School Committee: September 10, 2020

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0:00 All right, I will go ahead and call us to order at 6.33 p.m. If anybody wants to make public comment, please raise your hand. I’ll give everyone a minute. Anybody want to make public comment? All right, then we will move forward. So we’ve got a few things on the agenda tonight. We will start with the approval of the policy changes. The first policy that we are looking at is the sexual harassment policy, which is Policy ACAB. So Emily and John and myself, as the Policy Subcommittee, met last Friday to go over both of the policies that are on the agenda for tonight. And actually, I’m looking, and it’s wrongly stated that we’re voting on it tonight. So this is our first reading. So the sexual harassment policy is, I actually, John, do you want to fill us in on the sexual harassment policy and why we’re making changes to that today? Sure. I’m happy to. A lot of changes at the federal level with Title IX that really adjusted the investigation process and procedure significantly for post-secondary schools, but also for K-12 education. And even though, locally, in Marblehead, we had done a good deal of work updating our sexual harassment policy,

1:40 the Title IX changes at the federal level need to incorporate what people see before them this evening. So this is adjusting to regulations at the national level that affect our local policy. So Megan. Can I ask a question? Are we going to clear? Yeah, I was just going to ask if anybody had any questions. So this may be a stupid question, so I apologize. But, you know, John, you mentioned that we had done quite a bit of work on this policy and, you know, related policies in the fall of last year that our legal counsel, John Foskett, has helped us with. So can, I mean, I’m guessing that you’ve run through this with him to make sure that everything that was in there is still covered by this new policy. Yes. And he is intimately aware, of course, of issues at the local level. So he had an eye to incorporating the federal changes with regard to what happened here. So what you have before you is actually the recommendation from John Foskett as to the policy that we adopt? We also had, there was a corresponding policy, I think, along specifically related to the procedures, right? It was at ACR. Is that affected by this policy or included? How does that work? You don’t need the ACR now because it incorporates those procedural elements in the policy itself. Perfect. Okay. Thank you. Yep.

3:10 Yep. Sarah. Just to follow up on what Megan asked, did anybody by chance reach out to our insurance Maya and make sure that all of these are in line with anything that they’re seeing or working on and that we’re not, that we have to sign off from everybody and everything? We have not done that, but we can do that this week because as I mentioned, this will be the first read and then it’ll come up next Thursday for our regularly scheduled meeting. And that will be when our vote is, so we can run it past them too. Okay. Yeah. I just think that, you know, it never hurts. Yeah, that’s a good idea. So if, I don’t know if John will do that or if Megan will do that, but whoever does it, if they can just circle back? I’m happy to. Okay. Thanks. Sounds good. All right. Any other questions? David, you good? All right. All right. So I don’t, I don’t have to read the policy verbatim, correct? No, you do. Okay. So file ACAB sexual harassment. Sexual harassment of students or of employees by other students, employees, vendors, and other third parties will not be tolerated in the Marblehead Public Schools, which will be referred to as district going forward.

4:51 The alleged harassment must involve conduct that occurred within the school’s own program or activity, including at a location or under circumstances where the school owned or substantially controlled the premises, exercised oversight, supervision, or discipline over the location or participants, or funded, sponsored, promoted, or endorsed the event where the alleged harassment occurred and must have occurred against a person in the United States. This policy is in effect while students are on school grounds, district property or property within the jurisdiction of the district, on school buses, or while attending or engaging in school sponsored activities. Students whose behavior is found to be in violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including suspension or expulsion pursuant to disciplinary codes. Employees who have been found to violate this policy will be subject to discipline up to and including termination of employment, subject to contractual disciplinary obligations. The district will promptly and reasonably investigate allegations of sexual harassment through designation of a Title IX coordinator and building based employees as set forth below. Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. The definition includes unwelcome conduct on the basis of sex that is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the school’s education program or activity. It also includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment includes conduct by an employee conditioning and educational benefit or service upon a person’s participation in unwelcome sexual conduct, often called quid pro quo harassment and sexual assault at the Federal Clary Act defines that crime.

