“Music is an integral part of our education, something that is foundational to our Vision 2025 - The heart of this school is the arts"  - HS Senior Chase Quigley, presenter during this week’s Vision 2025 Showcase

 

*These are not meeting minutes and are not intended to be a transcription of the meeting.

 

• Remarks from the Chair.  Zillie Bhuju reminded the community that there are various ways to keep on top of what is happening at Masco and with the School Committee. Examples listed were: 
  • Superintendent Blog, 
  • School Committee Blog (also on Facebook),
  • Masco app (up-to-date calendar; set your activity stream), 
  • principal announcements, High School (weekly memos) & Middle School 
  • COVID-19 Resources page (recently updated!)  

 

• Remarks from the public.  Gretchen Fishman spoke on behalf of SEPAC, in support of efforts to ensure that the Masconomet Teachers Union contract includes flexibility to allow for adjustments to the school day schedule.  She noted that this is important to ensuring equal access for all students.  Currently, students requiring out of classroom services feel they must opt out of foreign language or an elective.  SEPAC urges the School Committee and Teachers Union to reach an agreement that allows for something like the WIN block.

 

• Negotiations with Masconomet Teachers Association.  Subcommittee Chair Tasha Cooper reported that the MTA has agreed to move forward with mediation. The offer the School Committee currently has on the table focuses on the structure of the school day and on meeting our towns’ requirements around fiscal responsibility.  Its key components are:
• An annual cost-of-living increase of 2% in each year of the agreement.  We value our teachers and their current pay, which places Masco among the top 10% in the state, reflects this. 
• An increase in the number of teaching minutes, from 236 to 250 per day, without changing the length of the work day.  The proposal will allow us to add a WIN block and give teachers one professional development opportunity each week.  
• Adjust the parameters for the start of the school year to allow us the flexibility to start before Labor Day but no earlier than August 25th. Many of our neighboring schools start before Labor Day, including the Tri-Town Union, and we want to be able to coordinate across K-12.
• Revise the description of the teacher workload to allow us to move away from a six-day cycle if we feel that is best for the students.  The current agreement specifies a six-day cycle. 
• An increase in the reimbursable tuition from $250 to $500 per class, on the condition that we obtain an official transcript for reimbursement and movement on the salary grid.  The Association had initially accepted this, but later asked for an additional $100 to cover provision of a transcript.  The School Committee and the Union have researched this and found that obtaining an official transcript is easy and inexpensive.
• Eliminate a provision which allows a teacher to access both additional sick leave and the sick bank.  This would provide for up to 315 days--nearly two school years--of sick time.  Sick leave is a very important benefit, but it is expensive and unpredictable for the District and we need to minimize our financial liability.
• The full Masconomet Teachers Association contract is available on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website

 

• Reports from subcommittees
• Community Relations Subcommittee:  The Subcommittee will devote the first 20 minutes of each (monthly) meeting to a public listening session. Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 10th at 6:30PM via Zoom (login details will be in the agenda for the meeting).  We have appointed liaisons to SEPAC, the umbrella group that includes TTU, TTC, MEF and PAC, and the Councils on Aging in each town.  We are discussing the Small Town Heroes Awards with the Student Council. 
• Budget Subcommittee:  The School Committee recognizes that athletic fees at Masco are disproportionately high compared to neighboring communities.  The only way to reduce the fees is to devote additional budget to this item or reduce the number of athletic programs we offer.  We have asked the administration to incorporate a proposal for reducing the overall family burden in the draft budget for 2022-2023. The “fee-calculating tool” will not be adjusted this year, because the participation data during the pandemic would skew the 3-year average unfavorably for families. The capital planning process will not kick off in 2021-2022 because there are too many competing priorities right now, but we want to begin the process as soon as is feasible.
• Policy Subcommittee: Agreed to put the MASC policy review on hold until March 2022 because our administrators’ time and energy is required for more pressing issues at this time, such as settling a fair contract with the Teachers Union and managing continued Covid-related matters. 

