 This program is brought to you by cable franchise v's and generous donations from viewers like you So I will just note that we are back in open session and we are being recorded and Livestreamed thanks to Amherst media and thank you Amherst media for hanging out with us while we were in closed executive session much appreciated it and I'm going to ask the Committee's permission to make a slight tweak to our agenda so that we swap Our items and begin first with our fall reopening update and then continue on with public comment our folks Generally, we it's a short public comment. We have I think four or five. Okay So with just to report out the the regional school committee has been in is in discussions and bargaining with the APEA, which is the Amherst Pellum Education Association and in executive session we Voted unanimously to make the following public statement and which I will Actually now read would folks like me to share on screen well while I read along Yes See if I can find my sharing thing the Amherst whoops The Amherst Pellum and Amherst Pellum regional school committees unanimously approved a plan to start the school year with virtual learning for most Students with in-person learning phasing in over eight weeks conditional upon conservative health metrics We remain confident that our deliberate and thoughtful process resulted in a cautious plan that considers known elements of risk From risk of exposure to COVID-19 to risk of harm to students and staff if they were unable to return to school in person When the committee begins planning in early June, we acknowledge the following to be true We recognize that COVID-19 and associated risks will likely be around for a very long time Potentially beyond the fall 2020 semester or even the 2020-21 school year There is substantial research that in-person instruction is essential to children's well-being and is better than remote or online Learning in supporting academic progress and children, especially young children English language learners and students with special needs Moreover the mental health and other social emotional benefits to in-person learning cannot be overstated Our own experience in spring 2020 also showed that remote instruction presents major challenges to accessing learning for some students and Concerns and insights about pending educational crisis that could affect students long-term educational prospects due to the length of school closure Our goal in planning for the 2020-2021 school year is to produce the best possible long-term outcomes for students Given these challenging circumstances The plan that we unanimously approved can do that and here's how We defined rigorous safety measures and health metrics based on science and public health guidance and Consistently chose the more conservative guidance where available The plan prioritizes and maximizes in-person learning to meet the educational needs of all students We committed to delivering the highest quality remote learning experience possible The plan includes a phasing in of students to support compliance with and routines around the new in-school safety protocols The plan enables parents to choose remote learning for their students for any reason The district has surveyed the families with students who are part of phase one and have the option to begin in-person learning on September 16 As of Tuesday 90 percent of families have responded and over 68 percent have opted for in-person learning for their students And yet the union that represents our teachers clerical employees and paraprofessionals The APA has submitted proposals that would all but require the districts to force all students into all remote learning for the foreseeable future The Amherst-Pellum Regional School Committee respectfully disagrees with many of the APA proposals The APA's proposed metrics for returning to in-person learning would allow for a return to in-person learning only when COVID-19 is essentially eradicated Under these metrics school would be shuttered if a single person tests positive for COVID-19 in any of our four member towns The Amherst-Pellum Leverett and Shutsbury regardless of their connection or lack thereof to the schools The APA proposed metric that fewer than one new case per 100,000 people per week in Hampshire, Franklin, Hamden, Worcester and Berkshire counties means that two positive tests in the city of Pittsfield Or one positive test in Greenfield would be enough to close schools in Amherst and Pellum This is more extreme than even the most conservative recommendation from any reputable public health or medical professional organization The APA's list of demands for a returned in-person schooling includes the requirement that all students were professionally fitted hospital grade and 95 masks This is more extreme than the most conservative recommendations from any reputable public health or healthcare organization In fact, the Centers for Disease Control states that a surgical N95 is recommended only for use by healthcare personnel These respirators are not used or needed outside of healthcare settings Even major area healthcare centers do not require fitted N95 masks for all personnel who are working on site Based on consultation with public health officials We know that N95 masks are not advisable Particularly for young children from whom even the process of getting fit being fitted is problematic Nor are these masks widely available The APA asserts that for primary grade students Attending in-person school with face coverings and social distancing is developmentally inappropriate The school committees believe that even with these required safety precautions The in-person experience will be significantly more developmentally appropriate for young students than the social isolation and Screen time required in a distance learning format The responses to the survey of the families of kindergarten and first-grade families Offer evidence that the majority of the community shares this belief This assertion does not align with the beliefs and desires of most families of young students in our districts Finally the APA stated that all ARP students needs can be met in a distance learning format We respectfully disagree Well, we agree that the experience of our students can and needs to be dramatically improved from the emergency remote learning of the past spring Some students learning needs simply do not translate to a virtual environment For students whose disability does not allow for them to participate in full virtual sessions For young students who will not have adult support during the virtual school day and For students who require a direct physical presence trained