe.

1:08:31They uh went bowling. They had a really

1:08:34great touch of truck over in the parking

1:08:36lot of Ceden Field. and um the

1:08:39superintendent and I had a chance to

1:08:40stop by. It was excellent. They were

1:08:41having a great time. Uh so they did a

1:08:43lot of great things uh with the students

1:08:45to get them out in the community and

1:08:47engaged in the summer programming.

1:08:52And then we had a transitional

1:08:54kindergarten and our language

1:08:55development classes and also a program

1:08:57for our STARS classes. Those were at

1:09:00Clifford Marshall. Um, so those were

1:09:02with the Bridge to Reading program and

1:09:04that had 57 students, 22 staff and the

1:09:08facilitator was Karen Matthews. Um, and

1:09:11again, just an excellent program that

1:09:13does a really nice job for our students.

1:09:17And then we had um the actual RDLC

1:09:21public day school program which is for

1:09:23our students in grades K to 8. This is a

1:09:25longer program. This is a six-week

1:09:28program and it's almost a full day. It's

1:09:308 to 1:00. Um, and it's it's a packed

1:09:34day. Uh, but it's a great program for

1:09:36our students. They are provided with

1:09:38breakfast and lunch at the program. And

1:09:41they participate in theme-based

1:09:43activities throughout the summer. Uh,

1:09:45there was 48 students, which is very

1:09:48impressive and, uh, something that

1:09:50again, as Mr. Mr. Morani said, I think

1:09:52we should be really really proud of as a

1:09:54as a district that we have 48 students

1:09:57who participated in our summer program

1:09:58for our very first public day school. So

1:10:01that that's a really great

1:10:02accomplishment. Um and there was eight

1:10:05teachers. You can see this is an

1:10:08impressive staff. Eight teachers. Um

1:10:10there was 26 paris and rbts which are

1:10:13the registered behavior technicians.

1:10:16There was an OT, an SLP, a PT, two

1:10:18BCBAs. So, it was a full staff for the

1:10:22summer. And um the facilitator was

1:10:26Simone Lemrise. I hope I didn't that's

1:10:28her new last name. I hope I didn't

1:10:30butcher it. Um and um it was just a

1:10:34great program. Very successful summer

1:10:35there.

1:10:38And then uh Camp can do is was uh one of

1:10:43our e programs and that was at Clifford

1:10:46Marshall. um and it is for students

1:10:49entering grades 1 to 5 and this is

1:10:52really focused on building English

1:10:54language proficiency. Um they focus on

1:10:57listening, speaking, reading, writing uh

1:10:59through various activities. It's a very

1:11:01well attended program too. There was 75

1:11:03children there. So again you see all the

1:11:06programs that I'm naming that are at

1:11:07Clifford Marshall and just how many

1:11:09children were there. There was a lot of

1:11:11students at Clifford Marshall uh and at

1:11:14some of our other buildings this summer.

1:11:15facilitators were again Kim Quinn and

1:11:17Justine Sullivan and there were 20 staff

1:11:22and then Swell Academy. This is an

1:11:24excellent program. It's for our middle

1:11:26school students, our EL students. Um

1:11:28it's town nanalo who has facilitated it

1:11:31for a few years now and um they do some

1:11:35really wonderful things. They focus on

1:11:38uh building English language proficiency

1:11:40but they do it through community

1:11:42experiences which I just think is really

1:11:44excellent. So you can see in the

1:11:46pictures just some of the things that

1:11:48they did. They collabor collaborated

1:11:50with the MWR. They tested water. They

1:11:54worked with the Massachusetts Division

1:11:55of Marine Fisheries. Uh they learned how

1:11:58to tie a clinch knot. And they uh

1:12:00learned how to select the appropriate

1:12:02lurs and bait for fishing. They did a um

1:12:06escape room all through Quinsey common

1:12:09to learn about the Quinsey history um

1:12:12which in solved different puzzles

1:12:13working in teams you know racing to

1:12:15Quinsey historical landmarks across the

1:12:17city. I think that just is so good and

1:12:20um then they created vision boards and

1:12:23they held a gallery showcase um and they

1:12:26use English to present their vision

1:12:28boards, answer questions and comment on

1:12:31each of each other's vision boards. So,

1:12:33it's a really great program. There were

1:12:3565 students there and seven staff and

1:12:37we're very, very lucky to have it.

1:12:41And I'll turn it back to Mr. Manny to

1:12:43wrap it up.

1:12:44>> Thank you, Dr. Perkins. So, in addition

1:12:47to the programming that occurred for our

1:12:49students throughout the summer, uh we

1:12:51had a lot of uh other initiatives taking

1:12:53place from a professional development

1:12:55standpoint that I just want to quickly

1:12:57highlight. uh at the high school level

1:12:59as as I'm sure you all uh remember over

1:13:01the last few summers we've been focusing

1:13:03on curriculum mapping at the high school

1:13:04level across various subjects. This

1:13:07previous summer we focused on our ELE uh

1:13:09curriculum. So what that really meant

1:13:12was teachers from both high schools work

1:13:14together to ensure that as students

1:13:17complete those courses as so as our

1:13:19English learners complete those courses

1:13:21we're we're working backwards from what

1:13:24skills do we want these students to have

1:13:26as they move on to the next course and

1:13:28then from there we're doing a scope and

1:13:30sequence in terms of units and making

1:13:32sure that we have the appropriate

1:13:33curricular materials to support those

1:13:35units. And so what's great about this is

1:13:37as a result of this summer now we have

1:13:39both high schools working towards the

1:13:41same skills based on students fluency

1:13:44levels. So that's a you know it was

1:13:47great that's already been happening. Now

1:13:49we have it all neatly organized. So if

1:13:51we were to have a new teacher down the

1:13:52road they can jump right in. Uh so we're

1:13:55very lucky to have so many teachers

1:13:56participating in that. At the middle

1:13:58school level once again open sed that is

1:14:00a multi-year adoption process. It's a

1:14:03pretty uh extensive curriculum. So we've

1:14:05been chipping away at our adoption of

1:14:07that process. And so I just have to

1:14:09commend those science teachers. They've

1:14:11been working on open sedly adding more

1:14:14units each year so that the

1:14:16instructional shifts that need to happen

1:14:18are happening in an effective way so

1:14:20that the students have don't have to

1:14:22endure that learning curve. Right? We're

1:14:24doing that over the summer so that when

1:14:25we start the school year, we're ready to

1:14:27teach uh the open sad curriculum. So uh

1:14:30want to commend those teachers there.

1:14:31Want to commend Cara Picarik uh for

1:14:34leading the way on that. At the

1:14:36elementary level, uh Kim Quinn and um

1:14:39Bridget Vaughn uh members of the

1:14:41curriculum team also had a lot taking

1:14:43place. So, uh StMath Champion Training.

1:14:46So, that's just to maintain the STMath U

1:14:49program at the schools uh that are

1:14:51running it. And then also Orton

1:14:53Gillingham. So, we're very lucky that

1:14:56we're able to offer uh every year to

1:14:59teachers if if if applicable to their

1:15:02role, we often will help them get

1:15:04certified in Orton Gillingham, which is

1:15:06a a reading uh instructional tool. And

1:15:09so, as a result, we had uh teachers

1:15:11participating in that certification

1:15:13program over the summer. We also had

1:15:15some PD around the Lexia Core 5 uh for

1:15:17summer reading support. So, what's nice

1:15:19about that is our summer program

1:15:20teachers all participated in that and

1:15:22were able to utilize those skills during

1:15:24our summer programming this year. So,

1:15:26it's something they can take with them

1:15:27throughout the school year, but it also

1:15:29directly impacted the students that they

1:15:31had this summer. Uh, and finally, uh,

1:15:33writing revolution coursework. We

1:15:35continue to focus on our writing

1:15:37instruction. We want to make sure we're

1:15:38intentional of our writing instruction,

1:15:40not just in ELA, not just in reading,

1:15:42but across all academics. And so, that

1:15:44certainly reinforces that. And I do I I

1:15:46I should have said it earlier. I want to

1:15:48commend Heather Wjick for that work for

1:15:51the EL curriculum mapping. So I want to

1:15:53thank all those people who led the way

1:15:55on that. And then also new this year uh

1:15:59and I'm pleased to share that we had a

1:16:01day one uh September 3rd day. So the

1:16:04staff returned, the professional staff

1:16:07returned from summer break on September

1:16:093rd. This was a systemwide PD day and it

1:16:12was uh very very successful in that we

1:16:15had uh all professional staff

1:16:17participated. We had over 30

1:16:19professional development sessions

1:16:21offered

1:16:22150 minutes each for those sessions.

1:16:25Right? So each session was 150 minutes.

1:16:27The rest of the day teachers could work

1:16:28on their classrooms, get ready for the

1:16:30school year. But we had 150 minute

1:16:32sessions uh throughout at every level

1:16:34every position for professional

1:16:36educators had uh the opportunity to

1:16:38participate uh in PDS and just some of

1:16:41the uh topics that we covered not all uh

1:16:44tier one kernels refresher. So as you

1:16:46all know we started kernels uh recently

1:16:48and so this was a refresher to make sure

1:16:50we continue on with that initiative.

1:16:52Foundations of fractions was a topic

1:16:54there for math teachers. supporting

1:16:56English learners in a mainstream

1:16:58setting. Definitely important at the

1:16:59high school level. Uh important

1:17:01throughout but especially important at

1:17:03the high school level. We have uh

1:17:05additional work on writing pathway and

1:17:08uh as Dr. Perkins mentioned some of the

1:17:11um the the shifts in the language around

1:17:13the mandates in terms of timeout

1:17:15seclusion. we were able to get uh staff

1:17:17the opportunity, the special education

1:17:19teachers the opportunity to learn about

1:17:20that, learn about what that's going to

1:17:22look like, uh how it will and how it

1:17:23will not impact our our past practices.

1:17:27Um so again, very successful day and

1:17:29we're very happy to be able to start uh

1:17:31that on that day to to really get

1:17:33everybody working starting the year on

1:17:36the right foot together as a district.