 

• Student Advisory Board update.  Student Advisory Board representatives serve as ex officio members of the School Committee.  Junior Stella Nagle (Class of 2023) spoke on behalf of the Board.  She reported that an overwhelming number of students state that they are happy to be back in school, attending classes, playing sports, participating in clubs, band, and other activities.  Stella thanked the Student Advisory Board for their hard work.  She also reiterated that the students are in favor of reinstating the WIN block.

 

• Vision 2025 Showcase: Teach to Learn.  The School Committee’s goals for this year include elevating activities happening at Masco that support 21st century skill development for our students. Masconomet Performing Arts Department Chair Walter O’Keefe spoke about Teach to Learn, a non-profit arts education network that connects music students and music  teachers from around the world.  Teach to Learn co-founder Derek Beckvold is a Masconomet alumnus and the Masco Music Parents have provided financial support for Masco to participate.  Seniors Ada Yu and Chase Quigley told the committee that Teach to Learn has had an enormous impact on them and their understanding of the connection between music, culture, history, and even physics.  Find out more about the program by watching Music- Teach to Learn,, Teach to Learn Video 1, and  Teach to Learn Video 2

 

• Superintendent’s Reports. 
  • COVID Updates:  There have been 24 COVID cases since October 1; the number of cases continues to decline week by week.  The current vaccination rate is 77.21% and we are unlikely to hit the DESE’s 80% vaccination threshold by November 1.  Education Commissioner Jeff Riley is planning to make a further announcement at the beginning of next week.  Masconomet has administered 29 tests to a total of 18 individuals through the Test and Stay program as of October 17, with no positive tests.  Through the symptomatic testing program, Masconomet has tested 45 individuals and had one positive result (which was revealed to be a false positive).
  • ESSER III Grant: Federal COVID relief funding via the American Rescue Plan ARP Act of 2021.  Masconomet submitted the application for the third ESSER grant (Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief III fund).  Our allocation will be $1.35 million.  Must be spent by September 30, 2024.  For details on this application, including the feedback from the recent survey, see the attachment in the link above. In addition to health and safety, we are planning to expend the funds on programs focused on enhanced instruction and instructional materials and training on social-emotional health.  The administration’s executive team will provide updates on this and consult with the School Committee on any significant changes. There was a long discussion about the grant spending, which will be available on the recording of the meeting.

 

• Superintendent Evaluation.  Zillie proposed a 2-year process and FY22 timeline for establishing goals and agreeing mutually on 6-8 focus indicators in the DESE rubric, to be assessed during summative evaluations. Michael Harvey reviewed the activities supporting progress toward student learning goals over the past year.  He then presented his updated Superintendent Improvement Goals for this year.  The intent is for this process to be fair, thoughtful and useful. Therefore, the committee discussed revisiting the types of evidence and testimony that might be most useful for Dr. Harvey to collect, relative to these goals and initiatives, to support continuous improvement and demonstrate progress toward the intended outcomes. 

 

MASCO RESOURCES:

• News from the Masconomet Superintendent
• COVID-19 Resources page (recently updated!)  
• Use the Masco App to consolidate Masco messages in your Activity Stream. Emails, blog posts, resources, as well as student grade updates

 COMMUNITY RESOURCES:

• Mental Health Resources - recommended by Masconomet Student Services

• TriTown Council is an excellent support resource for families. Follow them on Facebook

Mental Health and Wellness Covid-19 Resources and Information compiled by TTC

With Project Safety Net, the 24/7 telephone support and referral service, students can talk with a local counselor at any time, day or night, by calling (978) 771-4619.

• SEPAC is an excellent support resource for families. Follow them on Facebook to be informed about events, articles, and issues

 

NEXT SC Meeting: 

The School Committee will not meet on November 3rd (as had been tentatively listed on the draft calendar for 2021-22), but may seek an alternative date for that week. Please refer to the “Public Meetings” page on the Masconomet Website for upcoming meetings. Meeting agendas, minutes, documents, and videos are also posted at: https://www.masconomet.org/domain/41. Email any questions, comments or concerns to our committee chair Zillie Bhuju at zbhuju@masconomet.org.

 

Below are some options for community members to stay informed and engage with your Masconomet School Committee.  We welcome and thank our community for demonstrating appropriate civic engagement.