6:34 While it is not possible to list all the additional circumstances that may constitute sexual harassment, following are some examples of conduct which, if unwelcome, may constitute sexual harassment depending on the totality of the circumstances, including the severity of the conduct and its pervasiveness. Unwelcome sexual advances, whether they involve physical touching or not, sexual epithets, jokes, written or oral references to sexual conduct, gossip regarding one’s sex life, comment on an individual’s body, comment on an individual’s sexual activity, deficiencies, or prowess, displaying sexually suggestive objects, pictures, cartoons, unwelcome, leering, whistling, rushing against the body, sexual gestures, suggestive or insulting comments, inquiries into one’s sexual experiences, and discussion of one’s sexual activities. The legal definition of sexual harassment is broad and in addition to the above examples, other sexual or intended conduct, whether it is intended or not, that is unwelcome and has the effect of creating an environment that is hostile, offensive, intimidating, or, sorry, intimidating to male, female, or gender nonconforming students or employees may also constitute sexual harassment. Because the district takes allegations of sexual harassment seriously, we will respond promptly to the complaints of sexual harassment and following an investigation where it is determined that such inappropriate conduct has occurred, we will act promptly to eliminate the conduct and impose corrective action as is necessary, including disciplinary action where appropriate. Please note that while this policy sets forth our goals of promoting an environment that is free of sexual harassment, policy is not designed or intended to limit our authority to discipline or take remedial action for conduct, which we deem unacceptable regardless of whether that conduct satisfies the definition of sexual harassment.

8:11 For example, conduct that constitutes harassment other than sexual harassment, bullying, violation of the student disciplinary code, or school district workplace rules, unlawful discrimination, hazing, or student misconduct statutes will be investigated and addressed under the district relevant policies and the applicable laws. A complaint is an indiv- is an indiv- complainant is an indiv- individual who is alleged to be a victim of conduct that would constitute sexual harassment. A respondent is an individual who has been reported to the, be the perpetrator of the conduct that could constitute sexual harassment or a violation of this policy. Retaliation against a complaintant because the complaintant has filed a sexual harassment complaint or assisted or participated in sexual harassment investigation or proceeding is also prohibited. A student or employee who is found to have retaliated against another in violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including student suspension and expulsion or employee termination. The complainant does not have to be a person at whom the unwelcome sexual conduct is directed. The complainant, regardless of gender, may be a witness to and personally offended by such content- conduct. Notice of sexual harassment. The regulations require a school district to respond when the district has actual knowledge of sexual harassment. Schools must treat seriously all reports of sexual harassment that meet the definition of sexual harassment and the conditions of actual notice and jurisdiction, whether or not the complainant files a formal complaint. A formal complaint is a document filed by a complainant or signed by the Title IX coordinator alleging sexual harassment against a correspondent and requesting that the district investigate the allegation of sexual harassment.

9:50 Schools are required to investigate every formal complaint and respond meaningfully to every known report of sexual harassment. If the con receipt of allegations with Title IX coordinator shall promptly contact the complainant confidentially to discuss the availability of support measures, consider the complainant’s wishes with respect to supportive measures, inform the complainant that supportive measures are available with or without the filing of a formal complaint, and explain the process for filing a formal complaint. Supportive measures include but are not limited to non-disciplinary, non-punitive individualized services offered as appropriate, as reasonably available and without fee or charge to the complainant or the respondent before or after the filing of a formal complaint or where no formal complaint has been filed. Such measures are designed to restore or preserve equal access to education programs or activities without unreasonably berinating the other party, including measures designed to protect the safety of all parties or the district’s educational environment or to deter sexual harassment. Supportive measures may include counseling extensions of deadlines or other course-related adjustments, modifications of work or class schedules, school buildings, campus export services, mutual restrictions to contact the district’s educational department. The changes in work location, needs of absence, increased security and monitoring of certain areas of the building and campus, and other similar measures. Where there has been a finding of responsibility, the regulations require remedies designed to restore or preserve access to the school’s education program or activity, due process protections.