1:17:38So great first day to kick off the

1:17:40school year. And then you know I want to

1:17:42end these last two slides are all about

1:17:44gratitude. So just I want to echo the

1:17:46sentiments that Dr. Perkins opened this

1:17:48presentation with. I think the cliche of

1:17:51you know it it takes a village right

1:17:53this is absolutely applicable to summer

1:17:55programming those facilitators there all

1:17:57of you mayor Ko it's everybody saying

1:18:00yes this is an important experience for

1:18:02our students and it because we're all

1:18:04saying that we're able to make this

1:18:06happen. So, I want to express gratitude

1:18:08to each of you. Uh, and like I said,

1:18:10Mayor Ko, thank you once again for your

1:18:12support of the summer programs, and

1:18:14thank you to all staff, to all students,

1:18:15to all families. We know that even if

1:18:18for a three-hour program, families got

1:18:20to figure out logistics. How do they get

1:18:22the kids there? How do they pick them

1:18:23up? So, we know there's a lot of work,

1:18:25not just on the part of facilitators and

1:18:27all of us here, but the teachers in the

1:18:29classrooms, the families driving the

1:18:31kids there, picking them up, all of

1:18:33those things. It truly takes a village.

1:18:35So, we're very, very grateful. and and

1:18:36we thank you all for your support.

1:18:38Thanks.

1:18:40>> Thank you very much for this wonderful

1:18:41presentation and absolutely thank you to

1:18:43our teachers for for coming up and and

1:18:46participating this summer for our

1:18:47students. I know they really look

1:18:49forward to seeing the friendly faces

1:18:51when they walk in the classrooms of

1:18:53knowing who's there. Uh open it up to

1:18:55questions from my colleagues. Mrs.

1:18:57Cahill.

1:18:58>> Um I don't have any questions. just um

1:19:01it's an amazing program that we run and

1:19:04and like you said, I mean, I don't know

1:19:06what other district does this and it's

1:19:08just it's really impressive to just see

1:19:10the diverse offerings that um and the

1:19:12enrichment opportunities for the kids

1:19:14and the commitment from, you know, your

1:19:16team actually. You know, we have a

1:19:18pretty busy year and then to just jump

1:19:20into a summer program like this. It's

1:19:22not just um you know, putting kids

1:19:24together and having them doing art

1:19:26projects or you know, not that art

1:19:28projects are bad. We like those two, but

1:19:30um you know the intense programs that we

1:19:32have. So it's a lot of work and and we

1:19:35do have to um acknowledge the city's um

1:19:38investment in this program because it's

1:19:40coming from, you know, outside of our

1:19:43budget and the school department. So um

1:19:45we need to thank the mayor and the city

1:19:47council for giving us the funds to do

1:19:48that. But thank you so much for the work

1:19:51that you do. Our kids are really lucky.

1:19:52Our families are really lucky. And I and

1:19:54I say it very often. Um, I think the

1:19:58Quinsey School District is is really

1:20:00second to none in its programs like

1:20:02this. So, thank you. Thank you for your

1:20:04work.

1:20:05>> Thank you,

1:20:06>> Mr. Le Young.

1:20:08>> Thank you both for the uh the

1:20:11information. Um you two are welloiled

1:20:15machine in terms of presenting so much

1:20:18great information here and also um

1:20:21expressing gratitude to everyone that

1:20:24contributed to um this past summer of

1:20:27success. I would echo those sentiments

1:20:31of pride and gratitude. Um it it really

1:20:36is um something to behold that we are

1:20:38able to have this u menu of of offerings

1:20:43and really something for for everyone.

1:20:46Uh two questions uh come to mind. Um Mr.

1:20:50Morani, a followup on your comment about

1:20:54uh I think it was the ladders program.

1:20:57Thank you for um going into the criteria

1:21:00uh that you use to kind of um determine

1:21:02participation. Can you tell us um

1:21:07how many students did you have to turn

1:21:10away? Um so so speak to the the capacity

1:21:13of that popular program.

1:21:15>> Well, typically we're not turning

1:21:17students away. What we're doing is we're

1:21:19working with each principal and so we're

1:21:21essentially making a list of students

1:21:23that are that would meet the criteria,

1:21:25but we're sorting it in terms of how

1:21:27many items of the criteria are they

1:21:29meeting. Right? So if there's a student

1:21:30that's meeting three items of those

1:21:32criteria, we're going to invite them

1:21:34first and essentially we go down the

1:21:36list until we fill up the spots for that

1:21:38school. So if we're sending that

1:21:41invitation and they say yes, it's their

1:21:44spot. We're not going to send the

1:21:45invitation and say, "Oh, I'm sorry. We

1:21:46filled up." So, we're we're working at

1:21:48it very strategically because spots are

1:21:50limited. Um, but it is something where

1:21:53we're not just sending an invitation out

1:21:55to every kid that qualifies. We're

1:21:57looking at it. We're sorting it and then

1:21:58we're saying, "Okay, let's we have,

1:22:00let's say, five invitations. Let's send

1:22:02those out, wait for responses, and then

1:22:04we kind of keep going down the queue."

1:22:05>> Excellent. Okay. Thank you. Um,

1:22:08actually, I have two more questions. Um,

1:22:11is it anyone's

1:22:15job to um kind of serve as like a a

1:22:19counselor for selecting the appropriate

1:22:24summer program for them? um and and not

1:22:28just for um what QPS offers, but maybe

1:22:31combining, you know, that second section

1:22:34of the STEM program with like a wreck

1:22:37offering or a DARE camp like it can be

1:22:41overwhelming. Is anyone available to

1:22:45kind of help put that agenda together?

1:22:49>> I think that the principles will help

1:22:51with that and and also the guidance

1:22:53counselors. So, if it's our programs,

1:22:55definitely the guidance counselors will

1:22:57help and they'll work with families.

1:22:59Some of it, you know, if it's a if it's

1:23:01a special education student or, you

1:23:03know, an EL student or a student

1:23:05attending the bridge to reading, we're

1:23:07in we're like working with that family

1:23:09directly. We are encouraging them. It's

1:23:12either the special ed teacher or the

1:23:13guidance counselor. the people in the

1:23:15special ed office are following up all

1:23:17the whole you know month of June um you

1:23:21know with families to make sure that we

1:23:22have them in the right programs and that

1:23:25transportation is set up and all of

1:23:26those things um we don't I mean we will

1:23:29help families if they reach out and they

1:23:32ask you know uh for instance they are

1:23:35going to go to happy acres so we worked

1:23:37with happy acres uh we did provide

1:23:39transportation to happy acres for some

1:23:42of those students so you know we do

1:23:44work, we will work with them and try to

1:23:46accommodate them, but usually when it's

1:23:48the programs for wreck, it's the family

1:23:51that will reach out to us.

1:23:54>> Excellent. Okay. Thank you. And finally,

1:23:56a question about the dates and in

1:24:00particular the end date, right? I think

1:24:02it said August 29th. Um, so I heard

1:24:05heard from some families um kind of

1:24:10expressing, you know, with the the late

1:24:12start of school this year, you know,

1:24:16when camps end and the first day of

1:24:18school, right?

1:24:20>> You know, kids were kind of

1:24:21>> long break. Exactly.

1:24:22>> Yeah. Exactly. So, so my question is, is

1:24:25there any flexibility in um

1:24:29>> Yeah, we we could definitely look at

1:24:30that in the future. There is

1:24:31flexibility. I think you have to balance

1:24:33that kind of with that the staff really

1:24:35love having August off, you know. Um,

1:24:38and it I think the programs are so

1:24:40successful because our staff work them,

1:24:43you know, and so we wouldn't want to do

1:24:44something that would would limit the

1:24:46staff's ability to work them. Um, but I

1:24:49I don't think any of us really kind of

1:24:51thought through like the fact that we're

1:24:53doing the summer presentation almost in

1:24:55October is is weird, you know. So, um,

1:25:00so it's it's, you know, it's just

1:25:02because we had a late start, right? So,

1:25:04it was just an unusually late start, I

1:25:07think. And so, I think when we have

1:25:08another year like that in the future, we

1:25:10can we we should probably look at that

1:25:12maybe starting giving a little bit more

1:25:14of a break after school gets out and and

1:25:16pushing it back a little, but because I

1:25:18do it was it was long it for the kids.

1:25:20You know, it didn't feel that long for

1:25:22us, but but it definitely was uh was a

1:25:26long break for the the kids and the

1:25:27families. So, I think that's a good

1:25:29point.

1:25:29>> Yeah. Thank you so much.

1:25:30>> Yeah,

1:25:32>> Mrs. Proteios.

1:25:33>> Thank you. Um, I just I I just love this

1:25:36program. I know it took you you guys

1:25:37about 30 minutes to go through it and I

1:25:39just so appreciate you going through and

1:25:40telling us what the details of the

1:25:42programs are because and just for

1:25:44families at home to just hear how

1:25:46extensive they are um and just how

1:25:48unusual it is for Quinsey to have this

1:25:50uh my kids have participated in the

1:25:52programs. They did hands-on STEM and the

1:25:54theater program and they're just

1:25:56fantastic highquality programs and our

1:25:59with our educators and they're free and

1:26:01it's just it's amazing. You know, I

1:26:03think you can get caught up in well I

1:26:04need child care for this and this but

1:26:06just taking a minute to just realize how

1:26:08impressive this is that we have these

1:26:09offerings is just um just something that

1:26:12I'm glad that we do every year. So,

1:26:14thank you for being here to present it.

1:26:15Um I did have a couple questions. Um did

1:26:18we So, sort of to Mr. Leong's point, did

1:26:20we have to turn any students away for

1:26:21the programs that weren't invitation

1:26:23only? Um, so for some of the ones for

1:26:26the hands-on STEM or

1:26:27>> we did not. So we there were for

1:26:30hands-on STEM for example, we had to add

1:26:31a staff member to open those spots up.

1:26:34But yeah, and that just so you know and

1:26:36so everybody knows that's always our

1:26:38practice is if if we go over in terms of

1:26:41let's say we're planning on 65 students.

1:26:43If we start to see 65 isn't enough, it's

1:26:46very common each summer for us to find

1:26:50additional teachers. And again, where

1:26:51we're lucky is we have so many teachers

1:26:53expressing interest. It's actually an

1:26:55easy task to to resolve, right? We can

1:26:57find those teachers. So no uh I don't I

1:26:59don't believe we had to turn away uh any

1:27:02student from a particular program due to

1:27:04capacity.

1:27:04>> That's great.