• All our business meetings are open to a public audience and officially posted at least 48 hours in advance at https://www.masconomet.org/domain/184

• FB page and blog - Review meeting summaries (not minutes), by visiting the Masco SC blog: https://www.masconomet.org/domain/207 or following SC Updates Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/.../masconometschoolcommitteeup.../
• This FB page is a supplement to the official postings on the Masconomet Website (https://www.masconomet.org/domain/41), and offered as a courtesy by SC members to help keep the community informed.
• The best way to follow these updates is to set your notifications for this group to “all posts” - While in the group page, follow these steps: (1) choose “notification settings" (2) select “all posts"

• To contact the Masconomet Regional School Committee and find other SC information, please visit https://www.masconomet.org/domain/43 and use the drop-down menu.
• This year 2021-22, the Community Relations subcommittee plans to start their meetings with a 20 minute public forum for Q&A - Look for those to be announced on our blog and FB page!
• Constituents are always welcome to ask for an audience with their elected representatives by contacting us directly. Questions and comments are welcome at any time! Contact information is posted on the website https://www.masconomet.org/domain/43
• Questions related to a specific business agenda are best directed to the Chair in advance of that meeting.
• Comments related to a specific business agenda can be shared during the public comment portion of our regular meetings or by emailing the Chair
• Any email communications relative to a specific meeting should be shared with ample time before that meeting. Something sent too close to the start time of a meeting might not be viewed until after the meeting has concluded.

• Use this guide to help you determine if your topic of interest is indeed a matter of School Committee business, or if it is a matter of district operations: https://www.masconomet.org/Page/699 . If you are unsure, the Chair can (re)direct you as needed.

NOTE THAT IN ORDER TO ABIDE BY OPEN MEETING LAW, THE COMMENTING FEATURE ON SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS HAS BEEN TURNED OFF

“I make my way around this building, and I see that ‘community’ is already here - I don’t think it ever left - but I think we need to start celebrating it again”  - HS Principal Carabastos speaking about “building community back"

 

 Image: Quebec City, where the World Language department is planning a field trip for May 2022. Source: Unsplash.

 

Following is a summary of the Masconomet School Committee meeting that took place on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.  The agenda for the meeting is available on the Masco website. Please note that this is not a formal record of this meeting.  Official minutes will be posted (at the same link as above) after they have been drafted and approved. 

 

• Executive Session.  The meeting began with an Executive Session, during which the Committee met privately to discuss a) bargaining with the Masconomet Teachers Association and b) bargaining with a non-union administrator, Superintendent Mike Harvey.

 

• Remarks from the Chair.  Chairperson Zillie Bhuju thanked Bonnie Thornborough, who recently stepped down from the Committee, for her contributions. “Bonnie’s decision to step down was very difficult and involved a number of personal reasons, but I want to take a moment to acknowledge how dedicated she was to this role and thank her for that.”  Zillie welcomed newly appointed Boxford member Joe McLean and expressed appreciation to members for volunteering themselves in spite of the unique challenges of such unprecedented times, adding “I hope that the ‘job’ continues to return to a somewhat more ‘normal’ experience … and that our community continues to focus on healing and constructive engagement. ... I am confident that we will carry on with the spirit that Bonnie embodied to always hold our students at the center in our work.”  ~  Zillie also noted this was our first opportunity to publicly welcome the new High School principal to Masco as a committee: “Dr. Carabatsos, we are so happy that you are now part of the Masco family!”

 

• Comments from the audience.  Several audience members spoke, including three Masconomet teachers and one member of the public that all voiced support for our teachers and staff and a desire to see the contract settled.  Another asked questions related to the agenda.  

 

• MOU with the Masconomet Teachers Association. To address the 2021-2022 school year, the Committee and the Association worked together to draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).  The School Committee ratified the amendment, and we expect that the Association will do the same.  The School Committee’s public statement on the status of negotiations for a new contract is in Summary Notes from the 9.01.21 meeting. We continue to invite the Union to join the SC at the table together with a mediator so that we can settle a fair contract for our valued teachers and staff. The Masconomet Teachers Association agreement can be found on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website.

 

• Student Advisory Board update.  Student Advisory Board representatives serve as ex officio members of the School Committee.  Junior Raquel Rave spoke on behalf of the Board.  She reported that students are happy to be engaged in school, clubs, and sports again.  She also reported that the Advisory Board believes that students and teachers would like to see the WIN block reinstated. 

