• 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