11:23 Due process protections in connection with investigation and decision-making regarding a complaint include the following. One, if the allegations do not meet the definition of sexual harassment and do satisfy the requirements regarding location or connection to an educational program of the school district, the allegations shall be dismissed for purpose of Title IX but may be investigated and addressed under other prohibitions given the student discipline code, relevant collective bargaining agreements and other laws under which they fit. Two, a presumption of innocence throughout the grievance process, which is the burden of proof on the school. Three, a complaint and wishes with respect to whether the school investigates will be respected unless the Title IX coordinator determines that signing a formal complaint to initiate an investigation over the wishes of the complainant is not clearly unreasonable in light of the unknown circumstances. Four, a prohibition of the single investigator model, instead requiring a decision maker separate from the Title IX coordinator or investigator. Proof by the preponderance of the evidence subject to limitations. Six, the opportunity to test the credibility of parties and witnesses through disclosure of evidence and opportunity to submit additional questions, subject to rape shield protections. Seven, written notice of allegations and an equal opportunity to review the evidence upon filing a formal complaint. Eight, an objective evaluation of all relevant evidence in sculptor and exculpatory and avoidance of credibility determinations based on a person’s status as a complainant, a respondent or a witness.

12:56 Nine, Title IX coordinators, investigators and decision makers must be trained and free from bias or conflict of interest. Ten, a right to appeal from the determination regarding responsibility from a dismissal of a formal complaint or the allegations therein, whether determination or dismissal involved. Any of the following procedural irregularity that affect the outcome, newly discovered evidence that could affect the outcome or the Title IX coordinator, the investigator, the decision maker had a conflict of interest or bias that affected the outcome. Eleven, as long as the process is voluntary for all parties, after being fully informed and written consent is provided by both parties, the school may facilitate informal resolution of a formal sexual complaint, but no such informal resolution can be used for the allegations that are that an employee sexually harassed a student. A district may establish an informal investigation process that may, upon the request of the complainant, be followed by a formal process. The title IX coordinators in the district are Nan Murphy, assistant superintendent, Nine, Whidger Road, Marblehead, Massachusetts. Seven, eight, one, six, three, nine, three, one, four, oh, and Eric Oxford, director of student services, Nine, Whidger Road, Marblehead, Massachusetts. Seven, eight, one, six, three, nine, three, one, four, zero. The Title IX coordinator or the school building principal shall be the initial entity to receive the sexual harassment complaint. In all cases, the Title IX coordinator shall be informed as soon as possible of the filing of the complaint. Nothing in this policy shall prevent any person from recording the prohibited conduct other than those designated complaint recipients.

14:29 An employee with actual knowledge of conduct that may violate this policy must report to the Title IX coordinator. The district may remove a respondent on an emergency basis after undertaking an individualized safety and risk analysis and determining that an immediate threat to the physical safety or the safety of any student or any other individual arising from the allegations justifies removal. The district will provide the respondent with written notice and an opportunity to challenge the decision immediately following the removal and importance of any applicable law, collective bargaining agreements, and student handbook investigations. The investigating officer shall be an assistant principal in the building or other career administrator designated by the principal, the investigating officers in the district are Michelle Carlson, assistant principal, Marblehead High School, 2 Humphrey Street, Marblehead, Massachusetts, seven, eight, one, six, three, nine, three, one, zero, zero. And Stephen Gallo, assistant principal of the village school, 93 Village Street, Marblehead, Massachusetts, seven, eight, one, six, three, nine, three, one, five, nine. The investigation shall be conducted in such a way as to maintain confidentiality to the extent practicable under the circumstances and in compliance with applicable law. The investigation shall be prompt, thorough, and impartial and will include at least a private interview with the complainant, with the respondent, and with witnesses. The investigator shall give the parties equal opportunity to present facts and expert witnesses and other inculpatory and asphalt-story evidence. They’ll give each party the same opportunities to select an advisor of the party’s choice who may but need not be an attorney.

16:04 They shall send written notice of all interviews or meetings. They shall send to the party’s evidence directly related to the allegations in an electronic form or hard copy, with at least 10 school days for the parties to inspect, review, and respond. And they shall prepare and submit an investigative report that fairly summarizes the relevant evidence to the decision maker who shall be the principal or his or her designee other than the investigator. The investigator shall strive to complete investigations within 25 school days of the filing of the formal complaint and resumptive of the investigation after an unsuccessful information resolution meeting. During the investigation, the investigator shall take the following steps. One, the investigator shall interview the complainant to obtain a clear understanding of that complainant’s allegations within five school days of the filing of the formal complaint, provided that the complainant is available to be interviewed by the investigator. Two, the investigator will interview the respondent to obtain a response to the complainant’s allegations from the respondent within five school days of the interview with the complainant, provided that the respondent is available to be interviewed with the investigator. The investigator will interview witnesses identified by the complainant or respondent within five school days of being identified as a potential witness. Sarah, if I could, I think you were doing an excellent job in reading this policy, and I really appreciate it. But I’ve been on the school committee for six years, and we have never engaged in this procedure.

