Board of Ed for December: opening comments

You can find the agenda here. The livestream should come up here. Posting as we go.



Wulfson: charter school renewals this month; four schools renewed under Board delegated approval.
Puerto Rico students continuing to arrive. "have passed the 2000 student mark"
looking to see if there will be a considerable increase after the holidays
DESE has published guidance on social emotional learning
mode choice for spring MCAS; strong use of computer-based testing
required in 4,5,7,8; voluntary in grades 3 and 6 this spring
"very pleased by efforts of school committees and district staff have made"
early college designations working on: 33 submissions for early college, 10 for innovation pathways

Sagan says they'll come back to the Secretary(?)

comments on computer science
commenter from MBAE: computer science skills needed across career fields
students need to have "access to K-12 computer science"
equitable access to computer science "is critical"
need to allow computer science to count towards high school graduation
prepare for college, career, and citizenship

another commenter: "Bitter Harvest" movie shown this year
Ukrainian deaths in the Holodomor (the famine causing the deaths of millions under Stalin)
"I believe that all atrocities should be taught...no one was ever punished for the Ukrainian genocide"

group from KIPP Lynn on the proposed school there
Sagan notes that the Board does not yet have a recommendation from the Commissioner as yet
Director of the Highlands Coaliton in Lynn
worked for 8 years at community school in Lynn (only community school in Lynn, "was, as it is no longer")
had opposed KIPP at the time
the principal of the school retired and the district eliminated the community program: eliminated after school programs, "nearly destroyed the garden"
1/3 of students at KIPP are from the neighborhood
300 adults get educated there
"hope that you support their effort to expand"
parent: have been involved for 8 years;
daughter "it was amazing for her" then got a full scholarship to private schools
son was in fifth grade, when got to KIPP was tested and was reading at a first grade reading level
"didn't realize how far behind he was at his reading level"
had a learning specialist, a reading specialist
now in 9th grade, reading on level, has made amazing progress
daughter in 8th grade is doing really well
son in 5th grade just started "he loves it"
"my kids are all set...here for all the other kids in Lynn who really need this opportunity"
Lynn public schools every year keep expanding, and "I don't know where they're going to put the kids"
"I think the Lynn Public Schools are great, too, but this would be a great expansion" for Lynn

Peyser: highlight new initiative launched at Southeastern Regional Vocational School
one plus one track for adults or high school graduates to earn a certificate in advanced manufacturing and an associates degree
result of "some hard blocking and tackling at the bureaucratic level"
eligible for Pell funding and grant funding