1:27:05>> Yeah, that's great. Um and sort of on

1:27:07that same point, um so you were saying

1:27:09that there were some staff members that

1:27:11you know had wanted to participate that

1:27:12we didn't have room for and you had to

1:27:14kind of interview for that.

1:27:15>> Do you work with QA on that as far as

1:27:17like longevity? Like who gets those

1:27:19opportunities and do they need to be

1:27:21rotated? Are you working with like QA?

1:27:23>> We I mean we work extensively with QEA.

1:27:25Um, so they interview and I will say if

1:27:29a teacher has done it then they

1:27:30typically get that spot back. But what

1:27:33we will do is if a if a teacher wants to

1:27:35work say they want to work bridge bridge

1:27:37is a big seller um for the teachers and

1:27:40so if they want to work uh the bridge

1:27:42program and they they don't you know we

1:27:45don't need them at the bridge program

1:27:46then we will offer as Mr. Morani said we

1:27:50will offer them a spot in another

1:27:52program if there's an opening. So we'll

1:27:54call them and say, "We don't have a spot

1:27:56here, but we have a spot here." And we

1:27:57always hire our QPS educators first. So

1:28:01we wouldn't hire someone outside of the

1:28:03district if we had QP ed QPS educators

1:28:06that were interested.

1:28:07>> That's great. Um that's excellent. And

1:28:09the bridge to reading when you had said,

1:28:11I know a few years back you guys added

1:28:12math to the bridge to reading program.

1:28:15Um do you find that students need both

1:28:17together or are you finding it that

1:28:19students come in and they they kind of

1:28:20need the foundational skills for math

1:28:22but maybe they don't for reading? Are

1:28:23you feeling like it's working having

1:28:25them combined?

1:28:26>> I I definitely think it's working. Yeah.

1:28:28And I think that they tailor it, you

1:28:29know, um they look at the profile of the

1:28:32students. So they divide the classes,

1:28:34you know, by grade level, but then also

1:28:36by the needs of the kids. So they work

1:28:39with the principles because it is an

1:28:40invitation program. So they have a

1:28:42pretty good idea, you know, they're

1:28:43invited based on their profile. Um and

1:28:46so they have a pretty good idea of what

1:28:48they need. So they do tailor it to those

1:28:50individual needs.

1:28:51>> That's great. That's great. Um uh and

1:28:53just a couple other questions. The

1:28:55attendance matters recovery um this is

1:28:57kind of the first year we're doing that.

1:28:59The number of days that those kiddos

1:29:01attend the program is that equal to the

1:29:03number of days that they were o over and

1:29:05above the you know accepted um absences.

1:29:09So like if they were you know we allow

1:29:11for three absences if they had five

1:29:13absences do they go to the summer

1:29:14program for two days? Is that how that

1:29:16works?

1:29:16>> We did it by hours actually. So, um I

1:29:20believe right we we said that it was

1:29:22would be so many hours would equal a

1:29:24credit, you know, um because they're not

1:29:27when they're in class, they're in class

1:29:28for like 45 minutes, you know. So, we we

1:29:30did it like that.

1:29:31>> Yeah. So, we broke it up by uh we had a

1:29:32morning session and an afternoon session

1:29:35and it worked in the same schedule as

1:29:38the summer pathways program, but it was

1:29:40actually broken up into week-long

1:29:42intervals. So students could attend,

1:29:44let's say, four morning sessions and

1:29:47earn two and a half credits back. If

1:29:48they were to if if they needed, let's

1:29:50say, five credits, they could attend uh

1:29:53four AM sessions, 4 PM sessions, they

1:29:55get their five credits and then they

1:29:57don't have to continue going uh

1:29:59throughout the rest. So that allowed us

1:30:01the flexibility and we worked with

1:30:03guidance counselors prior to the summer

1:30:05to to work with those students to say,

1:30:08"Okay, you need uh seven and a half

1:30:10credits. So if you sign up for here and

1:30:13here in these two weeks and just the

1:30:15mornings, you'll be all caught up,

1:30:16right? So that conversation was

1:30:18happening as we led into the summer. But

1:30:20we really it allowed us to really

1:30:22customize the offerings for students

1:30:24because you might have a student that

1:30:25only needs two and a half. You might

1:30:26have another student that needs, let's

1:30:28say, 10 or 15 credits,

1:30:29>> right?

1:30:30>> That wasn't our only time that we did

1:30:32this, too. So we did do it during the

1:30:34vacations and we had quite a few

1:30:36students attend during the vacations.

1:30:37>> That's great. that thank that must have

1:30:39been a bear to schedule and figure out

1:30:41and thank you for guidance for doing

1:30:42that because that could have gotten

1:30:43really complicated and confusing real

1:30:45fast and that's that's excellent. I'm

1:30:47glad to hear that kids aren't going for

1:30:48two weeks to make up one absence, you

1:30:50know. So, correct. That's great. Thank

1:30:52you for that. Um and uh last thing that

1:30:55I just wanted to it was more of a

1:30:57suggestion um just having had high

1:30:59schoolers go through this. So, my kiddos

1:31:00haven't participated in the um ladders

1:31:02to success or the youth works program,

1:31:04but they want to get a job in Quinsey

1:31:06and they often don't know how to do that

1:31:08and there's like there's work permits

1:31:10and there's papers and processes and

1:31:12there's really no parents. I didn't know

1:31:15how to go about having my kiddos get a

1:31:18job. Um I didn't know if there's

1:31:20employers that typically hire at 15,

1:31:22like that type of stuff. Is there any

1:31:24kind of like Google Classroom or

1:31:25database or something that we could

1:31:27create that it's not our programs, but

1:31:29just sort of a resources for kiddos that

1:31:32might want to have a job during the

1:31:34summer um that that we could just, you

1:31:37know, just help out a little bit with

1:31:39that.

1:31:39>> Yeah, I definitely think we can take a

1:31:41look at that. We don't we don't have

1:31:42that now, but I do think that it can be

1:31:45like overwhelming for students that are

1:31:46trying to do that for sure. So, and I

1:31:49see our students nodding. So, I do I I

1:31:52think we could definitely help with

1:31:53that. And there was one group that we

1:31:55forgot to mention when we were talking.

1:31:56It was on some of the slides, but we had

1:31:58so many high school volunteers at these

1:32:01programs and we forgot to say that. And

1:32:04they are awesome. So, um we couldn't do

1:32:07it without them. They were in pretty

1:32:09much all of our programs across the

1:32:11summer. And so, our high school, we're

1:32:13very students, we're very lucky to have

1:32:14them and that they care so much that

1:32:15they come back and volunteer their time.

1:32:17Um so, I just wanted to just acknowledge

1:32:19that. But I think that's a great idea

1:32:21and we could maybe do like they do like

1:32:23the um Common App boot camp. Maybe we

1:32:25could do something like that for helping

1:32:27students that are coming of that age to

1:32:30figure out how to navigate the hiring

1:32:31process.

1:32:32>> That'd be great. Thank you. Appreciate

1:32:33it. Thank you,

1:32:35>> Miss Campbell.

1:32:36>> Um thank you for this. I'm always so

1:32:38impressed by the high level of planning

1:32:40that takes place to pull all of this

1:32:42off, you know. Um and you just the

1:32:44number of pages says it right. Um I have

1:32:48had um my children uh do the elementary

1:32:53level stuff for years and this year my

1:32:55kiddo did the uh youth works and

1:32:57absolutely loved it and at 17 getting to

1:33:00school at 8:50 to be on time for work

1:33:04was pretty fabulous and she really loved

1:33:07working in the office at the high

1:33:09school. So thank you. I mean, it was

1:33:11really meaningful to see how she learned

1:33:15some of the skill sets that she'll need

1:33:17once she graduates. So, thank you.

1:33:19>> You're very welcome.

1:33:22>> I had one question. Um, in the past, we

1:33:24had done um exit surveys. Um, did we do

1:33:27that this year with any of the any of

1:33:29the parents or any of the

1:33:31>> um I don't think we did exit surveys.

1:33:33No,

1:33:33>> like a end of the year kind of a

1:33:35>> They did um newsletters. the this the

1:33:38facilitators do newsletters, but we

1:33:40didn't do exit surveys.

1:33:42>> Okay. And if we touch base with any of

1:33:43the parents to see if they had any

1:33:45suggestions on

1:33:46>> We could definitely do that. We could we

1:33:47could send one out.

1:33:48>> That would be good to find out if

1:33:50anybody had it like Mr. Le Young's

1:33:52comment about, you know, the the time

1:33:53length.

1:33:54>> Yeah, we could definitely do that.

1:33:55Definitely.

1:33:56>> Okay. Super. And then we have a couple

1:33:58questions from our student

1:33:59representatives. Um, see, student

1:34:01representative from Quinsey High School.

1:34:05Let's

1:34:10give it a tap.

1:34:11>> Tap it.

1:34:12>> See if it's on.

1:34:17>> There you go.

1:34:18>> Yeah. So, uh, thank you so much. So, um,

1:34:21one of one of my sisters, she goes to

1:34:23Clifford Marshall. She actually goes to

1:34:24one of, um, the bridges

1:34:27>> summer programs that you guys offered. I

1:34:29was just wondering um after the summer

1:34:31programs did you guys offer like any

1:34:32opportunities for feedbacks from parents

1:34:35or students

1:34:36>> that I think that's a great idea. We did

1:34:38not do that but we definitely could

1:34:40follow up and do that. I think that's a

1:34:42really great suggestion.

1:34:44>> Yeah. Thank you.

1:34:45>> Um

1:34:46>> and our representative from North Quincy

1:34:48High School.

1:34:49>> Um I have a couple things. I um can

1:34:52attest to like how amazing these

1:34:54programs are. I did um the theater camp

1:34:57in middle school. um one of the first

1:34:59years they did it and then I just um

1:35:02volunteered as one of the high school um

1:35:06leaders and I can just see how much it's

1:35:08grown, how much more sophisticated the

1:35:10curriculum has become and I think that's

1:35:13really awesome. Um I also participated

1:35:16in ladders and did it through youth

1:35:19works last year as well and just the

1:35:22amount that I learned that is practical

1:35:24in daily life is really amazing. Like a

1:35:27lot of times students say, "Oh, I'm

1:35:28never going to use this." But I find

1:35:30myself using it through to get like a a

1:35:33job outside of QPS. So, I just want to

1:35:36um say thank you for that. Um I do have

1:35:39a question about

1:35:42>> um last year for Youthworks, there was a

1:35:45program, I think it was called

1:35:46Institute, where it was like a

1:35:48collaboration between early college and

1:35:51youth works. And I was just curious if

1:35:53that was ever going to come back or

1:35:56>> uh we we can try. We actually didn't get

1:35:58the uh the grant funding for that this

1:36:00year. So that's why we weren't able to

1:36:02do it. Um but you know, it definitely it

1:36:06was a very successful program. So we're

1:36:08going to keep trying and figure see if

1:36:09we can figure out a way to add that back

1:36:11in because I know the kids did love it.

