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Superintendent Mulvey recognized Mayor Koch for the Chairman’s Report. Mayor Koch thanked the Superintendent and all of the staff for their efforts. Quincy has been in the yellow for the last few weeks, thanks to Manet Health for their assistance in managing the vaccination distribution within the city. Mayor Koch met today with a group of metropolitan Boston area mayors, the Governor has released the preliminary budget information to the House of Representatives and the Senate. Mayor Koch also spoke with Representative Lynch today about the most recent stimulus package and how the city may benefit from funding to support the re-opening of school and stabilize the city budget.
Mr. Gutro asked about the open Health Commissioner position. Mayor Koch said two candidates were interviewed recently but ultimately declined the offer due to the complications of leaving their current positions during the pandemic. The search will continue.
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Superintendent Mulvey reviewed the Pooled Testing Initiative, 225 students and staff enrolled, 1 case last week. Students and staff in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8 will be eligible to join pools the week of March 22 with high school students to follow. Thanks to Health Service Coordinator Rita Bailey and Assistant Superintendent Erin Perkins for getting the initiative launched. The staff from our partner Medex have been very helpful in the success of the program and the state has extended the funding through April 18.
Through the partnership with Manet Health, 200 Quincy Public Schools educators will be vaccinated on Thursday, March 11.
Mrs. Hubley asked which vaccine will be administered, Superintendent Mulvey said the Pfizer, which will require a second shot at a later date.
Mrs. Perdios asked about staggering the staff in case of side effects and the clinic is on Thursday for that reason.
Mrs. Lebo said that the state’s mass vaccination sites will have designated educator days.
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Superintendent Mulvey reviewed that current Quincy Public Schools enrollment is 9,683. The instructional model breakdown is 48.4% for hybrid/in-person and 51.6% remote.
Assistant Superintendent Erin Perkins and Senior Curriculum Director Madeline Roy reviewed that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has released new guidance on students returning to school, based on the Board of Education meeting on March 5, 2021. Ms. Perkins clarified that along with the dates requiring students return to full-time in-person learning, remote learning will remain an option for the remainder of the school year for families that choose this option. Within the guidance, school districts must allow remote students to begin attending school in person as long as students are within a three to six-foot distance.
On March 22, students in Grades 4-8 currently enrolled in hybrid learning will begin full-time in-person learning. Students will remain in the same classroom for the entire day, but curriculum-area teachers will change classrooms within the grade level. For Grade 11, hybrid students will return to full-day in-person learning on March 22, followed by Grades 9 and 10 on March 29. Wednesday will remain as the early release day for all levels on their early release schedule (weekly for elementary students, 2nd and 4th Wednesdays for middle school, and 2nd Wednesday for high schools).
Ms. Perkins said that there are challenges to bringing back Kindergarten students back to full-time in-person learning. In combining the morning and afternoon cohorts for both in-person and remote learning, the class sizes would potentially be higher than the School Committee class size guidelines and require teacher assignment changes. Kindergarten families will be surveyed on Friday about their preferred instructional model and this will assist in planning to accommodate the needs of all of the students.
Students in the remote learning model can request to return to full-time in-person learning by contacting their principal. Each principal is compiling a waiting list and we are developing a plan to move those students on or before April 5.
Social distancing will continue to occur within classrooms with the maximum distance possible, no more than six feet and no less than three feet.
Superintendent Mulvey said that the DESE guidance is that these changes do not require School Committee approval, this regulation change gives DESE Commissioner Riley authority to set the deadline of April 5. School districts may not deny a student admission to school based on a distance requirements of six feet.
Mr. Bregoli asked that since our dates are earlier than the state deadlines, would a vote be required. Superintendent Mulvey said no because all of the March 10, 2021 regulations.
Mr. Bregoli asked if April 5 is a deadline for families to request a learning model change. Superintendent Mulvey said that families can continue to request a change of learning model through the remainder of the school year and this will be accommodated within a month.
Mr. Bregoli asked about Academic Programs for Art, Music, and Physical Education. Ms. Perkins said that the middle and high schools won’t have any changes and the elementary schedules have been updated to accommodate the teacher preparation periods required by contract.