17:35 So, if I could just interject for a second here. Policy adoption, file BCG for the school committee, identifies the procedures for school committees to adopt policies. And it says, to permit time for the study of all policies, and as you’ve said, this is the first time, we’re not voting it tonight, of all policies or amendments, and to provide an opportunity for interested parties to react, proposed policies and or amendments will be presented as an agenda item in the following sequence. So, the idea of three readings or three times that it appears on the agenda is as follows. Item one, information item, distributed with the agenda. Item two, discussion, a response from the superintendent, a report from any advisory committee, a committee discussion and direction from any redrafting. Item three is an action item where there is discussion, adoption and or rejection. So, I’m not seeing anything within our policy adoptions that requires you to continue to show how well you can read documents. And they are part of the public record and they will be made available and we are not voting for them tonight.

19:07 So, based on what I’m seeing here and my past experience of six years and Jen Shaffner and everybody else working on policies, I really don’t think we need to have you continue reading this policy. Well, then I will gladly stop. I don’t know how everybody else feels about it. Yeah, I would agree with that David. I just think, you know, this is eight pages and the next one’s eight pages. I don’t know that it’s the best use of our time. I would say, you know, obviously I was on the policy committee the last two years and we didn’t make policy changes. But it’s my understanding from my work there from Dorothy that, you know, we don’t have to necessarily read it verbatim. It’s more about the process to comment and provide the policy to the public as well and make sure that the policy committee has had a chance to review and revise. Exactly. And that’s why we have the three step process so that people can see it, review it, revise, comment. And it’s not something that gets done in one night. Exactly. It’s been my understanding, having read the policy book, that we’re required by our policy and by law to publicly read the policy that’s being voted on twice in two separate meetings, twice prior to voting on it. Well, I just, I mean, if somebody wants to share the screen, I just pulled up policy adoption file BGB.

20:42 Yeah, I guess my understanding, it’s not a literal meaning of the word reading. Maybe it should say presentation. I think it’s the presentation and the discussion around it and the ability obviously for the public to have a chance to read and comment as well. Right. And I think in the sequence we’re in tonight, we are in item one, which is information item, a distribution of the agenda with the agenda. The policy has been distributed with the agenda. The next time we bring it up, there will be discussion. And then the third time we will take action on it. That’s the way I see policy, BGB. Yeah. And I know we didn’t when we adopted all those policies a couple of years ago, we certainly didn’t read through the entire policy book. We’ve done that for days. So we will move on. I apologize. So that brings us then to the approval of the supplemental policies on COVID related issues, which is policy proposal EBC supplemental. So that also is in everybody’s Dropbox as well as you are given a Google Doc because we had the hot links put in for the policy, the current policies that we have that kind of relate back to where some of these bullet points are referring to within our policy book. So basically what this is going to allow us to do is without going back to every single individual policy that may be touched by COVID, we will adopt this EBC supplemental policy for the time of COVID.

22:20 And then once we can back off on the restrictions that COVID is putting on us, we can then just go back and and rescind one policy instead of I think there was about 31 policies reference within this write up. So does anybody have any questions about EBC supplemental? Thank you for putting it into a Word document with hyperlinks. I hope that made it much easier to review. So I appreciate that. No problem. There’s a good way as I as the reason I wanted to be on the policy committee. It’s a good way to start to get to know the policies a lot better. So we’re lining up COVID. Any other questions on this one? Then they again, they will be on our meeting, I believe next Thursday is the 17th. So they will be there and that will be the point at which we will vote on them. So then that leads us to approval of the handbooks. One of the reasons that we had tabled this last week was so that we could get a better handle on these COVID related policy issues, so that it’s reflective of particularly the attendance piece. So there are a couple of things wrapped into our Dropbox. One is if the final handbook changes for the high school and then the other to the pre K through six handbook and the veterans handbook.