1:36:14Yeah, it was awesome. And again, you I

1:36:17you know, you guys are like a walking

1:36:19promotion for us, so we appreciate it

1:36:21and that's why we do it.

1:36:23>> Yeah. Um I also just want to say that I

1:36:26think a guidance counselor kind of

1:36:28specifically for these like summer

1:36:31programs and support through this would

1:36:33be really helpful cuz I know like I and

1:36:37my fellow participators had like a lot

1:36:39of questions and we didn't really know

1:36:41where to put those. So, I think having

1:36:44like a specific guidance counselor would

1:36:46be very good.

1:36:47>> That's a great suggestion. Thank you.

1:36:50>> Thank you.

1:36:51>> Good job.

1:36:52Thank you very much. And we'll wrap up

1:36:55this and we'll move right on to uh next

1:36:57section is school and program

1:36:59improvement plan overview with Dr.

1:37:01Perkins.

1:37:02>> Okay, great. You switching?

1:37:05>> Sure. You want to do that?

1:37:07>> Oh, sorry.

1:37:09>> Presentations.

1:37:11Here

1:37:15we go.

1:37:17>> Can't see where it says shirt. Can you

1:37:18see it?

1:37:22>> No.

1:37:24>> Sorry. It's a little hard to see up

1:37:26there.

1:37:28>> Yeah, I can't see it.

1:37:29>> Yeah.

1:37:30>> Sorry.

1:37:38Thank you.

1:37:40>> Okay. So, um we'll go through this

1:37:43quickly, but we um we just want we

1:37:45wanted to bring this to you. It's that

1:37:47time of year, uh where we're getting

1:37:49ready for our district improvement plan

1:37:51goals and the school improvement plan

1:37:53goals and of course the program

1:37:54improvement plan goals. Um and so we've

1:37:57done this for the past couple of years.

1:37:59We've presented the basic structure of

1:38:02the school improvement plan to you all

1:38:04uh and to collect any feedback to assess

1:38:06any changes that you'd like to see made

1:38:09to the plans. Uh and then we take that

1:38:12information and we give it to the

1:38:13principles as we work with them to

1:38:15develop their plans and also the program

1:38:18improvement plans um and of course the

1:38:21district improvement plan. And so there

1:38:24are required components and I'm going to

1:38:26go through those. We'll also share with

1:38:28you what the most recent format was last

1:38:31year just to refresh your memory and

1:38:34just talk briefly about the how the

1:38:36presentations typically run and if you'd

1:38:38like to see any changes we're happy to

1:38:40make them for you.

1:38:43Um so just some of the required

1:38:46components of a school improvement plan

1:38:48are an assessment of the impact of class

1:38:51size on student performance which we're

1:38:53very lucky that that's not the case in

1:38:55Quinsey. uh studenttoteer ratios and

1:38:58ratios of the students to other support

1:39:01adult uh resources. And so we do have

1:39:04those things. We have school

1:39:05demographics and class sizes in our

1:39:08school improvement plans. And we have an

1:39:10appendix that includes staffing

1:39:11information and ratios. Um a schedule

1:39:15plan for reducing class size if deemed

1:39:17necessary. This is not typically a

1:39:20concern in Quinsey. We watch our numbers

1:39:22pretty closely and especially um you

1:39:24know I would say at the every once in a

1:39:26while we'll talk about a high school

1:39:28class but um usually at the elementary

1:39:30and middle the classes are within school

1:39:33committee guidelines um or below in

1:39:36professional development for the school

1:39:38staff um and allocation of any uh

1:39:41professional development funds in the

1:39:43school budget. So we do have uh a

1:39:46professional development plan that is

1:39:48included

1:39:49um and enhancement of parental

1:39:52involvement in the life of the school.

1:39:54So that is located in the family

1:39:56engagement and communication section. Um

1:39:59we they provide a whole chart of that

1:40:02and school safety and discipline which

1:40:04is our um data is in this GE the SSDR

1:40:08data which is the data that we report to

1:40:10the department of education is in the

1:40:12school demographics section and we also

1:40:15share the entirety of the vocal survey

1:40:18results in in the appendix in the school

1:40:20improvement plans.

1:40:24Some additional required components are

1:40:27the establishment of a school

1:40:28environment characterized by tolerance

1:40:30tolerance and respect for all groups.

1:40:32Principles often address this in their

1:40:35principal's past message. They address

1:40:37this they all do a vocal data reflection

1:40:40which also talks about the things that

1:40:42they noticed from the vocal data. And

1:40:44then of course um there is the spring

1:40:47vocal data that is in the appendix.

1:40:50Extracurricular activities um is a

1:40:53section of the school improvement plan.

1:40:55Again, they provide a whole chart on

1:40:57extended day activities for you to

1:40:59review.

1:41:00Means for meeting within the regular

1:41:02education programs at the school, the

1:41:04diverse learning needs of as many

1:41:06children as possible, including children

1:41:08with special needs and current currently

1:41:09assigned to separate programs. And so

1:41:12again, these are kind of woven

1:41:14throughout uh the different areas that

1:41:16are listed here. So if if a student ha

1:41:18if a school has a substantially separate

1:41:21program, it's typically discussed in the

1:41:23data reflection in the they usually have

1:41:26their own goals and action steps or at

1:41:28least action steps within a goal um for

1:41:32the students in substantially separate

1:41:33programs or students with disabilities.

1:41:36It's in the vocal reflection and then

1:41:38it's in the goal statements and action

1:41:40steps. So, uh, for our programs that

1:41:42have, um, you know, special education

1:41:46programs in there, our schools, they

1:41:48they definitely address that throughout

1:41:50the plans. And, uh, any further subjects

1:41:53the principal in consultation with the

1:41:54school council shall consider

1:41:56appropriate. So just some of the

1:41:58additional things that we include are

1:42:00school demographics, facilities, budget,

1:42:03and then there's an appendex section

1:42:05with which uh principles may add

1:42:07something that they want to share with

1:42:09you that they think is important. Um the

1:42:12most recent format is uh what you see in

1:42:16front of you. So we call it the

1:42:18principal's path, which is typically our

1:42:20principal's message. and it usually

1:42:23includes a data reflection, a goals

1:42:25reflection, and a reflection on the

1:42:27vocal survey data. Um, some principles

1:42:30might break that out, some principles

1:42:32may have it as one kind of big long

1:42:34section. Um, but it's all under that uh

1:42:37that principal's past method,

1:42:39principal's path message. The school

1:42:42improvement plan components, there's

1:42:44goals and action steps. Um there they

1:42:48have professional development plan, an

1:42:50extended day offerings chart, family

1:42:53engagement and communication chart and

1:42:55then again school demographics,

1:42:58facilities, school needs, the budget um

1:43:01based on the fundraisers and things that

1:43:03they have, text and learning, those

1:43:04kinds of things. And then the appendix

1:43:07and that's the most recent um format.

1:43:10Mr. Morani will talk with you about some

1:43:13of the other components.

1:43:15>> Sure. And just very briefly, as Dr.

1:43:17Perkins mentioned, just covering the

1:43:18appendix, the items that we include in

1:43:20the appendix are the spring 2026 MCCAST

1:43:23data reports, the MAP RIT scores from

1:43:262526

1:43:27uh 2026 accountability along with the

1:43:29vocal survey results, also the completed

1:43:32action steps, which I'll talk a little

1:43:33bit about uh momentarily, and then of

1:43:36course the staffing uh including the

1:43:37support services and uh school council

1:43:40members pages. So those are all the

1:43:41items within the appendix uh as you go

1:43:45through that each school improvement

1:43:46plan. Uh one of the tasks as a district

1:43:50that we have is trying to find the

1:43:52balance between district alignment but

1:43:54also ensuring that the schools are able

1:43:56to plan and meet the needs of the

1:43:57students in front of them. I think we do

1:43:59a very good job of this but it helps to

1:44:02kind of communicate what you'll see uh

1:44:05throughout the different uh sips. I

1:44:07wouldn't say it's limited to this but

1:44:08this is primarily what you see. So when

1:44:10we look at the the the metrics when we

1:44:13when we're developing our smart goals,

1:44:15we have different assessments that we're

1:44:16pulling the data from. So it's MCCAST,

1:44:19it's our MAP data, it's our access data.

1:44:21You'll see MClass and Dibbles. We've

1:44:23definitely seen an increase of Dibbles

1:44:25uh MClass and Dibbles data being used

1:44:27over the last few years, which I think

1:44:28is great because it allows you to find

1:44:30some metrics for our younger learners uh

1:44:32along with our vocal survey data. So you

1:44:35might see uh in the goals metrics pulled

1:44:38from those assessments to verify whether

1:44:40or not we successfully met those goals

1:44:42or not. And then those metrics within

1:44:45those assessments, right? So you have

1:44:46the achievement category percentage,

1:44:48average percent correct. Those are from

1:44:50MCCAST. It's not limited to that, but

1:44:52those are the most common. Uh you'll

1:44:54also see the average RIT score or

1:44:57average growth percentile. And I'll show

1:44:59some examples on the next slide. And

1:45:01then looking at it year-toear changes.

1:45:03And I also just want to include, it's

1:45:05not written up here, but it's important

1:45:06to point out um sometimes we look year

1:45:09to year, sometimes we look at the

1:45:10cohort, right? It's important to

1:45:11remember that if you're looking at uh

1:45:14you know, two tests from let's say 2025

1:45:17and 2026, well, that might be a

1:45:19different cohort of kids. And so, it's

1:45:21not that we dismiss that information,

1:45:23but it's also important to track the

1:45:25cohort and how they're progressing over

1:45:27their uh grade transitions. And finally,

1:45:30there's different ways to target this.

