Franklin Matters: Recap - School Committee - good work and progress highlighted room for opportunity on communications remains as school year closes

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Quick Recap:

Update on the Virtual learning academy (VLA) provided. This 'virtual school' served the remote students for all the elementary schools and without explicitly saying so found disparity among the different schools by grade level and brought the students to a good place for this challenging year. Interesting stat - 270 students started the year, 220 finished (50 went into school with return of in person learning).
Update on the District Improvement Plan for their diversity, inclusion and equity work highlights the need for additional communications as many in the community were unaware of this work being done with a cross section of stakeholder representation. For a recent example, the FHS incident report was shared only with the direct FHS community and not the broader Franklin community
Davis Thayer transition moves to next phase as building materials, etc. get determined to move or whatever. Decision to turn building over to Town is still a future item, timeline TBD.
Workshop planned for July session in place of regular meeting, discussion of an outside audit a possible topic to find out what we have, where we could be and plan accordingly. The 3rd party view would augment the info provided to the Committee

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As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter during the meeting reporting in real-time via the virtual session

Photos captured during the meeting and shared via Twitter can be found in one album

The Twitter hashtag can be found online #schcom0608

Real time reporting underway for the School Committee meeting, last one of this school year #schcom0622

Virtual Learning Academy update

Presentation on the virtual learning academy https://franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/files/vla #schcom0622
VLA started with 270 students and when in person returned they only dropped to about 220. #schcom0622
Digital learning integrationists were invaluable to the academy. #schcom0622
Overview of the VLA a testament to creativity, collaboration of the teachers, etc. #schcom0622
More slides from presentation deck #schcom0622
The VLA principal also did a guest role sharing experience from a prior role as a park ranger at the Badlands Natl Pk. #schcom0622
What was a favorite part of school? A sample of the results #schcom0622
4th grade one word response to the school year #schcom0622

District Improvement Plan - goals update

Next up district improvement goals update on SEL and related topics #schcom0622 (a cool practice to take a few collective breaths)
Presentation deck for this update so you can follow along https://franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/files/sel.
#schcom0622#schcom0622 SEL site reference with monthly focus points https://sites.google.com/franklinps.net
Counseling is a growing need #schcom0622
Staff support via professional Development #schcom0622
Monitoring to ensure effective delivery, along with check-in #schcom0622
Diversity update #schcom0622
Diversity next steps #schcom0622
SEL and school safety, some of the protocol will remain, #schcom0622
Feedback from students received to enhance the handbook with relatable language and examples of what some of the violations would be. #schcom0622 make it in more of kid friendly language

Discussion action items

Reopening status

Next up, reopening status https://franklinps.net/district/meeting-packets/files/status-update-6-18-21 #schcom0622 COVID pool testing ends with the closure of school. DESE updated requirements for summer school in regards to masks, encouraged for unvaccinated; clinic last week for middle schools, 120 first vaccines

Information matters

Information matters, reminder in budget brochure to be shared; policy meeting July 28; workshop at July 27 meeting in lieu of regular meeting #schcom0622 Next meeting July 13, mostly routine things; raising possible outside audit for workshop discussion
Dr Bergen comments on last day of school year. #schcom0622

Consent agenda

Consent agenda motion to approve, seconded, desire to split them as D'Angelo was not part of the two meetings, she abstains from both of those separate votes; other three combined passes 6-0 (Spencer left) via roll call #schcom0622
Motion to adjourn, passes 6-0 via roll call That's all for tonight, catch you next time!

Audio recording of meeting to be available in couple of days