23:52 Does anybody have any questions on that before we move? Megan? I just have a clarification really from my own edification around the ID badges at the high school. Can you just talk through that piece? So is Dan, does Dan happen to be on tonight? I don’t. You know, it’s not going to hold up my vote, so I can follow up with him offline if that’s easier. I did ask Dan a question as we were doing the building walkthroughs about the use of student IDs. And I know that it’s been something that they’ve kind of had in fits and starts over the past couple of years trying to get it used more often. And so he I know at that point was very hesitant to make this year the year to start with the student IDs. Okay. Okay. Thank you. All right. So can I get a motion to accept the high school handbook changes for 2020 and 2021 school year as well as the changes for the pre K through six handbook and the veterans handbook. So Megan moved. Emily second. Any last comments? All right. I’ll roll call vote. Sarah Gold. Yes. Megan Taylor. Yes.

25:24 Sarah Fox. Yes. David Harris. Yes. And I just want to say thank you to how it was presented where the changes to the handbooks were put. I think David. Yep. Okay. And then Emily. Yes. All right. So that passes five to zero. Thanks guys. Okay. So that leads us to our final agenda item this evening, which is approval of the memorandum of agreement with the Marblehead Education Association. So I know everybody has had this document for a couple of days. We’ve had a chance to talk with John and ask him questions. It was approved by the union on what night was that Tuesday night, John? Yes. Okay. So Tuesday night they approved it. So I will go ahead and ask for a motion to approve and accept the memorandum of agreement with the Marblehead Education Association. So moved. Megan moved. Second. Emily second. All right. Any questions? I think David, we may have lost David. So I think he hopefully we’ve got a couple of questions or comments as he tries to get back on.

26:55 I’ll just reiterate for all of you because, you know, I voiced my one concern with John earlier, but as it was, you know, not the general committee. Obviously we’re wanting to deliberate outside of the public meeting. I thought I would share it with you. My only concern on it was the provision that requires teachers teaching remotely or teaching a remote class who do not have not obtained a release from the district due to like an ADA reason for being the remote or teaching from home to teach in their classroom and in the building. I had several concerns about that. You know, real estate in our buildings is at a premium. I was worried about using up space when for some to teach when children are in that space. I was worried about that. I was worried about, you know, any time anybody walks in a building anywhere in life, whether it’s a grocery store or wherever, there’s, you know, some risk attributed to it. So the idea that we could minimize risk further by not having people teaching from buildings if they’re teaching to a remote student body. There was a few pieces. John and I talked through it. I’m prepared to still vote. Obviously the union voted to approve it, so they must be feeling okay with it.

28:28 I just had some questions about it. I know some districts have done away with it, that piece of it. But that was really the only piece of it that kind of stuck to me. So I think, you know, I know when I did the walkthrough with the union a couple weeks ago, as well as John and a few other people, and Andrew Petty, I found that there were, that there was plenty of space for people. They had thought very long and very hard about providing spaces for teachers, not having multiple teachers unless it was a co-taught classroom. And those teachers were in agreement. So, I mean, John, correct me if I’m wrong on that. But I think, you know, it’s a piece where people are going into a space that is really designated as theirs. Yes, and part of the conversation that Sarah Fox and I had this morning was that some of our teachers that have been granted remote learning teaching due to medical conditions or that frees up some real estate in the building, which creates additional space. So I certainly appreciate the concern, but as we found walking through the district, there are enough spaces to accommodate the staff, particularly when we return to the hybrid in full on October 5th.

30:03 Those educators will need to be in the building. And so having them there during the remote learning piece whenever we’re in remote learning, I think, is important. David, welcome back. You’re muted. Oh, thanks. I lost internet connection there for a minute. Had to reset everything. So we do have a motion and it’s seconded to accept the memorandum of agreement. So that’s just what we’re discussing right now. Great. Thank you. I don’t know if you had any further questions or comments or wanted to highlight anything that you and John had discussed. Well, if it has not been discussed while I was away for a few minutes, I think one of the things was the idea that there was a way to do that. The idea that there would be an opportunity during the remote learning period for students to potentially meet with their teachers. Absolutely. And I think that families, some of you sitting on this call this evening, have enjoyed the opportunity to visit schools and meet teachers and to make those connections. And so that language is not precluding those events from happening. And as we talked about, some of the more important ones were what we call, I guess, the step up or the move up opportunities from third grade up to village and sixth grade up to the vets and eighth grade up to the high school.