1:45:31So we might use these assessments and we

1:45:33might target specific domain and

1:45:35standards or specific grade levels uh

1:45:37and or specific subgroups. So these are

1:45:40all ways that again it's a line because

1:45:43this is primarily what we're all pulling

1:45:45from, right? So this is these are

1:45:46resources that we're lucky to have in

1:45:48terms of identifying where students are

1:45:49at and you'll see the various ways that

1:45:52schools will incorporate this

1:45:53information into their goals. And so

1:45:55just to offer excuse me a couple

1:45:58samples. So little hard to see on the

1:46:01screen there. Hopefully you can see it

1:46:02on your copies there if that top left

1:46:05goal. So that's an that's a literacy

1:46:07goal. Uh but I just want to point out

1:46:09and again the goal of giving you these

1:46:10samples is to show you that balance of

1:46:12alignment but also variation schoolto

1:46:14school. So these represent samples from

1:46:16different schools. So you have in that

1:46:18top left you have an a literacy goal.

1:46:21That's actually a multi-art goal where

1:46:23there's different assessments being used

1:46:26depending on the targeted group. So in

1:46:27this case you'll see that the K2

1:46:29students were using Dibbles data to

1:46:31assess the uh whether or not the goal

1:46:34was achieved whereas item two all within

1:46:37the literacy goal is now focusing on

1:46:40MAP. And so in that case we don't assess

1:46:42students in using the MAP test for

1:46:44kindergarten and one. However, we start

1:46:46that at grade two up uh and and they

1:46:49continue throughout their school. So we

1:46:50focus on grades two through five. And in

1:46:53that case, they're looking at the uh RIT

1:46:55scores. And you'll see that there they

1:46:56have identified RIT targets for each

1:46:58grade level. And finally, item three,

1:47:01you're looking at MCCAST ELA

1:47:03performance. Uh it looks like they're

1:47:05looking for total percent correct,

1:47:07looking for a two percentage point

1:47:08increase across grades three through

1:47:10five. So, it's one goal, but there's

1:47:13three different metrics and different

1:47:14uses of assessments to ensure that

1:47:17they're able to monitor the successful

1:47:19completion or achievement of a goal. And

1:47:21not to belabor the point but just to

1:47:23kind of show you the differences.

1:47:24Whereas if you go uh down to the smart

1:47:27goal number four mathematics piece uh

1:47:30you'll see that in this case it's a

1:47:32little bit more straightforward. It's

1:47:34MCCAST and it's MAP. And so when you

1:47:36look at MCCAST it has a grade three

1:47:38yearoveryear because obviously we can't

1:47:41track the grade three cohort because

1:47:42that's the first year they take the

1:47:43test. Uh so we have to do yeartoyear

1:47:46when we compare that those results. Uh

1:47:49but the other thing I want to highlight

1:47:51uh is when you go down to item B and you

1:47:54look at map. So when we looked at the

1:47:57ELA map, we looked at the RIT score.

1:47:59However, when you go to item B under

1:48:01smart goal number four mathematics,

1:48:03you'll see that now they're looking at

1:48:05the percentile bands. So it's the same

1:48:07assessment. It's a MAP assessment, but

1:48:09now you're seeing another way of looking

1:48:11at the data. And one item I just like to

1:48:13include about the percentile bands is

1:48:15what's great about that is no matter

1:48:17what student you have, they're going to

1:48:19land in one of those bands. And it just

1:48:21makes it so much more attainable to say,

1:48:23"What actions do we need to take to move

1:48:25them up to the next band. So whether

1:48:27they're at grade level, whether they're

1:48:29ahead of grade level, or whether they're

1:48:30a little behind grade level, it's

1:48:32applicable to all of those students. So

1:48:34you're we're starting to see the

1:48:35percentile ranges being used by more

1:48:37schools, but again, it depends on the

1:48:39targeted group and the needs of that

1:48:40school. And then just finally uh you

1:48:43look at uh the science goal on the

1:48:44right, the smart goal there. It shows a

1:48:47target in terms of the type of question.

1:48:49So in this case, we're still pulling

1:48:50from the MCCAST in terms of the metric.

1:48:52However, we're looking at a schoolwide

1:48:55increase of 6% in possible points earned

1:48:58within constructed response. So again,

1:49:00this is all strategically done. This is

1:49:02shared in the school improvement plans

1:49:04in the program improvement plans in

1:49:06terms of the reasoning why. But that

1:49:08kind of shows you the level of

1:49:09flexibility that each school has to

1:49:11target the needs of their students but

1:49:13also keep it within that district

1:49:15alignment approach. So um I'll move on

1:49:19just to the action step status. So I had

1:49:21mentioned this um in terms of um just

1:49:25kind of discussing the different parts

1:49:26of the SIP and I just want to highlight

1:49:29that uh one column I believe we added

1:49:31this maybe a year ago two years ago I

1:49:33can't remember exactly when but we we're

1:49:34definitely going to continue this is

1:49:36having that status within the column. So

1:49:39whoever is reading the SIP, whether it's

1:49:41a family member at a PTO meeting or

1:49:43whatever the circumstance may be,

1:49:44whoever is looking at this, they're able

1:49:47to look at these action steps and say,

1:49:48"Okay, so this is continued from last

1:49:50year. Great. This is revised." And that

1:49:52prompts the question, "Okay, well, what

1:49:54what why are there revisions? What

1:49:56happened that's justifying a revision or

1:49:59a brand new action step?" So, it helps

1:50:01all of us as readers of these SIPs. But

1:50:03I should just add as a former principal,

1:50:06it's also nice in terms of keeping the

1:50:08priorities right at the front. Really

1:50:10knowing, okay, this is continued. As

1:50:12long as we continue doing it, we're

1:50:14we're moving forward, but okay, these

1:50:16are the new ones. We got to make sure

1:50:17the routines are in place and making

1:50:19sure those action steps are happening.

1:50:20So, it does help monitor your own action

1:50:23steps for each school. So, that's an

1:50:24added benefit there.

1:50:27And then with the appendix, so just

1:50:29shifting gears a little bit. So what we

1:50:32found over the years, right, a question

1:50:34that kept coming up among principles is

1:50:36we have thousands of action steps,

1:50:38right? So how do we include all of them?

1:50:40How do we inform everybody? There's so

1:50:42many action steps, we couldn't possibly

1:50:45include all of them in a document,

1:50:46right? That's readable where you can sit

1:50:48down and read it in a couple hours. So

1:50:50what has happened is we've started to

1:50:52take those action steps that have become

1:50:55embedded in the day-to-day. So in other

1:50:57words, they are now just happening out

1:51:00of routine. They've just been repeated

1:51:01yeartoear. They're working. They want to

1:51:04continue doing it. However, it's not

1:51:06necessarily requiring any additional

1:51:08focus. So we still wanted to highlight

1:51:10those in the SIP, but we wanted to make

1:51:12sure that we kind of drew your attention

1:51:14to the current year of SIP action steps.

1:51:16And so just really quickly on that far

1:51:19right column of these tables, it has the

1:51:21goal number. And what that does is it

1:51:23allows you as a reader to see, okay,

1:51:25this was towards their ELA goal or this

1:51:27was towards their math goal. So it gives

1:51:29a reader the ability to say in addition

1:51:31to the action steps in the in the main

1:51:33part of the SIP, there's also embedded

1:51:35action steps that are occurring. So just

1:51:38wanted to share that information. And

1:51:40then finally just with the presentation

1:51:42information, just as a recap of what has

1:51:44been done uh past practice, the

1:51:46presentations occurred over three

1:51:48teaching and learning subcommittee

1:51:49meetings. As you all know, uh the

1:51:51average presentation duration per school

1:51:53was roughly 15 to 20 minutes

1:51:55approximately. And then uh principles

1:51:58share their highlights. One thing I can,

1:52:00you know, attest to as a former

1:52:02principal is one of the hardest tasks is

1:52:05okay, what highlights do I share without

1:52:07talking for hours, right? Every

1:52:09principal is extremely proud of their

1:52:11school. And so it's always the conundrum

1:52:14of I want to share everything, but I

1:52:15also want to be respectful of the fact

1:52:17that there's a process here. And so

1:52:19we'll continue encouraging principles,

1:52:21share the highlights, share the things

1:52:23you're proud of. Don't feel pressured to

1:52:24include everything because these

1:52:26documents are being read by school

1:52:28committee members prior uh to when

1:52:30you're presenting. So don't feel

1:52:31obligated to present everything. They'll

1:52:33certainly inquire if they have questions

1:52:35about it. So uh with that uh we open it

1:52:38up to any thoughts, comments, or

1:52:39questions that you might have.

1:52:44>> Mrs. Parios,

1:52:46>> thank you. Thank you for going over this

1:52:47again. That's always a good refresher.

1:52:49Um,

1:52:50quick question. Um, a couple quick

1:52:52questions actually. So, under the school

1:52:54safety and discipline, um, going back to

1:52:56something that, um, school committee

1:52:58member Gutro had asked about kind of

1:53:00year after year on the incidents that

1:53:03occur in the schools having like a

1:53:04number of incidents that happened and I

1:53:06think we have that now. It's like number

1:53:08of incidents and if they resulted in

1:53:09suspension is that correct. Y

1:53:11>> um it might be good to also include just

1:53:14from the policy subcommittee prior to

1:53:16this, you know, should should that be a

1:53:18place that we include like number of

1:53:19incidents that required restraints or

1:53:22like number of incidents that resulted

1:53:24in a staff or student injury or

1:53:27anything? is would it be would that be a

1:53:29place to add that information so it's

1:53:31not in a different place or is that

1:53:33something that um I I just kind of

1:53:35wanted to get your thoughts on if you

1:53:37thought that would be a good spot to

1:53:38share that if it's being shared with

1:53:40Desi would that be a good place to share

1:53:41that with us.

1:53:43>> Um you know we try to avoid things that

1:53:46are like potentially identifiable

1:53:49because these are public documents. Uh

1:53:52so when when uh school committee member

1:53:54Gutro had brought this, you know, kind

1:53:56this kind of up to our attention before,

1:53:59we actually discussed it in executive

1:54:01session because it did involve sometimes

1:54:03confidential student information.