 

• Quebec field trip.  Mr. Ryan Quadros of the World Language department reviewed plans for a field trip to Quebec in May for freshman and sophomores studying French language.  The School Committee voted unanimously to approve the plans for this trip.

 

• Vision 2025 Showcase: World Language.  The School Committee’s goals for this year include elevating activities happening at Masco that support 21st century skill development for our students.  World Language department chair Dr. Jeanne O’Hearn was the inaugural guest speaker.  She shared the World Language Department Vision 2025, including a new Seal of Biliteracy that seniors will be eligible to earn starting in 2023.  Two seniors from AP Spanish V joined Dr. O’Hearn to talk about their independent study programs.  Lauren Calabrese has created books for English-language learners that she donated to the Lawrence Public Schools.  Ada Yu designed Bilingual Essential Phrases and Questions sheets for first responders and EMTs; you can read more about these at www.emslangbridge.com .

 

• High School Principal’s Report.  Dr. Carabatsos reported that the first month of school has gone well.  Her focus has been on making sure both students and adults feel supported as they return to in-person learning and teaching.  Student events, including a Halloween Dance, Homecoming Spirit Week, and student performances will take place.  There will be two performing arts productions at the high school this year, although the first production will be delayed as recruiting continues for drama: a new 0.6 FTE instructor and extracurricular hires.  The full report is available here.

 

• Student Clubs.  Students presented proposals for new extracurricular clubs.  Henry Liu made a pitch for an Economics Club; Tracy Weener spoke about the value of a Poetry Club, and Aidan Venckus, Dorian Floreatal, and Pascale Moon proposed a Rocket Club.  The School Committee voted unanimously to approve all of the proposals. Thank you to Mr. Walsh, Mr. Treven, and Mr. Quadros for serving as faculty advisors.

 

• Superintendent’s Report.  Dr. Michael Harvey presented his Report to the School Committee.  The report contains a lot of detail about COVID-19 case rates, the Symptomatic Testing Program, the Test and Stay Program, and current conditions around mask requirements.  We encourage all families to read it.  Dr. Harvey reiterated that the simplest way to remain in school is to get vaccinated.  Families who have not done so should complete the testing consent form. 

 

• Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) annual business meeting delegate and resolutions. The Committee voted to ratify eight of the nine resolutions put forward by MASC.   A majority of the committee voted to abstain from Resolution 9: Prohibiting the Use of Native American Mascots.  Those who voted to abstain cited the ongoing conversation about this in the Masco community.  Our Anti-Racism Subcommittee expects to pick up that discussion on behalf of the committee. The School Committee appointed Zillie Bhuju as its delegate to the MASC annual business meeting. 

 

• School Committee Protocols.  The Committee signed the protocols that were agreed to at our last meeting

 

• Superintendent’s FY22 Salary.  The Committee voted unanimously to approve a 2% increase for Dr. Michael Harvey for FY22.  This is the only salary increase that requires a public vote, unlike all other personnel contracts that include annual salary increases. 

 

• Revised Subcommittee Assignments.  Joe McLean will join the Anti-Racism subcommittee and Terri Teleen will chair the Community Relations Subcommittee. 

 

• Consent Agenda.  The Committee approved meeting minutes for July 21 and September 01 and Warrants signed since September 01, 2021.

 

 

MASCO RESOURCES:

• News from the Masconomet Superintendent
• Use the Masco App to consolidate Masco messages in your Activity Stream. Emails, blog posts, resources, as well as student grade updates

 

 

COMMUNITY RESOURCES:

• Mental Health Resources - recommended by Masconomet Student Services
• Print and have available at home
• TriTown Council is an excellent support resource for families. Follow them on Facebook
• Mental Health and Wellness Covid-19 Resources and Information compiled by TTC
• With Project Safety Net, the 24/7 telephone support and referral service, students can talk with a local counselor at any time, day or night, by calling (978) 771-4619.
• SEPAC is an excellent support resource for families. Follow them on Facebook to be informed about events, articles, and issues

 

NEXT SC Meeting: 

Our next scheduled School Committee meeting will be Wednesday, Oct. 20 at 7pm. This meeting will be held in person. Please refer to the “Public Meetings” page on the Masconomet Website for upcoming meetings. Meeting agendas, minutes, documents, and videos are also posted at: https://www.masconomet.org/domain/41. Email any questions, comments or concerns to our committee chair Zillie Bhuju at zbhuju@masconomet.org.

