School Committee Meeting Agenda: October 5, 2021

From the Office of the Executive Secretary to the School Committee

School Committee - Regular Meeting
October 5, 2021 6:00 p.m.


S U P P L E M E N T A L*
A G E N D A

1. Public Comment (3 Minutes):

2. Student School Committee Report:

3. Presentation of the Records for Approval:

September 21, 2021 Regular Meeting

4. Reconsiderations: None

5. Unfinished Business/Calendar: None

6. Awaiting Reports:

C21-311 Joint Order by Member Fantini, Member Wilson and Mayor Siddiqui
That the School Department work with the City to develop a plan to support transporting students attending after school programs given the issues that DHSP has with after school this year.

7. Superintendent’s Agenda:

7a. Presentations

Hiring Confirmation of Interim Superintendent of Student Services SY2021/2022: Dr. Barbara Mullen
Dr. Barbara Mullen, Interim Assistant Superintendent Student Services
Victoria L. Greer, Interim Superintendent of Schools

Student Engagement & Chronic Absenteeism
Victoria L. Greer, Interim Superintendent of Schools
Carolyn L. Turk, Deputy Superintendent

7b. CPS District Plan: None

7c. Consent Agenda:

#21-292 Recommendation: Approval of Private School-Malik Academy-Return To Original Location at 808 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, Massachusetts

#21-293 Recommendation: Approval of a Grade Level Expansion to Include Kindergarten at the Ecole Francaise Greater Boston (EFGB)

#21-294 Recommendation: Approval of Hiring Confirmation of Interim Assistant Superintendent Of Student Services SY2021/2022

#21-295 Contract Award: Day & Residential Program Services not Available from The Cambridge School Department

#21-296 Recommendation: Contract Award: Group Dynamics & Strategy Associates: Professional Development

#21-297 Recommendation: Contract Award: Teaching & Learning Alliance: Professional Development

#21-298 Recommendation: Contract Award: CCS Presentation Systems: Interactive Display Hardware

#21-299 Recommendation: Gifts/Miscellaneous Receipts

#21-300 Recommendation: Grant Award: FY22 Occupational Education Vocational Skills (SC22606)

#21-301 Recommendation: Grant Award: Emergency Operational Costs (EOC) for Child Nutrition Program (SC22208)

#21-302 Recommendation: Grant Award: FY22 Integrating SEL into Academic Subjects (SC22168)

#21-303 Recommendation: Grant Award: FY22 Special IDEA (SC22605)

#21-304 Recommendation: Grant Award: FY22 Special Education Early Childhood Allocation (SC22607)

*#21-309 Recommendation: Approval of Mandatory Vaccination Requirements For all Eligible Cambridge Public School Students

*#21-310 Recommendation: Grant Award: FY21 Circuit Breaker Allocation (SC21776)-Increase

*#21-311 Recommendation: Grant Award: FY22 Circuit Breaker Allocation (SC22776)