31:40 I’m sure Dan and Matt Fox and Amanda are all working, but I think those are some of the critical junctures, not that a 10th grader moving to 11th grade might not want to see what it’s going to be like. But they’ve been in the high school. And I think those are some of the critical areas. And it’s also first-time kindergartners, for instance, coming into their school, what that experience is going to be like. And I can just say that when I was at Widget Road, when I was being buzzed in, the mailbox was sitting to the right of me. And I noticed there were all these postcards. And they were postcards from a kindergarten teacher going out to all the individual incoming students. So I thought that was a nice touch. So I’m sure there’s all kinds of other ways that teachers are trying to engage their students and welcome them in. But I hope that if there is the opportunity over the next three weeks, as you say, John, that it’s not precluding parents and students from coming into schools to provide an extra comfort level where it might be needed. Well, this gives me an opportunity to celebrate our staff because the creativity that they’re employing to make this very unique return to school special and inviting, certainly the leaders are hearing from Nan and me on a daily basis just how critical these meetings are.

33:19 And even for our fully remote learners to feel connected to the school and to the staff and to have those opportunities to interact and build relationships. And so I am confident that those are happening and will continue to happen until we’re into our full hybrid model. So I appreciate that question. Meg? Can I just follow on from that? Because I think, you know, John mentioned something similar to what David said earlier. And I think, you know, David mentioned a lot of those transition points. There’s one, you know, that he hasn’t mentioned that I feel like I want to make sure does not get dropped. And that’s the second graders that are going from coffin into third into third grade at village because, you know, they’re younger. Not that that matters. You know, the transition is a transition. But this is a big move for them. They’ve never stepped foot, many of them, you know, unless they have older siblings, haven’t been into village. It’s a big school. It’s a big change for them. So I want to make sure that they don’t get dropped off, you know, kind of that list of transitions. And I think, you know, what David said and what you’ve said about making the relationships and the connections are important, but also seeing the space where they’re going to be and figuring out how they’re going to maneuver. And this is true for every transition. Where’s the bathroom? How do they get places? Where’s their classroom in relation to the front door? All those things like getting inside and seeing and having that opportunity.

34:50 It’s going to be, I think, very helpful and important step for them. You know, I haven’t seen what’s gone out to all the parents. I can speak as a parent myself for, you know, kids moving into the village is that they’re scheduled right now for a meet and greet, which I think is great, but it’s basically a drive by. So I’m hoping that we’ll see more information around what additional transition activities we’re going to see for that group of kids. And I’m hopeful that the same thing will be happening for the other transition periods or grades. So I just want to make sure that we’re kind of covering everyone that’s transitioning. I appreciate that, Megan. And I think that it really supports the work that Nan and I are doing, not that leaders don’t believe us, but just how critically important this is to make those connection points special and meaningful and not that you feel like you’re going through a drive through window or that you’re watching a Zoom welcome, but that it is really a personalized approach. And, you know, we work with leaders to make sure that there’s consistency as well across grade levels and across buildings. So the experience for a third grade child at the Glover is not markedly different from those third graders that are going to be at Village. And so I appreciate that comment and the feedback because leaders are hearing that from Nan and I on a regular basis. Yeah, and I’m really glad you just mentioned that consistency piece, because that’s the other piece that’s been in the back of my mind

36:23 since, you know, this whole thing started back in March and we talked about it, you know, when we were looking at the remote piece in the spring is that consistency of experience should be the same for all students, you know, regardless of what school or what teacher you have. And so I think, you know, you definitely don’t want to infringe on the discretion and the creativity that you’ve talked about for teachers. That’s important. But we also just have to make sure that the student experience is consistent and that’s kind of more, you know, your role. And I think the principal’s role. So I think consistency is key here. Agree. Emily. Just going off what Megan said, another group that I don’t want to have been forgotten in that move up is the kindergarteners from Evelace going into first grade. I don’t know if they were mentioned, they’ve never been to Coffin. It’s just another group that is entering a whole new building and who are little and it’s a much bigger school that they’re coming from. So that same thing is the second graders going to village. And just to reiterate what Megan said, the consistency among all the grade levels of all the schools is so important. Because, you know, the information that comes goes out to parents needs to be more and it needs to be better and more concise and organized and understandable.