 

• New representative for Boxford appointed to the S.C.

 

During the Boxford Select Board meeting on Monday, September 27, 2021, Masconomet SC members began by thanking Bonnie Thornborough for her 2 plus years of service and her many contributions including spearheading Listening Sessions for members of the community.

 

Our SC policy calls for vacancies to be filled by an appointment by the Select Board and the Boxford members of the Masco SC. To do this, we reached out to the community for volunteers and 4 individuals were willing to step up. The 3 Boxford Reps briefly interviewed the candidates. They enjoyed meeting with all of them and ultimately chose to recommend Joe McLean to be appointed to fill the vacancy.

 

Joe McLean’s appointment was approved unanimously by the members of the Boxford Select Board and the Boxford members of the Masco SC. We welcome Joe as our newest representative!

 

 

• DESE Press Release

 

On Monday, September 27, 2021, the Massachusetts DESE issued this press release, regarding an extension of the mask requirement in schools:  DESE Press Release - School Mask Requirement Extended

 

• IDEAS training

 

The School Committee has completed all three scheduled workshops with IDEAS - which stands for Initiatives for Developing Equity and Achievement for Students, and is part of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents - https://www.massupt.org/ideas/

 

The topics of this training included:

1. Guidelines for creating a supportive and safe learning environment
   2. Guiding principles and definitions of IDEAS
   3. The complexity of one's identity-implications for practice
   4. What is racism and how does it play out in education?
   5. A look at privilege
   6. Unconscious Bias and microaggressions
   7. Strategies for addressing microaggressions
   8. Conflict styles
   9. Strategies for turning difficult conversations into opportunities for learning

 

“My hope as we embark on this year is that we all focus on hope and possibility, even amidst uncertainty or friction—to be able to strive toward our shared goals and make it a great year for our students.”  

—Zillie Bhuju, Masconomet School Committee Chair

 

A small sign in the high school library is one of many ways staff are welcoming students back to a positive school environment 

 

 

MEETING HIGHLIGHTS: 

 

• Committee Chair Zillie Bhuju welcomes everyone to the new school year
• Negotiations Update:
• Full statement from SC negotiations team in Summary Notes from the 9.01.21 meeting
• Teachers’ CBA not settled; School Committee seeks assistance through mediation
• Parties agree on concept of WIN block in schedule, but implementation requires contract settlement
• Mike Harvey presented his Superintendent’s Report 
• Mask mandate indoors per DESE requirement at least through Oct. 1
• Masks not required outdoors
• No social distancing requirements 
• Covid-19 Protocols
• Test and Stay Program coming soon
• Drama Position is Unfilled
• Bus schedules
• Congratulations to art teacher Ursina Amsler
• School Committee Protocols
  Approved unanimously
• School Committee Goals for 2021-2022
  Approved unanimously with three small changes reflected in linked doc 
• School Committee Subcommittee Membership
• Budget and District Capital Investment (DCI) w/ liaison to town finance committees/gov’t
• Policy
• Community Relations w/liaisons to SEPAC, SHAC, COAs, district advisory groups, community-based “umbrella” orgs (TTC, MEF, PAC)
• Negotiations
• Anti-Racism
• Membership adjustments reflected in linked doc

Further notes can be found in the Summary Notes* from the 9/01/21 meeting.  *These are not meeting minutes and not intended to be a transcription of the meeting.