in applied behavior analysis programming to access learning Distance learning will decidedly not meet their educational needs despite the educators best efforts Research on virtual schools confirms the experiences of ARPS families who have shared these concerns with us The APA proposes a distance learning format that mirrors the emergency distance model from last spring by prohibiting the district from setting any minimum requirements for teachers to provide synchronous instruction to students or a consistent approach within and between schools We heard the feedback from students families and staff that last spring's emergency distance learning did not meet student needs and impacted families dramatically Due to the lack of direct instruction and regular structures and schedules Survey results showed broad support from all stakeholders Then an aligned approach with a set schedule and regular synchronous instruction was needed to make distance learning truly robust This proposal does not meet the expectations of the community, the school committee, or DESI's guidelines for distance learning The APA proposes a full in-person return to school may not happen until a safe and effective vaccine is administered to 100% of students and staff And all remote learning for most students will continue through January Small groups of students could begin in-person learning in late October and younger students in February Secondary students would not begin any in-person learning until the final quarter of the year Given the other details of their proposal including the public health metrics It is very unlikely that any students would be able to reenter school buildings at all during the 2020-2021 school year And given the certain likelihood that 100% of students and staff can be vaccinated This proposal effectively means we may never return to full in-person learning for all students We can't keep our kids out of school until the risk of COVID-19 is eliminated We have a moral obligation to provide the option of in-person education for students And the plan that the district is implementing will do this while prioritizing safety We hope that the APA leadership will shift their energies to working with the district to implement this plan So that statement we will be sharing with media outlets as well this evening Any comments or questions from anything? Mr. Demling? One question and one longer comment if I may So can this statement be posted somewhere where the public can get access to it? Like somewhere in the school committee's section of ARPS.org I'm just thinking that some members of the public other than the media are going to want to read the statement in its full detail Other than the recording of this meeting Do you think that might be possible? Just thinking out loud here, maybe this is a Dr. Morris administrative ARPS.org question Or just general discussion with the committee, I just think that this is obviously a very important statement It's now public, people are going to want to look at it I just would think it's relevant to have in an easily findable location Dr. Morris? So I'll answer the technical part is we can certainly put it up on the school committee's website If that's what the committee desires There was a conversation about how we share that and sort of a desire to not put the district into the position of Promoting a position of the school committee But I believe that we can Figure work something out whether it's posting it within the the committee agendas and in sort of public comment Section which we always post there that is not the views of the district I believe we can include that there Mr. Deming Yeah, so I mean I'll just make this comment and then I have a longer comment if that's all right So so my comment on that is I I would like it just to even if it's completely conditioned with The the regional school committee's statement at their meeting which is not the position of the district however qualified I think if we put it at the fall reopening page, this is where people the fall reopening page is where people are going for fall reopening Information, you know, I don't I don't think something this important should be I know we it's not buried but it is kind of hard to find you know school committee agendas page, you know that kind of this is people going to want to find this information I just don't think we should hide it but anyway that's that's here no there but the thing I felt compelled to share because this is all kind of trying to absorb this on the fly So there was a there's a A news article that came out a couple hours ago while you all were in executive session about this topic about the the union calling for for full remote just just so you're aware And so my thoughts went back to the message that our director of student services shared with us all and I'm one of the school committee representatives for our special ed parent advisory council and for the members of the public that don't know the position of director of student services doctor favoritey she oversees special education so students with IP students with disabilities In our district and she sent our school committee a message over the weekend advocating for the fall and in my three and a half years on the school committee she's never sent a message advocating for anything and so I was very notable And it was very impactful. It really resonated with me in particular I'm a parent of a child with significant special needs who benefited greatly from the intensive special needs programs at Wildwood and at the middle school in the high school And so I feel like in this context at this time it would be important for the public to understand her point of view and and why she advocated to us and so I'd like to read her message. And so her message was dear school committee when considering removing the opportunity for in person instruction and services for all students. I believe it is critical to share my thoughts about our students with IEP's that have high needs as the district works to support the development of our personnel in the area of virtual education. We need to keep in mind that even with enhanced teaching skills. There is a population of students who cannot engage in and make progress during remote learning. As the director of student services I have a professional and ethical responsibility to all of our students with disabilities I'm fully committed to my work and I feel that it is vital that you hear what I believe are significant risks to some of our most vulnerable students if they do not return to in person instruction. There are students who due to their disability are unable to engage in