 This program is brought to you by cable franchise V's and generous donations from viewers like you Great. So, um, I see a presence of a quorum So I'm gonna call this meeting of the emmer school committee to order at 532 p.m. On Thursday August 6th, and I will take a will call attendance of everybody that is here So say present when I call your name mr. Demling Demling present Mr. Harrington Harrington present Ms. Lord Lord present mr. Spitzer McDonald present So with that We'll move on to our one order of business which is our preschool presentation Sure, and I can queue it up if that's okay with the chair A couple weeks ago. There was a really good question asked about, you know, where does preschool fit in on this? I actually I think it came up in two different prior meetings And I said, you know, there's a team working on that and we weren't quite ready to share what the model might look like and We are now ready to share what the model would look like or might look like and so I want to thank Joanne Smith who's been facilitating meetings with the preschool professional staff To develop what it might look like and she will offer a brief presentation And then question the answer I do want to note that I have to be at a Pelham School committee meeting same place ironically, but at six o'clock so Joanne shared the slides in advance originally this was going to be Tuesday, but with the para artages that wasn't possible So I'm going to ask Joanne to do kind of a high-level overview because there's a lot of text on the slides There's a lot of really good clear information. Thank you, Joanne for taking a whole lot of complicated Stuff about young kids and how to meet their needs and condensing it to a couple slides That's not something I'm good at as the school committee is all too aware So I'll turn it over to miss Smith to do again a broad overview and then we can do more question and answer Great. Thanks Mike I'll thank you for the opportunity to share what we've been working on as a possible pre-school preschool program model What we found this last spring that providing and meeting the needs of three and four-year-olds remotely was particularly challenging and Pre-school team of educators is amazing and dedicated and even through their hard efforts and diligence They found it was not as effective had it been should students have been in school so given the What the preschool educators and then consistent with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education The following model is consistent with what we think in person could look like I know you have the document in front of you and there's some pieces that are givens in terms of we would be following the general Guidelines around the assumptions of health and safety set forth to our ready in the case six document What our goal as we think about how do we approach this for our preschool students in a meaningful way is looking at Having the students in for preschool programming up to four mornings a week and Focusing in on students with IEPs right now our anticipated numbers are In terms of enrollment are High where we're looking at four to seven students per class and five classrooms It's not clear how many students will actually want to come in for in person But that was a decision we made in terms of looking at students with special needs and IEPs Based upon our obligation to meet those needs Consistent with FAPE which the committees have been talking about for quite some time So just to hit the highlights and things that the staff And what we've determined it is important is to look at How do we take advantage of the opportunity of students who? Come in and in the first phase Focusing in on the in person for those who come in and what happens in in preschools We have a continuum of services So that's historically been true where some students have a longer program But may entail longer afternoons and and additional services and some have morning programs so it's not atypical for preschool to have a mixed approach and So through this model we would be looking at in person in the morning and then remote learning opportunities in the afternoon for those students with complex needs Or for the families who choose not to participate in person or for the students who actually medically can't refer some other reason One of the pieces that's important for us in both the messaging From the Department of Ed and in our own belief system is that we want to develop the programming and services on an individual basis Consistent with what's already been a ticket articulated through a student's IEP And through that we feel like it's really important because our partnership and collaboration with families to figure out how to shape a Meaningful experience in the program is going to be really essential One of the pieces that we're also looking to identify are meaningful ways for General education peers or peers without IEPs to participate remotely It's We have a charge to looking at the least restrictive environment and educating students with their non-disabled peers as much as possible and To the extent appropriate So our goal is to while we get services started and looking at in person For young students at three and four-year-olds. We want to figure out how do we continue to increase the access and participation of peers. I Know I'm going fast. I do tend to talk quickly but feel free So I think one of the pieces that we've talked about as a group too is that just trying to bring in students who haven't been in school for months or New students because preschool is constantly evolving where