37:58 But we’ve talked about that a lot. But I think that it’s important, Emily, for you to share that in addition to being a school committee member, you’re a parent, as are many of our school committee and you don’t take that hat off by being a school committee member. And so giving that feedback to me, and this is a delicate balance, is the new superintendent how prescriptive to be in this and how much to allow leaders the autonomy in their buildings. And so in finding that balance, we may have to circle back and readjust things in particular as family or as we receive feedback from constituents. And if there’s one thing Marvel heads good at, it’s providing feedback. And you do have the lucky benefit of having four of your five school committee members with second graders transitioning over to village. Yay me! Don’t leave me out of this. Sorry, David. If you left out and want a third grader, I can handle it. But I wanted to piggyback on this a little bit, but I worry that we’re getting away from the MOA discussion and into maybe, I don’t know what we’d call this new business or whatever. But I can hold it off until after the vote because it really, I don’t know how much of this really pertains to the MOA.

39:34 Fair enough. Thank you for redirecting us back to the MOA. I appreciate that because it’s easy to go off on the tangent. So I think the piece of the MOA was the aspect that, and I was looking for it a little while ago and I can’t find it on the fly, but the piece where it was stated that how much interaction before, like in that remote period that teachers will have with their students. Right, just section two. Okay, thanks. So there was a few of us that had some concerns with that particular line or two. Yeah. So I’ll save my comment until after we vote. Alright, sounds good. Does anybody else have any more comments that they want and otherwise I will call for a vote. This is just a comment and I meant to start my piece off with it, but I know a lot of work has gone into this from Sarah and John and Joan and the other MEA executives. And also all of the teachers, you know, so I feel like if the teachers and the administration are happy with this and, you know, obviously the MEA has voted in favor of it at this point that, you know, I just appreciate the work. I appreciate the support from the teachers. So, you know, I just wanted to make sure that that was recognized. I will echo the few meetings that I sat in with to look at this. The conversations were very collaborative. You know, it was a back and forth of, you know, here’s where the concerns are. Here’s what we can do.

41:05 Suggestions. Here’s, you know, if we don’t do this here, the concerns that the union had. So it was, you know, as John has said, it’s been a really good experience through and through and I would voice support for those statements. And I’ll just, I don’t know if this was mentioned when I was offline, but as an example, the piece that was put in about child care, I mean, after all, teaching is all about the children and it’s all about students. And we know that our teachers have students in school. And I think that was a really nice ad to be able to allow teachers to have the opportunity when some remote learning is going on. And, you know, it’s pretty clear, even though the document’s 10 pages long, I think you could really boil it down to three or four pages of specific things that just needed to be spelled out. I think a lot of the things we all know that they’re in the best interest of our students, faculty, staff, and parents. And those things would have happened even without this agreement, but to have it memorialized and documented is a good thing. And I also put credit to the people that spent the time working on this. And I think it does represent when we see what’s happening in other districts and what’s happening outside of Marblehead that I really appreciate the cooperative effort that’s gone into putting this MOU forward so that, you know, we can start school on Monday.

42:55 It’s exciting. Actually, David just said something that reminded me of a question. John, that section about the childcare, I know the governor had or the commissioner had made an order at one point saying that something about you could bring your children if they had to be able to be enrolled in your working district, something to that effect. Does that section on childcare cover say we’re open, but their home district is still full remote? Are the teachers then allowed to bring their child even though we will have students in the classroom? Not when we are in hybrid unless they’re enrolling here. Okay. All right. So they would have to enroll their student in like, say, the first grade or whatever. Yes, which is the provision that the commissioner made in that to allow that flexibility like Marblehead is not a school choice district, but he would open that up to allow that flexibility for a district who say there’s a high school Spanish teacher, just to use my own discipline as an example, that wanted to bring their child to Marblehead because we’re doing the hybrid and they’re maybe in full remote and they don’t have childcare. Okay. All right. I just want a clarification that we would have their children and students in the class. All right. Well, with that, then I will call for a roll call vote. Sarah Gold. Yes. Megan Taylor. Yes. Sarah Fox. Yes. Emily Baron. Yes. And David Harris. Yes. All right.