virtual platforms for their learning. Students with complex needs have both abilities and disabilities and we need to use specialized pathways and techniques to target their areas of need as well as to give them an opportunity to utilize their abilities. Limiting them to remote instruction only continues to significantly compromise their access to an education. It took many years for our country to recognize and pass legislation to include these students in our public education system. Fortunately we now have both federal and state laws and regulations to protect these students. If we do not keep the rights of all of our students in the forefront of our planning we are effectively turning back to a time in history when these students were excluded and denied in education. I cannot stay silent and watch this happen. I understand that many do not personally know the experiences of these students and what their families have been experiencing during the school closure. These families are using all their time, energy and resources to make it through each day so their voices are often silent in public forums. My role is to advocate for them and bring their voices to the forefront. I understand that these are times that do not match experiences that we have had in our lifetimes and planning for all while protecting health and safety for all is a challenge. However we cannot lose sight of these most vulnerable students. Education for these students includes a range of services that are needed for their well-being and they will not just catch up or maintain like some other learners do. Those who have family or friends to help out at home may be a bit more fortunate than others but even those with this privilege do not have the training or skills to educate and support these students and I anticipate the magnitude of their regression will be beyond what most can even imagine. And for those without the privilege of family support and resources the losses are even more devastating. To hear some say that we do that we can do remote instruction better and reach all students hurts my heart. The work during these times is unprecedented and extremely demanding and that is expected and more than okay. We need to make sure that what we do what is right what is ethical what is moral and protect those in our community who do not have their own voices yet deserve to have their rights protected as much as anyone else. I realize it is a time when we are all needing to think about ourselves in our own safety yet someone needs to stand up for others who cannot do for themselves. I choose to be one of those people and will advocate strongly for these students. This is not intended to state that students are not a concern to the staff at this time staff demonstrate each day that they're sincere commitment to students in normal times. However in these challenging times I do not think we can default to a position where we decide to educate all children regardless of their needs in a remote setting. We need to utilize those staff with specialized training to serve the children in our community cannot be well served by remote learning. I implore you not to turn away from these young people educators have chosen their profession because they because they care. This is a time to care in a way that we may have not needed to in the past. And if our community chooses to educate all students remotely, we should do so being explicit about the impact and risks to the most vulnerable in our community. Thank you for listening. I can only hope listening influences action. Dr. Fae Brady, director of student services. Thanks for your patience. I know it was a long executive session and just felt really felt the moment to share that with the public. Thank you. Thank you. Any other thoughts, comments, questions seeing none. And then we can move on to the public comment and Dr. Morris. I just wanted to share it is related to it's not related to what's been mentioned before but I just want to we didn't have superintendent up here but intended up here but superintendents update up here. But we were the fortunate recipients of a grant of over $80,000 to support students mental health that partners with a community agency to provide more opportunities and more expertise. From a clinical perspective for some of our students struggling we know that the mental health needs in general of students at the regional level only it's a regional meeting but I want to be really clear that it's it's a 7 to 12 piece. We know that the data coming out nationally is showing how much students are in need during this time and so I want to appreciate folks who worked on the grant and the state for offering it but I just wanted to make a share that with the public and we shared on Facebook and and social media and everything that we're really thrilled to be working with some community partners about getting students to support they need and we applied for it pre pandemic. So it's kind of strange to get it, you know, at the current time because when we were applied we weren't thinking of things mental health in the exactly the same way we are now but all the more reason that we're glad we have more resources to share with our students and more ways to support them so thanks for all the folks who worked on that and we're really looking forward to be able to provide that additional resource for our students. Oh and I wanted to thank Amherst media to because they you did it but I just want to I know the meeting is not over we have public comment but a little mix up at the beginning and long way to get to you know to the open meeting part so I just want to publicly thank Jeff and Amherst media because they're wonderful and patient and we're fortunate to have them. We are. We are. Thank you. Great. So this will be a slightly shorter public comment. I have one voice message and then a document so play the voice message. This is Garcia Amherst and I don't think the school has to be open it's not safe for anybody for the students and the parents and I really think like they have to keep online classes in a program very organized for doing that. Thank you and have a nice day. Folks see that is all of our public comment. Do we have any gifts for this evening other than the wonderful grant that you announced in your update. Great. So would somebody like to make a motion. Make a motion. Second. Second by figure. There's no discussion. Take a roll call vote. Mr. Denley. I Mr. Harrington. Harrington I miss Kenny. I miss Lord Lord I see her see your eye. Mr. Spitzer Spitzer I miss Dancer and Mr. Sullivan. All off when I say aye. And MacDonald aye. We are adjourned. Thank you everybody.