 

MASCO RESOURCES:

• News from the Masconomet Superintendent
• High School Principal blog 
• Middle School Principal blog 
• ACE Club’s website features current events, holidays, recipes, and student perspectives
• Use the Masco App to consolidate Masco messages in your Activity Stream. Emails, blog posts, resources, as well as student grade updates
  
  

COMMUNITY RESOURCES:

• Mental Health Resources - recommended by Masconomet Student Services
• Print and have available at home
• TriTown Council is an excellent support resource for families. Follow them on facebook
• Mental Health and Wellness Covid-19 Resources and Information compiled by TTC
• With Project Safety Net, the 24/7 telephone support and referral service, students can talk with a local counselor at any time, day or night, by calling (978) 771-4619.
• SEPAC is an excellent support resource for families. Follow them on facebook to be informed about events, articles, and issues

 

NEXT SC Meeting: 

Our next scheduled School Committee meeting will be Wed, Oct. 6 at 7pm. This meeting will be held in person. Please refer to the “Public Meetings” page on the Masconomet Website for upcoming meetings. Meeting agendas, minutes, documents, and videos are also posted on-line at: https://www.masconomet.org/domain/41. Email any questions, comments or concerns to our committee chair Zillie Bhuju at zbhuju@masconomet.org. 

 

“Education must be seen as a pathway to attaining lifelong learning, satisfaction, happiness, wellbeing, opportunity and contribution to humanity.”  

—Yong Zhao, Jim Watterston in The changes we need: Education post COVID-19

 

Masconomet encourages summer reading! All students should read at least two books, including at least one from the summer reading guides linked here:
Middle School summer reading lists 

High School summer reading lists 

 

MEETING HIGHLIGHTS: 

• This meeting was the annual School Committee retreat, which focuses on long-term vision and goals for the year ahead
  
  
• Reviewed and discussed:  
• Open Meeting Law and School Committee Protocols
  
  

• Developed School Committee Goals for 2021-2022 School Year
• Read: Masconomet Vision 2025, Article: “Rigor Redefined” by Tony Wagner, Article: “The Changes We Need:  Education Post COVID-19” by Yong Zhao and Jim Watterston
• Process:
• Discussed key points in the reading in small groups
• Drafted, discussed, and combined goals
  
  
• Discussions overall touched on numerous themes, including: 
• Trust, communication, morale, relationships, community-building 
• Mental health, SEL, agency, skill development, success 
• Purpose of education, environment for change, teaching/learning methods
• Vision, strategic plan, capital plan, budget process, leadership
• Collaborations, subcommittees, schedules, roles, responsibilities, resources
  
  
• Goals will be finalized and presented at a public meeting
  
  

COMMUNITY RESOURCES: 

• Mental Health Resources - recommended by Masconomet Student Services
• Print and have available at home
• TriTown Council is an excellent support resource for families. Follow them on facebook
• Mental Health and Wellness Covid-19 Resources and Information compiled by TTC
• With Project Safety Net, the 24/7 telephone support and referral service, students can talk with a local counselor at any time, day or night, by calling (978) 771-4619.
• SEPAC is an excellent support resource for families. Follow them on facebook to be informed about events, articles, and issues

 

NEXT SC Meeting: 

Our next School Committee meeting will be Wed, Sept. 1 at 7pm. This meeting will be held in person. Please refer to the “Public Meetings” page on the Masconomet Website for upcoming meetings. Meeting agendas, minutes, documents, and videos are also posted on-line at: https://www.masconomet.org/domain/41. Email any questions, comments or concerns to our committee chair Zillie Bhuju at zbhuju@masconomet.org. 

 

FEATURED HIGHLIGHTS:

• Welcome to our new High School Principal, Dr. Mary Jo Carabastos - See her “Ready To Get Started” message here
• The School Committee participated in their first workshop training on July 21st with IDEAS - which stands for Initiatives for Developing Equity and Achievement for Students, and is part of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents

 

S.C. MEETING: 

• The S.C. had a short meeting to address an Open Meeting Law (OML) complaint
• Voted to approve the district’s legal counsel to investigate, consult with relevant parties as needed, and reply on behalf of the S.C.  
• Chair noted that S.C. members participate in OML training during Charting the Course workshop through M.A.S.C. and have been provided access to “refresher” workshops through the Attorney General’s office
• Chair also noted plans to review the processes for public postings as they relate to OML with everyone on the committee 

• Further notes can be found in the Summary Notes* from the 7/21/2021 meeting.  *These are not meeting minutes and not intended to be a transcription of the meeting.