students age up and turn three and can become eligible for the program over the course of the year What we talked about was bringing even a smaller subset of students initially and through phases to help them orient because we just know how much support going to need In order to to make that adjustment How do you transition? How do you get in? How do you follow? What are the particular protocols? I think it's going to be really hard and and I think if you go into the next phase in the next slide Mike Sorry, if you go into the next slide I think it really speaks to what is one of the most significant challenges, which is Social distancing at any length for preschoolers age three and four is going to be really hard at best Certainly staff will continue to work with preschoolers on personal space and hygiene and Encourage to wear masks when possible and obviously consistent with their individual needs We know it's not a requirement, but we also believe that it's important for them as they're able to to try to wear masks One of the pieces that's important and many of you may know this already, but the staff wanted to make sure we we were clearly at Explicit about how much time preschoolers need for close proximity To engage in and assistance from staff just to do everyday classroom preschool experiences so again the concept of social distancing and Just prompting students from from across the way three feet seven feet is going to be hard six feet one of the other pieces that Again, it's I'm going to pass. Let me know but one of the other pieces is looking at the technology for preschoolers Well, we hit some bumps in the road in terms of what's developmentally appropriate And what did we have access to and recognizing we really need to be looking at iPads for students to use and in consultation with Jerry Champagne in the IS department looking to purchase those for the students with IEP's and To look at different platforms that might help those students engage more readily CISA class we go Joe, etc so we're pursuing that with the IS department and I think because we know Interestingly enough, I think you all know or our general experiences is that students tend to be a little bit more facile with technology than we are And what we want to do is if we're in this in-person phase What we'd like to do is actually seize the opportunity to use the devices with the students in school to really Prepare them and show them and make sure they're comfortable and oriented to it so when we have to pivot or shift or if their services that take place outside of the Preschool day in school that we're able to do that with a higher degree of success and I think Obviously preschool is share materials And so we're trying to figure out how do we How do we adjust and reduce materials in a preschool classroom? I don't know how many of you have been in one in the last few years But they're usually material dense because they're highly stimulating engaging and they serve multiple purposes So we're trying to determine what can we take out? What can be reduced how we share between and so we what we want to do is fewer students to share within even the same Class, but that will be hard And have how we're going to clean Because it's very much a hands-on environment The other piece that and this was taking place to a degree prior to the end of the past school year But what we want to do is create put this in place as a regular occurrence Where regular meetings will be scheduled with families and service providers so that we can really work on communication Collaboration and consultation because what we would like to see is How much of what we're doing and how do we support its generalization to a natural setting in the home and Then the next slide Mike Just talks about some of the typical things that would happen in a preschool classroom in the morning Okay, I tried to go quickly Mike. How was that? In my opinion, that was that was really well-paced. So thank you. I think the other thing I'll just note is that You know one of the things that EEC and desi have both noted is there were a lot of emergency care Facilities It's particularly in the Northeast particularly as Emerging like nurses doctors medical professionals needed Needed to be at work because of the crisis and so there is a lot of good Do's and don'ts that those facilities have learned from an early childhood setting And I just appreciate that I think the EC guidance as well as the desi guidance is really helpful Because we have we have, you know collectively, I mean we as neighbors, but there's there's some learning that happened And even in areas like New York that had the pandemic raging There were some really good safety steps that were taken that made these centers work effectively for young children So, you know, I just appreciate that we've gotten some really clear guidance On these and desi and EC don't totally align, you know But we're just trying to take the safest approach that we can to support our kids and staff as we think about this So that was just a bookend to Miss Smith's I think very thorough but well-timed presentation So thank you very much and see if there's a question from it Smith and Fibrates is also on the line as well in case there's questions for her Thank you So I look to the committee for any questions or comments that folks have First of all, thank you very much for that presentation I think I just wanted to to clarify a few things and I wanted to second what dr. Morris just said I you know My my youngest has been in was in preschool for actually the month of July and I know that we had