School Committee Recap

Above: Superintendent Sara Ahern presents to the School Committee.

At the Tuesday evening meeting of the Franklin School Committee, the Citizen Comments period again included individuals concerned with the breadth and duration of the mask policy.

One individual said, “It's clear none of you want to make a clear plan or decision, you'd like to continue to wait for DESE [Department of Elementary and Secondary Education], other state guidance, or even the Board of Health,” rather than taking steps to get past the requirements.

The individual also commented regarding the dependence of the schools on federal money to help teachers and kids with the mandate and its impact and questioned what would happen when that money runs out.“You accepted the incentives of DESE at the expense of our healthy children.”

Following Citizen Comments, two student representatives provided updates on student activities at Franklin High and on activities in the Junior Class, specifically.

Some highlights of the Superintendents Report included:

> Construction is underway on the resurfacing of the ECDC playground, one of the capital projects in the last round of capital improvement. Families are being given notice because it will impact the arrival process.

> The football coaching staff was recognized by the Patriot’s Charitable Foundation

> An author will be visiting the middle school who has been listed as a best-seller by the New York Times.

> Due to disruptions in the supply chain, the school nutrition program is struggling to secure all the food and supply items needed and also facing staffing shortages.

> The Metro West Adolescent Health Survey is going to be administered this fall for grades 7-12. Questions are developmentally appropriate and differentiated based on the grade level, and generally pertainto the following areas. Alcohol, Tobacco and drug use violence and safety, nutrition and physical health, online behaviors, sexual behaviors, mental health. Families can opt their children out of the survey by responding to the letter they receive.

> The Wellness Department adjusts the health curriculum in response to survey findings.

> The schools are pushing information to parents about worrisome influences from TikTok and other social media.

Ryan Augusta assistant principal from Franklin High School, reported on how the school system is working to provide safe supportive schools that are inclusive and collaborative learning environments through engaging all stakeholders. Synergy, a company that specializes in safety, helped assess policies and practices and also they conducted a facilities audit. This supported creation of a district-wide safety plan and emergency response protocols.

Protocols are designed to prevent and minimize the effects of a violent incident. For example, a multidisciplinary team determines whether a threat is a transient threat or a serious threat.

When it came time to discuss Superintendent goals, Committee Member Judith Pfeffer questioned whether, with 19 days before the election, the committee should be defining goals. “It doesn't quite seem fair to me, that we're building goals for you, but we're not going to be here. It's going to be the new school committee,” she said. “I think this should be put off until the second meeting in November, and let the new school committee decide,” she added.

Ahern, defended the timing, noting that it falls in line with the district improvement plan’s August-September timeframe. “The intention for these goals is that they would come to the end of the school year, and then a new set of two-year goals would get established,” she said

After further discussion, the Committee approved the goals.

Discussion then moved to Resolutions recommended by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees. They were:

1. Resolution 1: Dedicated Funding for School based Clinics and Services

2. Resolution 2: Homework Gap And WIFI/Internet Access

3. Resolution 3: IDEA Full Funding Act

4. Resolution 4: Recess

5. Resolution 5: Zero-Tolerance Policies

6. Resolution 6: Alternative To MCAS

7. Resolution 7: School Committees And Receivership

8. Resolution 8: Electric School Buses

9. Resolution 9: Prohibiting the Use of Native American Mascots

After a lengthy discussion, the Committee agreed to move the matter to a second reading.

Two personnel policies were also moved to a second reading.

The Committee also heard an update on “back-to-school” matters, including infection rates and increased vaccination rates among eligible children ages 12 to 18. Some 81% have had one dose and about 74% are fully vaccinated.

Several other matters were touched upon, future agenda items were discussed, and minutes approved.