 

COMMUNITY RESOURCES:

• Do you have a recent graduate?  Follow the link to Resources for Parents/Guardians of High School Graduates shared by TriTown Council here

 

NEXT SC Meeting: 

Please refer to the “Public Meetings” page on the Masconomet Website for a list of upcoming meetings and agendas. Meeting agendas, minutes, documents, and videos are posted on-line at: https://www.masconomet.org/domain/41. Email any questions, comments or concerns to our committee chair Zillie Bhuju at zbhuju@masconomet.org. 

 

“The District must provide our students and community the experiences necessary to be aware, thoughtful, active participants in a diverse global environment, comprehend the repercussions of racism, respect and celebrate differences, strive for equitable and just systems, and work with all members of humanity to solve the problems that plague our communities, country and world.”  

—Masconomet Policy on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-racism

 

 

ICYMI- The final Morning Update of the school year includes messages of thanks to HS Principal Delani ​​
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXlU4jOb7aA&t=525s

 

MEETING HIGHLIGHTS: 

• Chair Carolyn Miller
• Welcomed newest committee member Patti Bernheart of Boxford
• Explained that two school committee members were not eligible to vote at the 6/23 meeting
• As a result, the vote on the policy on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Antiracism was changed from 9-2 to 8-1 (more details in summary notes)
  
  
• Comments from the Audience addressed the proposed policy on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Antiracism, and negotiations with the Masconomet Teachers’ Union
  
  
• School Committee Reorganization: 
• Zillie Bhuju was elected Chair
• Tasha Cooper was elected Vice-Chair
  
  
• Policy: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-racism - second vote 
• Approved in a majority vote of 8 yes, 2 no
• Policy supports Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-racism in Masco’s curriculum, experiences, and professional development
• A detailed explanation of intent can be found in summary notes from 6/23 (agenda item “L”) and 7/14
  
  

Further notes can be found in the Summary Notes* from the 7/14/2021 meeting.  *These are not meeting minutes and not intended to be a transcription of the meeting.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES:

• Mental Health Resources - recommended by Masconomet Student Services
• Print and have available at home
• TriTown Council is an excellent support resource for families. Follow them on facebook
• Mental Health and Wellness Covid-19 Resources and Information compiled by TTC
• With Project Safety Net, the 24/7 telephone support and referral service, students can talk with a local counselor at any time, day or night, by calling (978) 771-4619.
• SEPAC is an excellent support resource for families. Follow them on facebook to be informed about events, articles, and issues

 

NEXT SC Meeting: 

Please refer to the “Public Meetings” page on the Masconomet Website for a list of upcoming meetings and agendas. Meeting agendas, minutes, documents, and videos are posted on-line at: https://www.masconomet.org/domain/41. Email any questions, comments or concerns to our committee chair Zillie Bhuju at zbhuju@masconomet.org. 

“The intent of this policy is to improve support for an environment where people’s unique identities and differences are an appreciated part of community, learning, and problem-solving. Working together to actively improve our systems improves the quality of life for all diverse peoples.”  

—Tasha Cooper, School Committee member, about the proposed policy on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-racism

 

 

Middle School students enjoyed Field Days focused on fun activities, community-building, and simply spending social time together.

 

MEETING HIGHLIGHTS: 

• Carolyn Miller congratulated 8th graders, all students on finishing this year; welcomed newest School Committee member, Dominic Cassamassina from Middleton; welcomed the public back to in-person meeting attendance
• Comments from the Audience addressed the proposed policy on antiracism, teachers’ union negotiations, and summer programs for learning loss
• Student SAB Olivia Richards reported from the students:
• Proud of accomplishments this year, such as Small Town Hero Awards
• Request for large projects and tests to be spread throughout the term to reduce stress at the end of the year
• Glad to hear next year will be “back to normal” and hope some new things from this year continue, such as lunch and mental breaks outside
• Gratitude for listening to the students this year
• Phil McManus presented a Middle School Principal Report
• Field Days
• 8th-Grade Moving Up Ceremony
• SEL support, community-building, team unity
• Mike Harvey presented a report, also published in his Superintendent Blog
• DESE guidance on Acceleration Roadmap
• Credit Recovery Summer School and Extended School Year program
• Developing district goals and plans to facilitate acceleration, including relationship-building, mindfulness, and Project Adventure for middle school
• Policy: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-racism - second reading 
• Approved in a majority vote of 9 yes, 2 no
• Second vote required since vote was not unanimous, to be held at meeting via zoom in July
• Policy supports Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-racism in Masco’s curriculum, experiences, and professional development
• Driven by several student presentations throughout the year
• Some edits made to improve policy language based on thoughtful consideration of feedback shared in emails, comments, and during 6/14 subcommittee meeting 
• Negotiations Subcommittee
• SC believes negotiations are at an impasse and has requested a mediator
• SC values teachers and aims for all parties to have what they need for success
• SC priorities are:
• flexibility to allow for daily schedule improvements, including WIN block
• structured Professional Development time
• acknowledgement of contract costs relative to tight town budgets
• more detail in summary notes