Mrs. Lebo asked about parents who might prefer to remain in the morning or afternoon Kindergarten model, Ms. Perkins said that it would be difficult to sustain both the half and full day models.
Mrs. Lebo asked for an update on the number of students at high school in person with remote teachers.
Mrs. Hubley said there is confusion about whether students in remote learning will receive credit for the school year. Ms. Perkins said this language was targeted at districts who are offering remote learning as their primary model, that will no longer count towards instructional time, districts must offer hybrid/in-person. Since we are offering in-person learning, students who stay in the remote model will also receive credit for time on learning.
Mrs. Hubley asked that the Kindergarten survey reflect that student’s teachers could change if the program moves to full day.
Mrs. Hubley asked about transportation, since the capacity restrictions have been lifted the current students on transportation can be accommodated.
Mrs. Perdios asked if families will be notified if distancing in their classrooms is less than six feet. Mr. Mulvey confirmed this and that mask breaks, snack, and lunch will be at six feet.
Mrs. Perdios asked about the use of lockers and desks, students have been taking their books to and from school on their hybrid days. Superintendent Mulvey said that principals will be working with teachers and students to allow for the use of lockers that prevents students congregating.
Mrs. Perdios asked for confirmation that the Grade 5 students at Point Webster and South~West will have an early release day every Wednesday. Ms. Perkins confirmed this.
Mrs. Perdios is concerned about the effect on students of a full-day remote Kindergarten program. The decision is a balance and changing teachers could be a huge issue at this time in the school year. Ms. Perkins confirmed that the current Kindergarten model meets the state’s requirement for time in school.
Mr. Santoro is concerned about middle school students’ ability to remain in the same classroom for the entire day. Mr. Santoro asked if students might be offered to change schools due to capacity issues, Ms. Perkins said that will not likely be necessary. We are anticipating that a sizeable percentage of remote learners will remain in that model for the remainder of the year.
Mr. Gutro for about waiting lists for students to change from remote learning to full-time in-person. Ms. Perkins said the elementary schools have an average of five students for all grades; most middle schools have 10 students, with one at 15.
Mr. Gutro asked for clarification, Mayor Koch said that three to six feet has always been allowable. Under the recommendation from former Health Commissioner Jones, School Committee adopted six feet for the reopening of school in the fall. Mr. Gutro asked for families to be informed that the distancing may change to be below six feet. Ms. Perkins said that this information will be shared with QPS families.
Mr. Gutro is concerned about the possibility of students changing teachers in Kindergarten and Ms. Perkins said that families will be notified as they request a change in instructional models. At the high school level, students moving from remote to in-person may have some teacher changes as some sections are all remote.
Mr. Gutro asked about Grade 12, those students returned to full-time in-person learning on March 1.
Mrs. Lebo thanked everyone, this is an incredibly complex process to schedule these students.
Mayor Koch said that millions of dollars have been invested in upgrading the ventilation systems and that has been part of the safe operation of schools with no in school transmission.
Pre-Registration for 2021-2022 Kindergarten is underway, with just under 400 families already completing the pre-registration online form and appointments being scheduled at school sites and Central Registration.
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Superintendent Mulvey reviewed the COVID-19 metrics for the two weeks February 24-March 9. There were 32 student cases: 9 hybrid, 12 in-person, 11 remote and 9 staff cases. No evidence of in-school transmission during these two weeks.
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Superintendent Mulvey reviewed recent and upcoming QPS Parent/Student Involvement opportunities: the One Book, One School Webinar events with New Kid author Jerry Craft were well attended, with 500 students and staff total for Central, Atlantic, and South~West. Point Webster and Broad Meadows will have their events on March 18. On March 9, there was a STEM Explorations with Jason Learning Virtual Parent Academy for Grades 3-8 and on March 16, there will be a Virtual Parent Academy for CVTE Pathways & Dual Enrollment.
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Superintendent Mulvey shared that Mr. Gutro had requested information from the QPS Fall Re-Entry Survey for Parents about the reasons families chose remote learning. A summary of this information was shared with School Committee.
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Superintendent Mulvey concluded his report by noting that the High School Robotics program has transitioned to meeting both in person (for the students who feel comfortable doing so) and remotely. The team will be working together to program their robot to compete in a Skills Challenge in April.
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