8. Non-Consent Agenda:

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

#21-305 Joint Motion by Mayor Siddiqui and Member Wilson
WHEREAS: Language justice is the fundamental right every person has to communicate, to understand and to be understood in the language(s) and method in which they feel most comfortable, which includes the communication rights of individuals with preferred languages other than English as well as person with communication-related disabilities; and
WHEREAS: Language justice provides an opportunity for the Cambridge Public Schools to reframe their commitment to students and their families by ensuring that all individuals, regardless of the way they communicate, are valued, respected, and have the opportunity to participate fully in the democratic and social processes of the community; and
WHEREAS: About 6% of Cambridge Public Schools students are English Language Learners according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and 5% of persons 5-17 lack access at home to a computer, the internet or both according to the 2015-19 American Community Survey; and
WHEREAS: Plain language in all forms of written communications gets information across in the shortest time possible, allows more people to quickly understand the message, simplifies translation into other languages, and helps make information more accessible to wider audiences; and
WHEREAS: The Cambridge Public Schools is dedicated and continues to work on improving family engagement and ensure everyone has meaningful relationships and equitable access to information, resources, and services, especially for underrepresented, underserved communities, and the most vulnerable students and their families, including, but not limited to, communities of color, persons with disabilities, and individuals for whom English is not the preferred language for communication, either verbal or written; and
WHEREAS: Language justice is a critical tool to effectively engage with families, and the School Committee has already adopted a resolution to its commitment to family engagement; and
WHEREAS: The Cambridge Public Schools has made significant progress and investments in language access in recent years as part of its ongoing work to be more inclusive, welcoming, and effective in family communication practices; and
WHEREAS: Over the last year the Family Policy Council established a Language Justice Working Group comprised of representatives from the City, schools, and community partners that gathered information from those who live and work in Cambridge, reviewed existing demographic data, researched what Cambridge and other communities are doing to address language access issues, and developed recommendations; and
WHEREAS: By focusing on language justice, the Cambridge Public Schools can increase the number and ways in which families in Cambridge interact with and are connected to their schools, as well as improve students’ engagement, sense of belonging, and overall performance in school; and
WHEREAS: Implementing a language justice policy is an important step in the path towards language justice in the Cambridge Public Schools and will result in a stronger community with increased engagement, partnership, belonging, and trust; now therefore be it
RESOLVED: That the Superintendent be and is hereby requested to direct appropriate school department staff to design a Language Access Plan in conjunction with the City, which builds off of the work already in progress, and includes a shared template for the City, unified strategy, phased roll-out, timeline, budget, staffing, and goals to ensure all Cambridge Public School families will be understood, valued, and have equitable access to all available services and resources; and be it further
RESOLVED: The Superintendent is requested to provide the School Committee information about the appropriate funding to support implementation of the Language Access Plan as part of the FY23 budget process.

#21-306 Joint Motion by Vice-Chair Bowman and Mayor Siddiqui (in collaboration with Student Member Killian and Student Member Vera-DeGraff)
Whereas the Cambridge School Committee is committed to creating a legislative body that is inclusive of student voice and participation, and
Whereas one of the critical governmental functions of a Committee is the ability to vote on legislative matters through motions brought before the committee, and
Whereas student school committee members have historically brought a wealth of knowledge and insights that have shaped policy-making by the committee, and
Whereas exploring further involvement in the legislative process by providing student school committee members with the ability to cast votes on policy matters would strengthen the school committee's commitment to student engagement, therefore be it
Resolved that the Vice-Chair work with the CPSD legal department to review and implement a process for student school committee members to take non-binding votes on all motions and resolutions that come before the committee, be it further
Resolved that once reviewed, all recommended changes shall be implemented on or before Dec 31, 2021.

