School Committee Meeting Agenda: September 15, 2020

From the Office of the Executive Secretary to the School Committee

School Committee - Regular Meeting
September 15, 2020


A G E N D A

1. Public Comment (3 Minutes):

2. Student School Committee Report:

3. Presentation of the Records for Approval:
None

4. Reconsiderations: None

5. Unfinished Business/Calendar:
#20-204 Joint Motion by Member Weinstein, Member Rojas and Member Rachel
Whereas the 2020-21 school year will be unlike any other in the history of schooling; and
Whereas the School Committee recognizes that the demands on all members of our school community will be unprecedented, especially so for educators who work directly with scholars; and
Whereas in a typical school year, preparation for and administration of Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) accounts for a significant amount of time in classroom communities and educator workloads; and
Whereas standardized tests have been shown to have biases that disproportionately negatively impact scholars of color and scholars with low-incomes, which may be further amplified in the pandemic context; and
Whereas the School Committee is committed to holding all scholars to high academic standards regardless of how scholar proficiency is assessed; and
Whereas teachers have a wide variety of formative and summative assessment tools they can use and there is growing interest in adopting competency-based assessments to assess scholar growth; now therefore be it
Resolved that, by August 15, 2020, the School Committee and Superintendent will send the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education a copy of this resolution urging that the Department suspend MCAS for school year 2020-21; and be if further
Resolved that, if DESE does not suspend MCAS this year, the Cambridge School Committee and Superintendent will discuss how to enable educators to have the capacity to focus on developing pedagogy adapted to this new context and to focus on teaching and other scholar support, rather than test preparation and administration. C20-232, 8/4/2020 (Bowman)

#20-205 Joint Motion by Member Weinstein, Member Rojas and Member Rachel
Whereas the Cambridge Public School District is committed to a mission of equity, anti-racism, academic rigor, joyfulness, and preparation of all scholars for success in adult life i; and
Whereas during the emergency school building closures last year the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education identified priority standards to teach in the spring; and
Whereas the Cambridge Public School District (CPSD) is developing plans for 2020-21 school year instruction through convening grade level educator collaboratives; and
Whereas the School Committee supports collaboration between educators, scholars, and caregivers to identify CPSD “power standards” for this year that support our district needs and goals; and
Whereas educators, scholars and caregivers have recommended prioritizing skills that support learning across disciplines, such as literacy, critical thinking, social justice, teamwork, and social emotional learning skills; now therefore be it
Resolved that, before scholars resume school this fall, CPSD will establish a set of power standards integrated across the pre K-12 curriculum for the 2020-21 academic year; and
Be it further resolved that the Superintendent will ensure these standards will be established in collaboration with key stakeholders: educators, scholars, caregivers; and
Be it further resolved that these standards will advance our work to be a district of equity, antiracism, and rigorous, joyful and culturally responsive teaching that prepares every scholar for success post graduation; and
Be it further resolved that these standards will be shared with the School Committee and all caregivers and scholars with clarity about what is expected of their scholar to learn in a given year; and
Be it further resolved that these standards will be reviewed during the academic year by the team that collaborated to create them and will be adjusted as necessary; and
Be it further resolved that the Curriculum and Achievement Subcommittee will convene a meeting after the year to review this pilot and make recommendations as to how best to proceed in future years. C20-233, 8-4-2020 (Bowman)

#20-210 Joint Motion by Mayor Siddiqui, Member Rachel and Member Weinstein
Whereas Health and safety, racial equity, and family partnerships are among the guiding principles of the Cambridge Public Schools Department in their planning for reopening; and
Whereas Cambridge Public School educators and many caregivers are essential workers; and
Whereas There cannot be a safe reopening of schools without addressing childcare needs of both families and educators; and
Whereas The lack of childcare options must not be a barrier to scholars’ learning; now therefore be it
Resolved That the Cambridge Public School District works with the City of Cambridge Department of Human Services and community partners to determine childcare options and to provide an update to the School Committee on what is possible, to ensure options for Cambridge Public School families and educators as soon as possible. C20-238, 8-4-2020 (Bowman)

C20-242 Late Order from the floor from Mayor Siddiqui, Member Fantini and Member Rachel
That the following be referred to a second reading:

Whereas equity and access are top priorities for the Cambridge Public Schools and the Cambridge School Committee; and
Whereas crucial discussions around school reopening are happening in subcommittee meetings, and
Whereas it is integral that all Cambridge Public School scholars, families and staff can easily access this information; and
Whereas the School Committee amended the rules to record and post subcommittee meetings online this spring; and
Whereas public participation in subcommittee meetings has reached an all-time high; therefore be it
Resolved that the rules are amended to allow subcommittee meetings to be live-streamed on Cambridge Educational Access TV Channel 99 (first reading).
6. Awaiting Reports:
#20-99 Joint Motion by Member Fantini and Vice-Chair Bowman
Be referred to the Communications and Community Relations Sub-Committee for review
WHEREAS, the Cambridge Public School District is committed to providing families with information that
will promote increased family engagement; and
WHEREAS, engaging families as a partner with a formal, ongoing feedback mechanism that creates
differentiated opportunities for family voice and engagement is a crucial component of the 2017 - 2020
District Plan; therefore
Be it resolved that the committee directs the Superintendent to create a Parent University whereby the
school department organizes and provides relevant information/courses to parents to allow all parents to
become partners in the education of their children.
Be it further resolved that the school department works with the two newly created parent engagement
leaders and parent liaisons in this work.
7. Superintendent’s Agenda:
7a. Presentations:
COVID-19 Response Update…….…Dr. Kenneth Salim, Superintendent of Schools