actually very positive experience So if there's any it was a smaller setting Family-based they care setting so it's obviously there are different challenges when you go to a public school setting, but I think She had a good experience and I'm hopeful that the kids at Parker Farm will as well I'm curious about what You mentioned that students without IEPs potentially it sounded like the only Participation that would be happening would be potentially through things like morning meetings, but those will be virtual I just wanted to clarify that because it Okay, and then Second I think the other thing that you know made us have a positive experience like I said first This is come personal at July was out all outdoors almost exclusively So the kids were doing their snack their lunch everything except for nap almost outside. I'm wondering at Parker Farm I know there's that lovely playground, but given that all the students won't be back Will there be an opportunity to potentially take preschoolers outside because it's a fairly small Playground is is there an opportunity to use some of the other grounds at Parker Farm at least before? You know the the other phases of students come in just a question Great. Thank you. Mrs. Spitzer. So yes We're to go to the first part of your question in terms of will be there be other experiences for General and students morning meeting was just an example I think it'll be our charge to figure out when will be meaningful opportunities perhaps a story time Or another piece. I think working out the technology is going to be a little bit challenging between the different environments in the classroom But we're committed to looking at that It's something we value highly in terms of the playground. We've been in Regular communication with Derek Derek has been part of the conversations with the early Childhood team with the preschool team And we do envision that there will absolutely be a way to use the playground What we just need to do is determine is there going to be a rotational basis? How will it be cleaned in between? Will it be clusters at a time pods at a time using it? So we absolutely want to take advantage of it and there's been some discussion of is there any way we can expand a little bit further Not that obviously that's a self-contained But looking at other possibilities With just the grass and and having students out as much as possible in a safe manner Thank you Um, I think you answered the the question that I had which was also about opportunities for outdoor learning for for preschool students. So knowing how much You know the hands-on activities and in their learning not not just play but also play-based learning so It sounds like that was your answer addressed that And I would say miss mcdonald one of our pieces is we're not sure how many families will have their children come in Will set them in And that will help shape how we approach this and different levels of access. So You're to move to the next phase. Yeah, great What other questions do committee members have? Mr. Harrington And just a quick question regarding clarity if they are clarifying question Did I catch it right that the maximum anticipated occupancy would be about 35 students? Roughly it would be 35 So in looking at the each of the classroom settings typically our integrated classrooms have up to 15 students seven with ips eight without and so by Focusing on the students and our obligation to provide faith to them It would be seven up to seven in each of the classroom. So that would reach 35 However, we're not necessarily anticipating that we will have all 35 there Thank you questions I had one question and you might not have the answer because I understand it depends on how many family families choose to send their preschool children to in-person learning um so It may not be answered, but I I've received the question about the number of classrooms So in your presentation, you talk about five classrooms Later on tonight, we'll be looking at a map of facility space and it shows six classrooms So I was just wondering if that's a swing space or what what how we interpret that Yeah, that thank you for asking that. Yeah, that is exactly what we're talking about with Derek and looking at that six space Well, we know as we have even some of our related service providers who are in offices without windows And so we're trying to ascertain whether to use that space so that they if our goal is to not bring students out of their Their core pod or their core classroom But if for some reason we had to how would we be able to use that space as well? So right now we're looking at it for a variety of options much needed options I would say so we're grateful to have that additional space Thanks Any more comments or questions? I'm seeing none Last chance I have to scan though all the rows Great. I think thank you very much for um for sharing this and and also it was it was really helpful to have the the slides Um in advance so that we could read read all of it and sort of digest it all before before speaking with you So thank you Thank you And I wish you all well. I know you have a lot of challenging Um decisions ahead of you Good night. Thank you Good night. Um So um I think we can um we're going to adjourn so um I will make a motion that we adjourn the amherst school committee Is there a second? Lord second Moved by mcdonald second by lord. We'll take a roll call vote. Mr. Demley Uh them among I Mr. Harrington Harrington I Miss lord Lord I Miss Spitzer Spitzer I And mcdonald I the amherst school committee is adjourned and let's see you again in 40 minutes