1:54:06And so my my concern with that would

1:54:09just be if you know this is shared with

1:54:12parents, we ask them to share this with

1:54:14parents before they bring it to us. And

1:54:16not that we don't want parents to know,

1:54:17but some of those things are like really

1:54:20sensitive things that you know happen

1:54:22with kids and families. And I would not

1:54:26I would not want the principal to have

1:54:28to be navigating questions with families

1:54:31demanding to know what happened and why

1:54:34why is there a restraint in this

1:54:36document or I you know I mean I just

1:54:40think that's a really tough position to

1:54:41put the principal in. Um, I think again

1:54:44if you want to have that conversation in

1:54:46executive session, you know, I think

1:54:49that that seemed to work the last time.

1:54:51Um, we're open to suggestions on how to

1:54:54handle that. And we're not I'm not

1:54:56trying to withhold information, but I

1:54:57just I'm obviously I'm a special

1:54:59education person, so I'm, you know, very

1:55:03uh cognizant of, you know, the other

1:55:05side of that that there is a a student

1:55:07and a family who's probably greatly

1:55:10impacted by that. And um and so they

1:55:14they're just really sensitive things

1:55:17that happen. So I just wouldn't or I

1:55:19wouldn't want parents to be like, "Oh, I

1:55:21know who that is. I know who that that

1:55:23kid always is." Do you know what I mean?

1:55:24Um and I just feel like sometimes that

1:55:26that could happen.

1:55:27>> Yeah. I hate to think that does happen,

1:55:29but I know what you're saying. I'm just

1:55:30trying to kind of get to like a

1:55:32transparency that we want to be open and

1:55:34honest at these things and basically to

1:55:36probably share just how little that it

1:55:37happens, right?

1:55:38>> Yeah.

1:55:39Just so that's so maybe in another way

1:55:41like you say

1:55:42>> we could speak about it globally if you

1:55:44wanted

1:55:45>> like in another time or another another

1:55:47place. I just didn't know if this was a

1:55:48good place to talk about it but it

1:55:50sounds like

1:55:50>> I would because if you're you're talking

1:55:51about individual schools right there are

1:55:54some schools that have substantially

1:55:55separate programs that it's it's

1:55:57definitely going it's it's still not a

1:55:59lot. I will tell you it's still not a

1:56:00lot but it's going to happen more than

1:56:02at other places if you have a

1:56:03substantially separate if you have this

1:56:05you know the stars program right it's

1:56:07going to happen more. So I think we

1:56:09could if you wanted as as a committee if

1:56:11you wanted us to present to you our

1:56:14restraint Dana restraint data that we

1:56:17reported last year in a global fashion

1:56:19that doesn't identify individual

1:56:21schools. You know I think we could talk

1:56:23about that. Um and we could maybe do

1:56:25that in the district improvement plan.

1:56:27>> That sounds like a great idea.

1:56:29>> Um then we're not like singling out

1:56:30schools.

1:56:31>> No, that makes total sense. Thank you

1:56:32for the brainstorming session there.

1:56:34>> Yeah, no problem. Um, and then just to

1:56:37um just to kind of go for the school

1:56:39council members and you actually

1:56:40mentioned it. um just to make sure

1:56:41principles are like doing their very

1:56:43best to share the these with the PTO's

1:56:45at a PTO meeting so that as many

1:56:47families as possible can see it because

1:56:49when we see it we're assuming that

1:56:52families at the schools have like

1:56:54participated in the process and they've

1:56:56given revisions or suggestions to the

1:56:58principles and I know um that happened

1:57:00last year but I just you know just to

1:57:02remind them that would be great and um I

1:57:03know like they use a lot of digital

1:57:05signatures and just to make sure that

1:57:06we're making sure that the people that

1:57:09are digitally signing are have have read

1:57:12it. Um, and just I know we had maybe an

1:57:14issue or two on that in the past, but

1:57:16um,

1:57:16>> absolutely.

1:57:17>> I'm eager to see how the cell phone

1:57:18policy impacts. I know it won't be this

1:57:20year's data, but next year's SIPs. I'm

1:57:22really excited to see if that's going to

1:57:23impact any kind of um, you know, even in

1:57:26the narrative portion, but also in the

1:57:28MCAST and the the the MAP score data

1:57:30just so I'm excited about that. Um,

1:57:33>> and lastly, I just had an um idea that I

1:57:35wanted to put to my colleagues um for

1:57:38something maybe to add. Uh we talk a lot

1:57:40sometimes kind of one-offs about you

1:57:43know sometimes some buildings have space

1:57:45capacity issues and like we talked about

1:57:47Lincoln Hancock we talked about

1:57:49different buildings like that. I'm

1:57:50wondering if there's a place in the SIP

1:57:52that might make sense to have like a

1:57:54building capacity information section

1:57:56like if there's a dedicated art room if

1:57:58there's a dedicated music room if

1:58:00classrooms are being built with

1:58:02temporary walls if there's classrooms

1:58:04like at Bernazani that are on the stage.

1:58:06um like just any kind of data like that

1:58:08that we can get a sense of

1:58:11where are the spaces happening in the

1:58:13building? Are there empty spaces? Is

1:58:15there room? Um that kind of stuff. So

1:58:17just so we have an idea when things come

1:58:19before us, we can sort of get a sense at

1:58:22a district level. Well, I remember from

1:58:25that SIP they they had, you know, they

1:58:27don't have an art room. So let's like

1:58:29keep that in mind. So does that make

1:58:30sense? and putting it to my colleagues.

1:58:32Would that make sense to add that so

1:58:34that we get a better sense of the school

1:58:35when we get that plan? Um, so I just

1:58:38offer that.

1:58:39>> Okay. Anyone

1:58:41want to comment, Mrs. Partios?

1:58:45>> Oh, Miss Campbell.

1:58:47>> I think that piece would be helpful just

1:58:49from a knowledge standpoint,

1:58:52right?

1:58:56>> Um, yeah, I see it being useful

1:58:57information. um how it would be be put

1:58:59in there. I would put up to Dr. Perkins

1:59:02suggestion on on if there a way that we

1:59:06would be able to make sense.

1:59:08>> Yeah, we could play around with it and

1:59:10you know see what we could do. We could

1:59:11do it like how we kind of do the

1:59:13staffing and it's just like art room,

1:59:16music room, you know what I mean? It's

1:59:18kind of the standard types of classrooms

1:59:20and um you know, we could do something

1:59:22like that. Um I don't know. We we can

1:59:24play around with the format, share it

1:59:26with you, share some ideas.

1:59:28>> Yep, that'd be great. Okay,

1:59:29>> thank you.

1:59:29>> Thank you.

1:59:30>> Yeah, I'll

1:59:30>> that's it. Thank you. Yeah.

1:59:31>> Okay, great. Miss Cahill,

1:59:34>> um I just have one question. So, we have

1:59:36all the, you know, dipples and map and

1:59:38MCCAST and RIT scores and all that. Um,

1:59:43could we get a

1:59:46page that describes what every one of

1:59:48those is and how and what the um the

1:59:52metric is, you know, for each so we have

1:59:56a good understanding of where it if

1:59:58they're performing well or not well. And

2:00:00um yeah, and just so we'd have that in

2:00:03front of us when we're looking at the

2:00:05SIPs, it gives us a better understanding

2:00:06and and maybe what each one is um

2:00:10measuring for us in terms of um

2:00:13proficiency and you know, I think that

2:00:14would be I usually write it down and

2:00:16have it with me so every now and then,

2:00:18but it's I don't remember all the time.

2:00:21So, I think it would be a good thing

2:00:22just put it on the back of of um of each

2:00:25one just so we have it and you know just

2:00:28to kind of reference if that's okay.

2:00:29>> Yeah, we can absolutely do that. No

2:00:31problem.

2:00:32>> Thank you.

2:00:34>> Okay, great. Um I was going to say for

2:00:36me I love reading these and getting a

2:00:40sort of a flavor for what it's like in

2:00:42the school. They always they always have

2:00:44add a way of uniqueness in them that

2:00:47tells us what the school is like.

2:00:48whether it's looking at what their their

2:00:50um after school activities are or the

2:00:52programs that they're running and and

2:00:54that kind of thing. And it's I love to

2:00:56see that. I love to see the uniqueness

2:00:57in each one of the schools to see what

2:00:59they're putting in there. And one of the

2:01:01things I know we say all the time is

2:01:02don't leave something out like I I've

2:01:04been in there sometimes and um they'll

2:01:06be like I'll be like, "Don't you have a

2:01:08program that does you know you know any

2:01:13sports programs?" Like, "Oh, yeah. We

2:01:14didn't bother putting them in because we

2:01:15do those in the end of the year." And

2:01:17it's like, "No, no, no. This is supposed

2:01:18to be like letting us know what your

2:01:19school is all about, what what things go

2:01:21on. So, just don't have them hold back,

2:01:25you know,

2:01:26>> we'll remind them to put everything in.

2:01:28And we I I mean, the superintendent

2:01:30mentioned it this morning, but we are

2:01:32like I I we feel like we had a really

2:01:34good year last year in terms of our

2:01:36data. Um we have no schools in need of

2:01:39assistance, no schools requiring

2:01:40assistance. Uh many schools that made

2:01:44exceptional progress in their

2:01:45accountability data. So, we're pretty

2:01:48excited to to share some of that

2:01:50information with you.

2:01:51>> Okay, great. And I think we had a

2:01:52comment from our North Quincy High

2:01:54representative.

2:01:55>> Um, you mentioned how families get input

2:01:58on these school improvement plans and I

2:02:00was wondering if like students are

2:02:02included in that any anyway. Um, so I I

2:02:07would think that would maybe at the high

2:02:08school um you know that they would

2:02:10include the students, but I I don't know

2:02:12that it's typical at the middle schools

2:02:14or the elementary schools, but um we

2:02:17could maybe try to find a

2:02:19developmentally appropriate way that we

2:02:22could share that. Some of it might be

2:02:24like a little hard for some elementary

2:02:25school kids, but um because it's like

2:02:27written in goals and that kind of stuff,

2:02:29but maybe we could find some

2:02:31developmentally appropriate ways that we

2:02:33could share that information and ask for

2:02:35the students feedback um depending on

2:02:37the grade level. I think middle school

2:02:38or high school could totally handle it.

2:02:40Yeah. So, we we can make sure we include

2:02:42that.

2:02:42>> Thank you.

2:02:44>> And Miss Thank all set.

2:02:46>> Okay.

2:02:47>> Mrs. Pio,

2:02:48>> just a comment on Isabella's comment.