7b. CPS District Plan:

7c. Consent Agenda:

20-222 Approval of Private School-Ecole Francaise
Greater Boston (EFGB)

20-223 Approval of Agreement between the Cambridge
School Committee & the Cambridge Education Association Units A & B
Regarding Office of Student Services Recovery Team for
School Year 2020-2021

20-224 Approval of the Agreement between Cambridge Liaisons Invested in Families and Education AFSCME/AFL-CIO (LIFE/AFSCME) and Cambridge School Committee

20-225 Approval of Incentive Pay for Non-Union Hourly Staff

20-226 Approval Revision to Inoculation of Student Policy
(Second Reading)

20-227 Approval of Title IX Sexual Misconduct Policy
(Second Reading)

20-228 Approval of Maximum Elementary, Upper School & High School Student Activity Account Balances

20-229 Day & Residential Program Services not Available from
The Cambridge School Department

20-230 Contract Award: Cambridge Health Alliance: Special
Education Services (Increase)

20-231 Contract Award: Sunbelt Rentals: Equipment Rental

20-232 Gifts/Miscellaneous Receipts

20-233 Grant Award: Coronavirus Relief Fund (CvRF) Grant
(SC21203)

20-234 Grant Award: Remote Learning Technology Essentials
Grant (SC21202)

20-235 Grant Award: FY21 Title III: English Language Acquisition
For Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students (SC21737)
8. Non-Consent Agenda:

9. School Committee Agenda
#20-236 Joint Motion by Mayor Siddiqui, Member Wilson, and Member Rachel
Whereas anti-racism is a key priority and value of the Cambridge Public Schools, Cambridge School Committee, and the City of Cambridge; and
Whereas the old Rindge Tech “Warriors” logo was abolished in 1989 for perpetuating derogatory and harmful stereotypes of indigenous peoples; and
Whereas the Rindge Tech Alumni Association (RTAA), while a separate entity from the Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School Alumni Association, produces the alumni directory for the alumni of Rindge Tech, Cambridge High & Latin, and Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS); and
Whereas RTAA continues to prominently feature this discontinued Warriors mascot in its marketing and promotional materials shared with over 20,000 of Cambridge Public High School alumni; and
Whereas the alumni directory also includes an official message from the current Cambridge Public Schools Superintendent, announcing “support” for and pride “to be associated with” the publication of this directory; and
Whereas CRLS alumni began a petition with over 780 signatures to stop the continued use of this mascot and strenuously objects to the use of the Rindge Tech logo; therefore be it
Resolved that the Cambridge Public Schools issue a statement condemning organizations that continue to use, produce, or disseminate this logo; and be it further
Resolved that the Cambridge Public Schools issue a statement of apology to all CRLS alumni stating that the juxtaposition of the Rindge Tech Logo and the CRLS Falcon logo was done without the express written consent of the CRLS Alumni Association; and be it further
Resolved that the Cambridge Public Schools cease all forms of collaboration, including sharing of alumni lists and entering into any contracts or agreements with any entities that continue to use, produce, or disseminate this logo.

#20-237 Motion by Member Fantini
Given that the current functionality of the Google Meet Application does not meet the needs of many of our Cambridge Public Schools Staff; therefore
Be it resolved that the Superintendent make provisions to allow the use of Zoom until such time Google Meet can support the needs of all staff; and
Be it further resolved that the Superintendent recommend a financing plan to support
such purchases.

#20-238 Joint Motion by Member Wilson, Mayor Siddiqui and Member Rachel
Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant challenge to door-to-door outreach for a number of things, and;
Whereas the Census completion helps to direct adequate funding to local communities for schools, roads, and other essential public services, as well as determine the number of seats each state has in Congress and the political representation at all levels of government, and;
Whereas the deadline for the completion of the US Census is September 30, 2020, and;
Whereas the City of Cambridge is at 65.6% of self-response completion compared to the 2010 overall self-response completion of 72.8%, now therefore be it;
Resolved that the Cambridge Public Schools will join efforts with the City of Cambridge to engage families and scholars in being counted for the 2020 US Census.

#20-239 Joint Motion by Member Wilson, Member Weinstein and Mayor Siddiqui
Whereas the Cambridge Public School District is committed to providing equity and access, and;
Whereas neighboring districts including Somerville, Watertown, Boston, and Chelsea are using the Zoom platform in addition to Google Classroom and Google Meets, and;
Whereas the information from educators regarding the need of efficient technology tools to effectively teach and engage scholars remotely requires tools with multiple features; including breakout rooms for small group and/or independent 1:1 work with an educator, and;
Whereas CPS educators have expressed their preference of the Zoom platform based on experience teaching remotely with Zoom and other platforms, and;
Whereas CPS caregivers have also indicated the importance to their children’s learning of features currently available on Zoom and not on competing platforms; and
Whereas Google Meets is scheduled to release the feature of breakout rooms and other important features this October, however, this date was pushed back already, and may be pushed back again, and;
Whereas ICTS has been working tirelessly to understand and meet scholar, educator and caregiver technology needs, now therefore be it;
Resolved that the Superintendent will conduct a feasibility report to determine the need for and usage of the Zoom platform, and be it further;
Resolved that the Cambridge School Committee will support the need for CPSD to obtain Zoom licenses for educators who opt-in to and provide technology support for educators to have access to the best possible tools with the features they need to teach remotely.
10. Resolutions (letters of congratulations, letters of condolence):

11. Announcements:

12. Late Orders:

13. Communications and Reports from City Officers:


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