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

#21-307 Joint Motion by Member Rachel, Member Wilson and Mayor Siddiqui
Whereas Donald Burroughs had a profound, wonderful impact on the lives of Cambridge Public School students and staff; and
Whereas we remember Donald Burroughs’ life and work to honor him as well as to continue to inspire those who learn more about him; and
Whereas Donald Burroughs was born on January 29, 1952 to Margaret and Bishop William H. Burroughs, Jr. and was the third of eight children; and
Whereas Donald grew up in Greater Boston, attended the Boston Public Schools, and then graduated from The Huntington Preparatory School in 1969; and
Whereas Donald’s career as an educator began when he was in junior high school and taught Sunday School as well as worked with the youth choir in his father’s ministry at Congregation Ecclesia; and
Whereas Donald pursued his post-secondary education at Boston College School of Education and participated in the Boston College Chorale as well as the BC Eagles Cheerleading Team; and
Whereas Donald sang with the Helen Hollins Singers during his senior year at BC and, after graduation, performed at weekend singing engagements; and
Whereas as a young professional, Donald tutored students in the METCO program and completed the Executive Training Program at Jordan Marsh, including earning an associate degree in merchandising in 1974; and
Whereas Donald worked as an assistant buyer and sales manager until 1976; and
Whereas Donald then engaged in a process of self-reflection and personal realization that led him to re-embrace his teacher self - the person in whom the intellectual, the spiritual, and the communal were authentically integrated because of his own formative experiences of family, school, and church; and
Whereas Donald embraced a formal teaching career at this point, teaching English language arts at Newton North High school during the school year and Brandeis Upward Bound during the summer from 1976-1980; and
Whereas from 1980-1983 Donald taught all subjects to first graders or English language arts to fourth- and fifth graders at the Modern School in Harlem, where his headmistress quickly recognized his musical and dramatic talents, both as a performer and teacher, and enlisted him to play a central role in the school’s annual spring festival; and
Whereas the fall of 1983 marked the beginning of Donald’s career as a Cambridge Public Schools educator, when he joined the staff of the Pilot School, the democratic alternative school within the district high school, and was part of its teaching and learning community until Cambridge Rindge and Latin School was reorganized in 2000; and
Whereas Donald also taught Cambridge students in the Harvard Upward Bound summer program during the first half of his Pilot School career; and
Whereas Donald trained in the national S.E.E.D. (Seeking Equity and Educational Diversity) Program and became a diversity consultant nationally and a facilitator for teacher-centered development at and beyond CRLS in the second half of his Pilot School career; and
Whereas Donald received a Conant Fellowship and earned a Master’s Degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he pursued a course of independent study focusing on girls’ and women’s development and Native American curriculum; and
Whereas Donald continued as a faculty member at CRLS after the reorganization of the school in 2000, retiring on January 29, 2010; and
Whereas the courses that Donald developed and taught for a number of years have been integral parts of the CRLS English Language Arts curriculum and have been taught by colleagues who were in professional and personal relationship to Donald while he taught at the high school; and
Whereas Donald remained a very active and cherished member of the National SEED faculty after he retired, as he continued to train educators during summer institutes and provide counsel to SEED leadership; and
Whereas the Cambridge Public Schools community expressed deep grief upon learning of Donald’s passing; and
Whereas Donald’s former students are grateful that he saw them as individuals, held an abiding belief in each, and inspired all to meet high standards with incisive intellectual challenge; and
Whereas Pilot alum have reflected that Donald changed their lives forever through his social and literary analysis, his African American Literature and Adolescents in Literature classes; and
Whereas colleagues of Donald will always think of him as caring, creative, and dedicated; and
Whereas the Cambridge community also will remember Donald for his style, grace, good humor and his performances in Pilot Plays; and
Whereas Donald’s former students and colleagues will always be grateful for his teaching, mentorship and friendship as well as how he influenced the Cambridge Public Schools; now therefore be it
Resolved that the Cambridge Public Schools officially recognize the legacy of Donald Burroughs and thank him for his exemplary teaching as well as leadership; and be it further
Resolved that formal copies of this resolution will be sent to Donald’s family.

#21-308 Joint Motion by Special Education and Student Supports Sub-Committee
WHEREAS: Mia Mingus is an outstanding, outspoken activist for disability and transformative justice; and
WHEREAS: Ms. Mingus has spent over two decades fighting for transformative justice which she defines as a “political framework and approach for responding to violence, harm, and abuse…[seeking] to respond to violence without creating more violence and/or engaging in harm reduction to lessen the violence”; and
WHEREAS: As a survivor of sexual assault, Ms. Mingus has an important perspective on transformative justice and prison abolition that believes we must build relationships rather than forms of punishment; and
WHEREAS: Ms. Mingus has been crucial in developing disability a justice framework and has coined concepts relating to said framework that are used in curricula globally; and
WHEREAS: Ms. Mingus has used her research on disability justice and transformative justice wisely to create workshops on the value of community, accountability, and how to give a genuine apology; and
WHEREAS: Several organizations and government agencies, including the White House, ZAMI, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force have honored Ms. Mingus and her work; and
WHEREAS: Ms. Mingus is scheduled to be presented with the 15th Annual Robert Coles “Call of Service” Award by the Phillips Brooks House Association and the Cambridge School Committee on October 15, 2021; therefore be it
RESOLVED: That the Cambridge School Committee go on record honoring and appreciating Ms. Mingus’ incredible contributions to disability and transformative justice both in a community and academic context; and be it further
RESOLVED: That a formal copy of this resolution be prepared by the Executive Secretary to the School Committee and be forwarded to Ms. Mia Mingus.

11. Announcements:

12. Late Orders:

13. Communications and Reports from City Officers: None
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