Further notes can be found in the Summary Notes* from the 6/23/2021 meeting.  *These are not meeting minutes and not intended to be a transcription of the meeting.

 

MASCO RESOURCES:

• NEW! Masco Minute: a publication by Masco Middle School students
• Chieftains Chronicle: a publication by Masco High School students
• Morning Update, news / video produced by Masco students
• ACE Club’s website features current events, holidays, recipes, and student perspectives
• News from the Masconomet Superintendent
• HS Principal blog includes updates on awards, clubs, activities, info and more 
• Middle School Principal blog includes updates and information
• Middle School Seventh Grade Art - Visuals and process
• Use the Masco App to consolidate Masco messages in your Activity Stream. Emails, blog posts, resources, as well as student grade updates
  
  

DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTS:

• Justin Crosby: Our Job is to Achieve What We Once Thought Impossible
• Pete Delani: Patience and Persistence
• Mowers on to UNH gymnastics after leading Chieftains to state prominence
• Middleton Stream Team awards scholarships to Masco, Essex Tech students
• NEC Track meet
  
  

COMMUNITY RESOURCES:

• Mental Health Resources - recommended by Masconomet Student Services
• Print and have available at home
• TriTown Council is an excellent support resource for families. Follow them on facebook
• Mental Health and Wellness Covid-19 Resources and Information compiled by TTC
• With Project Safety Net, the 24/7 telephone support and referral service, students can talk with a local counselor at any time, day or night, by calling (978) 771-4619.
• SEPAC is an excellent support resource for families. Follow them on facebook to be informed about events, articles, and issues
  
  

NEXT SC Meeting: 

Our next School Committee meeting will be Wed, July 14 at 7pm. This meeting will be held via zoom. PLEASE NOTE: FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS: members of the public may make a brief statement or ask a question during the “Comments from the Audience” section of the agenda. The zoom link in the agenda is the method for watching the live meeting and making a public comment; recorded video will be posted.

Meeting agendas, minutes, documents, and videos are posted on-line at: https://www.masconomet.org/domain/41. Email any questions, comments or concerns to our committee chair Carolyn Miller at cmiller@masconomet.org. 

The Masconomet School Committee welcomes the public back for in person attendance at our regular meetings, beginning on Wednesday, June 23. 

 

School Committee meetings are conducted in accordance with the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 39, s. 23B. The Committee values public input, so frequently sets aside a period of time during School Committee meetings to hear comments from the public. 

 

The Committee has been meeting in person since August of 2020, with some zoom meetings interspersed as needed, but because of temporary pandemic regulations and related policies of the district, the public could not attend in person. Public viewing was accommodated during that time by live-streaming the meetings, and public comments were facilitated via zoom or written statements. 

 

With the last day of school on June 21, the district’s temporary Covid-19 policies related to public access will be lifted, and the buildings will be open for public attendance once again. 

 

What this means:

 

On June 23, the regular School Committee meeting welcomes in-person attendance, and will continue to be broadcast via live-stream to accommodate viewership.

 

Public comments, which will be welcome as usual, may be delivered in-person during the "Comments from the Audience" agenda item.

 

The Committee also welcomes input via email any time. 

 

The June 23 meeting agenda and live-stream link will be publicly posted on Monday, June 21.  All public meetings are posted at least 48 hours in advance under the “Public Meetings” tab on the district website: https://www.masconomet.org/domain/184