2:02:50Maybe the um student council reps, since

2:02:52they're not able to take part in the

2:02:54discussion because they happen in

2:02:55subcommittee meetings, maybe you know

2:02:57the three reps at each schools could

2:02:59take a look at it and make any comments

2:03:01that they see as well. If

2:03:02>> definitely

2:03:02>> they can work with the principles on

2:03:03that. That's at least a good start.

2:03:05Yeah,

2:03:06>> thanks. It was a good idea.

2:03:07>> Yeah.

2:03:10>> Great. Thank you very much. We're all

2:03:12set.

2:03:13>> Thank you.

2:03:13>> Okay. Thank you.

2:03:15>> All right.

2:03:17Next on the agenda, uh, Miss Cahill, we

2:03:19have the creation of the school

2:03:20committee policy protect Act. You're

2:03:22just referring this to subcommittee.

2:03:24>> Yes, just referring to sub.

2:03:25>> Okay. So moved.

2:03:27>> And then we have item D. We have Miss

2:03:30Campbell review of paraprofessional

2:03:32hiring training orientation process.

2:03:34You're just reviewing

2:03:36referring this to subcommittee.

2:03:38>> Yes. Can I just say one?

2:03:40>> Yeah, go right ahead.

2:03:41>> I just so much work was done on this

2:03:44with C. I can by Julie Graham and they

2:03:46created such a phenomenal document that

2:03:49I thought it made sense to hear this

2:03:52through.

2:03:53>> Okay, great. So moved. Thank you. Uh and

2:03:56then also Miss Campbell, we have

2:03:58establishing a district protocol for

2:04:00parent guardian notifications about

2:04:02service delivery moving into special

2:04:05education subcommittee.

2:04:06>> Yes.

2:04:07>> Okay. So moved. And then Miss Campbell

2:04:09has um item F is special education

2:04:12rights and responsibilities and that is

2:04:15also referral to special education

2:04:17subcommittee. Great. So moved. Thank

2:04:19you.

2:04:20>> Okay. Next on the agenda we have our

2:04:23consent agenda. We have um meeting

2:04:25minutes, grants, and donations. I'd like

2:04:27to take the um outofcountry travel out

2:04:30of consent agenda for us to have um

2:04:33conversation about um at the end. So

2:04:36unless there's any objection to that.

2:04:38Okay. So we'll have a motion to approve

2:04:41the consent agenda

2:04:44>> as is moved and a second by Miss Cahill.

2:04:47And I need a roll call vote on that.

2:04:50>> Yes.

2:04:52>> Mr.

2:04:52>> Yes.

2:04:53>> Mrs. Cahill.

2:04:54>> Yes.

2:04:54>> Miss Campbell.

2:04:55>> Yes.

2:04:55>> Mrs. Hubley.

2:04:56>> Yes.

2:04:57>> Mr. Le Young.

2:04:58>> Yes.

2:04:58>> Mrs. Parios.

2:04:59>> Yes.

2:04:59>> And Mayo.

2:05:00>> Yes.

2:05:01>> Thank you.

2:05:01>> Thank you.

2:05:03Okay. And then I have

2:05:06the next item is um we have outofcountry

2:05:09travel North Quinsey High School to the

2:05:12Gopagos Islands, Ecuador from April 14th

2:05:15to the 22nd of 2028.

2:05:19And um last time we had this on the

2:05:21agenda, we did not have the itinerary

2:05:24packet and you should have all received

2:05:26it since then. Um and in the last time

2:05:29we had the notice from the school

2:05:32regarding the travel. Um so now that you

2:05:35have the have the itinerary and um I

2:05:39just want to say that I think this is a

2:05:41wonderful trip. I think it looks

2:05:42absolutely fabulous. But when I looked

2:05:44up the United States Department of State

2:05:48travel advisory, it says Ecuador is a

2:05:51level two to exercise extreme increased

2:05:54caution contains areas of higher

2:05:57security risk and also it's right next

2:06:00to Colombia which is a level three which

2:06:02is contains higher uh contains areas of

2:06:06higher security risk that's even higher

2:06:08than that. And due to that, I have a

2:06:10really hard time being able to vote um

2:06:12when I feel this is a a safety issue for

2:06:15our students. That's where I'm coming

2:06:16from. But I'd like to open this up for

2:06:18discussion for my colleagues.

2:06:20>> Mr. Begali,

2:06:21>> I agree with Mrs. Yubi. Um I'm not sure

2:06:24if it's appropriate for us to be sending

2:06:26kids off to uh countries that are not as

2:06:30safe as ours for whatever reason. Um, so

2:06:34I would be voting against this proposal.

2:06:38>> Miss Partios, I am I am I'm torn on

2:06:41these and not to be honest, not just

2:06:43because of the location. The cost of

2:06:45these are staggering. Um, and I know

2:06:50perhaps there could be just a different

2:06:51way that we advertise this to students.

2:06:53I know all the high school students get

2:06:55a flyer in their history classes. They

2:06:57get a flyer to go. And I know my kiddos

2:07:00have come home and said, "Can I go

2:07:01wherever they're going that particular

2:07:03year?" And I mean, it's it's like5,000.

2:07:07I mean, it's a lot of money. And um you

2:07:09know, just that many number of parents

2:07:11needing to say or guardians needing to

2:07:13say no to their kids for you know, it

2:07:16almost feels like maybe they should

2:07:18students should have to seek out that

2:07:19information. Maybe just a general we

2:07:21have these trips available. Students if

2:07:23they want to learn more can can visit

2:07:25their history teachers offline. Maybe

2:07:27something like that. But um the cost of

2:07:29these is just really hard to swallow

2:07:32every year on these. So um in addition

2:07:34to perhaps the concern about the safety,

2:07:36but again this is for 2028, so I don't

2:07:38really have any idea what the status of

2:07:40safety will be in 2028. It's it's hard

2:07:42to know. Um but that coupled with my

2:07:45concerns about that about, you know, do

2:07:47we have a a school nurse? I don't

2:07:49believe we have a school nurse going on

2:07:51these trips. So if someone has a medical

2:07:53issue, um are we saying they can't go on

2:07:55those trips? And the equity issue. So, I

2:07:57do have a number of issues kind of on

2:07:59these trips in general. Um, so I I'm

2:08:03torn though because I do see the

2:08:05educational value to it. Um, it's just

2:08:07I'm wondering if maybe families are

2:08:09better if it's better left for families

2:08:11to take kid their kiddos on these trips

2:08:12if if that's something that they're

2:08:14interested in. Um, so I'm just kind of

2:08:17putting my concerns out there as well.

2:08:18>> Yeah, appreciate it. Thank you, Mr.

2:08:20Leang.

2:08:21>> Yes, thank you. Um,

2:08:24like my colleague, Mrs.

2:08:27I am torn um when I read about this and

2:08:32I've I've thought about this a lot. Uh

2:08:35when I was in high school um I actually

2:08:38did a report on uh Charles Darwin and um

2:08:43the Galopos. So this is a fantastic

2:08:48educational opportunity. Um, but I I

2:08:52have serious concerns about um the

2:08:55equity. Uh, and I mean we are there's

2:09:01only a small subset of families that

2:09:04would be able to um provide this

2:09:07opportunity for their children. And yes,

2:09:11it would be a once in a-lifetime

2:09:13opportunity,

2:09:15but when they get back, um, you know,

2:09:17that subset of students,

2:09:21uh, you know, automatically have a a leg

2:09:23up on their college essay or whatever

2:09:28um, you know, competitive stance there

2:09:32there there is um, at the school. So,

2:09:36again, I'm I'm torn. Uh I I don't want

2:09:38to say that um

2:09:42educational travel you know should

2:09:44should not be happening. Uh when I was

2:09:47in school seemed like um there were the

2:09:50the trips to you know Spain and and

2:09:53France for for the language classes

2:09:56that's already I feel out of reach for

2:09:58for a lot of families. This seems um you

2:10:02know uh several levels beyond that. And

2:10:07then you brought up a great point. I had

2:10:09not even considered

2:10:11uh the safety aspect. So I think for for

2:10:14all those reasons,

2:10:17I'm either going to abstain or or vote

2:10:21no on this.

2:10:23>> Thank you, Miss Cahill.

2:10:25>> Yeah. Um, I think we all have kind of

2:10:28the same concerns, right, in terms of

2:10:30the equity issue and and and families,

2:10:33you know, I think it's a family issue.

2:10:34If people feel like it's an experience

2:10:37they want to afford for their families

2:10:39or their kids, that's one thing. Um, I I

2:10:43my biggest concern is, you know, if

2:10:47something hap, this is like an 18-hour

2:10:49trip. If something happens in the

2:10:53Galapicos Islands, we are we are

2:10:56responsible. I mean, going to Spain is

2:10:58still going to another country, but it's

2:11:00like seven hours, you know. Not that

2:11:03that's minimal, but it's still

2:11:05accessible. Um, I worry about that a

2:11:09little bit of our students going and and

2:11:11again not having a nurse or medical

2:11:14experience that they might have. But

2:11:16it's but again it's all like all the

2:11:18travel that we offer the kids you know

2:11:20it's the parent decision and um if they

2:11:25want to take the responsibility to to

2:11:27have their kids go but then I worry

2:11:29about what kind of liability we have as

2:11:31a school district and you know if

2:11:32something was to happen and be like well

2:11:34why' they let them go there? Um I hate

2:11:37the fact that we are responsible for

2:11:39approving a trip like this because

2:11:42again it's a you know somebody presents

2:11:45it to us families and parents can make a

2:11:48decision for their children and the cost

2:11:51but ultimately we are the ones that are

2:11:54responsible I think if something was to

2:11:57happen or the kids needed something

2:11:58while they were away. So do we have to

2:12:01vote on it today?

2:12:04Can we like think about it a little more

2:12:06or is it something we should be doing?

2:12:08>> You could always do a motion to table it

2:12:10further if you want.

2:12:12>> I mean, I don't know that way.

2:12:13>> Let let my colleagues speak and then

2:12:16>> Miss Campbell,

2:12:17>> I guess the safety issue is more of the

2:12:19concern for me. I think while equity

2:12:22we're all faced with things, students

2:12:24are faced with things they can and

2:12:26cannot afford every day. So, I'm not

2:12:28overly I mean, the price is absorbent,

2:12:30but it's a family's choice. It's the

2:12:33same as a kid having a brand new car to

2:12:34drive to school versus a kid not having

2:12:37a car. So, I think these equity choices

2:12:39are things kids have to struggle with

2:12:41and families struggle with and I think

2:12:43it's family choice. I do I do have

2:12:46reservations about the distance and the

2:12:48safety factor. So, I would like some

2:12:51more time to to hear more about uh this

2:12:55or think a little bit more about this.