44:37 And that passes five to zero. We are set to open on Monday. That is very through the chair, if I may. Yes. Can I ask my question now that I kind of was holding on to? Hold on. Did John have one thing to say? Yeah, I just I think I would be remiss not to acknowledge me a and Robin and Sally and Joan. You know, in any negotiation, people do not walk away with everything that they want. But the spirit of concession and collaboration here, I think is speaks to Marblehead. And you just have to watch the news and look at some of the angst and in many cases, vitriol and anger and us against them that are current that is occurring across the Commonwealth in districts. And I consider myself fortunate every day with the relationship that we have with our teachers. And I know some are not happy with some of the things in the MOA. And as the superintendent, there are things that I would have not included in the MOA. But at the end of the day, it is what is getting us to Sarah’s cheer that we’re opening on Monday. And teachers are back in classrooms and students are going to be getting a robust remote learning experience into the hybrid on October 5. So I would I look at it, look at it as celebrate what we have. Yeah, we are incredibly fortunate.

46:10 Yeah. All right, Sarah, now you’ve got your question. This kind of piggybacks on what Emily and Sarah and Megan were kind of commenting that piece that we get from, you know, being wearing the parent hat and in that. I know that people are so appreciative of the Back Together Marvel hood website and the communication with that. And it’s and it’s really it’s been wonderful. I know there’s Google Classroom. I know there’s all these places. But I think one of the biggest concerns last spring for a lot of parents were there that information was in a lot of places, which it’s just natural that it will be in a lot of places. But I’m wondering if even for the first few weeks that there’s one place it’s always guaranteed to be. Maybe like, you know, everything will be in an email also to parents. So those these first three weeks, I think you’re going to be, you know, a bit of a hurdle of what time do they sign on and what do we do and this and that. And if parents are knowing that they’re only checking their email because yes, there will be also information on Back Together Marvel and these other places. But for instance, Back Together can’t put everything from a teacher on there to or at a class level particular class and cohort level. But we know that everything that goes on there maybe comes with an update via email as well. Is it possible that we can make sure at least for these first three weeks that it’s like there is a one stop shopping for every last piece of information and that people don’t have to kind of check multiple places?

47:48 The quick answer is we can do anything. The more complicated answer is you’ve almost foreshadowed my Superintendents Weekly update for this week that people are still looking at central office as the hub for information, but it is really transitioned down to the building level. And that’s going to further transition down into the classroom level. And so I know that man produced a wonderful newsletter from the Office of Teaching and Learning today that addresses many of the concerns or anxieties or back to school questions that people have right now. Back together, mhd.com is a wealth of information and we’ve added things this week that will be in the Superintendents Update but help center for parents and resources. I would say that right now a family or a parents best go to would be the classroom teacher if there is a question about logging on or schedules or time start times that was this week’s anxiety producing what time is all that starting on Monday? And so again, as the questions come up, we tried to fill that out on the back together mhd.com website so that we’re pushing out information, tweeting start times have been updated or tweeting that schedule template is up so that we’re trying to answer the questions in real time and to provide the resources.

49:27 But I think the quick answer to your question, Sarah is yes, we can do anything but the classroom teacher I think at the granular level right now is the best resource for a parent. Okay, that’s perfect because I’m kind of of the mindset like if I didn’t get an email about it from the classroom teacher it didn’t happen. Fair. Can I just add one thing onto that and you know I know it’s Thursday and school starts on Monday so maybe it’s too late, but just going through it with my older daughter. For her. They do it by grade teams. She’s at charter. And so that sixth grade team sent out information on how to log on to the different things so that we could test it, you know, a few days before the start of school. And yes, there were still some bumps along the way which I think is expected that’s going to happen, no matter what, but it just gave us a few days to kind of practice it, you know, and make sure that we’ve kind of got our system started so I don’t know if that’s possible to get out before you know Sunday night. It’s similar to what I said to Sarah anything is possible. I know there are lots of years listening to this right now and I’m sure that work is already being done to address that so that we can push that out to families. Great. All right. Well, that is the end of our agenda. So I will adjourn us at 724. Thanks, everyone.