2:13:00>> Okay. and Mac.

2:13:05>> Uh I I don't have any real objection to

2:13:07the trip, but a couple of issues have

2:13:09been raised. Um and uh Mrs. Kale just

2:13:13talked about the liability. Have we ever

2:13:15talked about that? Does a school

2:13:17committee or the school department have

2:13:19liability because we vote on this thing

2:13:21if something to occur?

2:13:22>> There's always potential for liability.

2:13:24So a lawsuit can be filed by anyone

2:13:28>> essentially any reason. and whether or

2:13:30not um so in order to prove negligence

2:13:33the district would have to have um we do

2:13:37have obviously uh its duty preach

2:13:39causation and damage. I'm not on

2:13:41>> Oh, sorry.

2:13:42>> Uh so in order to be negligent the

2:13:45district would have obviously a duty

2:13:46which we do a duty of due care to vet

2:13:50the potential trip and not to send our

2:13:53students into an unduly dangerous area.

2:13:56Right. So duty breach causation damage

2:13:58in our judgment. Did we do we breach

2:14:01that duty of due care and this is all

2:14:03something a judge or jury would have to

2:14:05determine and whether or not the uh

2:14:08breach of that duty caused the cause the

2:14:10injury. So there's always an argument

2:14:12for that. There's also

2:14:12>> a follow-up question would be is there

2:14:14any case law are there any things that

2:14:16have occurred in Massachusetts in any

2:14:18school district? have to take a look at

2:14:19that. But I can tell you there's

2:14:21certainly case law with regard to I'm

2:14:23not you know incidents happening if if a

2:14:26staff member and these staff by the way

2:14:28that are proposing this are great but

2:14:29I'm just saying you're asking me is

2:14:31there liability issues. If a staff

2:14:33member does do something that injures a

2:14:35child negligently or by uh direct

2:14:39intention, the liability that is

2:14:43directed at that staff member falls on

2:14:45the district. Do

2:14:46>> that again. I understand. Okay.

2:14:49All set. Are

2:14:51>> you all set? I'm also

2:14:52>> Okay, Miss Pios,

2:14:54>> maybe maybe um the best idea would be to

2:14:56table it today and then that might give

2:14:58us all a chance to think about it. It

2:15:00might give the superintendent a chance

2:15:01to maybe look up other cases that may

2:15:03have had something similar that we could

2:15:06talk about and also it might give an

2:15:07open forum opportunity for families or

2:15:10even the staff members who may want to

2:15:11come and speak about it just to give us

2:15:13the full range of um you know viewpoints

2:15:16if if people want to come and speak

2:15:18about it at that point. Um and also you

2:15:20know if any of the students I don't know

2:15:22if any of you guys have been on a trip

2:15:23or anything and just to get your

2:15:24thoughts on what these are like as well

2:15:26but just to give like more time I know

2:15:28they can speak today but it will also

2:15:29have another um meetings worth of kiddos

2:15:32at that that meeting next one as well.

2:15:35>> Um Quincy High super Quincy High

2:15:38superintendent you got promoted uh

2:15:40Quinsey High student representative. Um

2:15:44yes. So um I feel like I can really

2:15:46speak because I found this like we had a

2:15:49lot of opportunities for going in trips.

2:15:51We had this trip for France. We also had

2:15:53a trip for Spain, Portugal, Morocco. And

2:15:57I feel like this is such like a big

2:15:58opportunity for us to explore the world

2:16:00and like participate with the community

2:16:02as well. But um me and my fellow

2:16:05classmates have the like realize that

2:16:07the money prices are too high. I feel

2:16:10like this is definitely like a barrier

2:16:11for us to participate. I personally had

2:16:14a conversation with my parents and we

2:16:15both agreed that it was too expensive

2:16:18and we can afford a better trip than um

2:16:21due to like the prices. Also, I was a

2:16:24bit like caught off guard with like no

2:16:26nurses coming like like coming in the

2:16:29trip. Um I would like to ask about that.

2:16:32Um is there a reason why no nurses are

2:16:34coming for a medical reason?

2:16:36>> Talk about that

2:16:37>> to you superintendent.

2:16:38>> Yep. So, um, if a student going on a

2:16:41trip does require a nurse, we would be

2:16:43required to find a nurse to go on that

2:16:45trip. Um, if for some reason we couldn't

2:16:48do that, it's possible that the trip

2:16:49itself would have to be potentially

2:16:51cancelled. But we would not exclude a

2:16:54student who needed a nurse from going on

2:16:56the trip because of that student's

2:16:58disability or or illness. Um, the entire

2:17:01trip would likely be cancelled before we

2:17:03would do that. Um, but at the moment

2:17:05there hasn't been because this is being

2:17:08first approved by the school committee

2:17:10before we have student participation

2:17:12numbers. Uh, we don't know at the moment

2:17:15whether or not a student would be

2:17:16requiring a nurse to go on the trip. If

2:17:18a student did not require a nurse, then

2:17:20a nurse would not be required to go. If

2:17:22a student did require a nurse, and we

2:17:24would have to try and find a nurse

2:17:26willing to go,

2:17:27>> pay for them too. Pay for them too. Um

2:17:31yes that would be um also an additional

2:17:33expense as well.

2:17:37>> North Quincy high representative.

2:17:39>> So I'm actually planning to participate

2:17:41in the North Quincy Spain trip this

2:17:43coming April and reviewing the all the

2:17:47information that I got about that. It

2:17:49seemed like the company EF tours was the

2:17:53majority responsible for like almost

2:17:55every aspect of the trip. So, I was

2:17:57curious to how much like um they're

2:18:03they're actually responsible versus how

2:18:04much Quinsey is responsible.

2:18:08>> Okay. Superintendent.

2:18:10>> Um again, that it really would depend on

2:18:13the circumstances of the issue um of

2:18:16what potentially could happen on a trip.

2:18:18So is it the negligence of EF that some

2:18:21kind of injury happened to our students

2:18:23or was it the negligence of the

2:18:24participants meaning our supervisory

2:18:27staff that went in? So it's really

2:18:29dependent on the circumstances that may

2:18:32result in the issue that may arise with

2:18:35regard to any um negative things

2:18:37happening on the trip. So it's really

2:18:39fact-based. So there is potential li

2:18:42liability for f, but there's also

2:18:43potential liability for staff going

2:18:46depending on um what may have occurred

2:18:49during the trip. Just so it's really

2:18:51fact-based

2:18:53before you can determine liability.

2:18:56>> All set.

2:18:57>> Um I actually have one more thing. I've

2:18:59actually heard discussion of this in the

2:19:02school already like between kids saying

2:19:04like, "Oh, did you hear there might be a

2:19:07trip to the Galapagos and things like

2:19:08that?" and they seemed very like

2:19:12skeptical as in like, oh, that's an

2:19:14interesting place to go and they it

2:19:16almost seemed like they didn't want to

2:19:18go. So, I just wanted to bring that up

2:19:20as something to think about.

2:19:22>> Thank you. We appreciate your input.

2:19:23Thank you. Okay. I think at this time

2:19:25we're going to just leave this on the on

2:19:27the on the table. We're just going to

2:19:29leave it here and then we'll pick it up

2:19:30at the next meeting and we'll just leave

2:19:32it on the leave it on the agenda.

2:19:35>> Thank you. Appreciate all of the

2:19:37dialogue.

2:19:39Okay. Um, let's see. Next on the agenda,

2:19:43we have additional business. Seeing

2:19:45none, we'll move on to communications.

2:19:48And under communications, we have

2:19:49upcoming school committee meeting

2:19:51October 14th and 28th and November 18th

2:19:54and December 9th. Mayor,

2:19:58>> yeah, if I might, just a couple

2:19:59communications. Uh, the food, truck, and

2:20:02music festival is this Saturday on

2:20:04Cardington Street. I know it's a big day

2:20:05for families. Hopefully the weather's

2:20:07going to be decent. Uh there's over 30

2:20:09food trucks scheduled and a number of

2:20:11bands. Uh and then October 17th is

2:20:14Heritage Day that was rescheduled

2:20:16because of the storm. All of our

2:20:18historical sites across the city will be

2:20:20open. Uh and a lot of be a lot of

2:20:22volunteers out there and uh just a great

2:20:24day. A lot of people live in our city

2:20:25and have never visited uh some of our

2:20:27historic sites and there's some great

2:20:29assets out there. So I just want to pass

2:20:30that on.

2:20:31>> Thank you, Miss Proteios.

2:20:33>> Thank you. I also just wanted to mention

2:20:35um roll hats weekend is this weekend as

2:20:37well for Quinsey High. Um it's a whole

2:20:39weekend well it's Friday night and

2:20:41Saturday of activities. Uh Friday night

2:20:43is a volleyball game at Quinsey High and

2:20:46then um actually it's north too because

2:20:48it's against North right. Sorry about

2:20:50that. But it's I guess

2:20:53>> Oh, okay. All right. Well, I take that

2:20:55back. I stand corrected just Quincy High

2:20:56then. But Saturday they have a whole um

2:20:59day of events at the stadium. Uh

2:21:01different kids are there. I think Miss

2:21:02Cahill may have uh hosted a bouncy house

2:21:05that at uh so I just want

2:21:07>> anyone gets injured

2:21:09in trouble. Look at them.

2:21:11>> We'll go look at EF tours for that. Um

2:21:13and there's a football game and some

2:21:14soccer games. So I just wanted to

2:21:15mention that this weekend as well.

2:21:17>> Okay. Thank you so much for me

2:21:18mentioning that. All right. All righty.

2:21:21And let's see. Next on the agenda, we

2:21:23have reports of subcommittee. Seeing

2:21:25none, then we have executive session.

2:21:27Superintendent, are we going into

2:21:28executive session? We are not. Motion to

2:21:30adjurnn.

2:21:31>> Motion to adjurnn. I have a second.

2:21:33>> Second by Miss Kahill. Everyone have a

2:21:34wonderful night and

2:21:37>> meeting.