Worcester joint education and finance & operations meeting

 which is mostly on the work being done on schools before reopening; the agenda, including backup, isn't here
Allen: limitations on return to instruction; used MSBA tool for measurement
spacing allows for bringing students back only a single day a week
district doesn't have the capacity to add more buses (due to cost, drivers, and manufacturing)
limitations on spacing severely cut down on number of students can be on
HVAC: use outdoor air instead of recirculated air and increase air filtration
adjust settings, open windows and doors, prevent or minimize recirculation, upgrade filtration
all basement classrooms "have been taken offline and will not be used as classroom spaces or other multi-purpose spaces until further notice"

26 no mechanical system
20 partial HVAC
17 full mechanicized
"almost half of the district buildings were build before 1940, with one in five built in the 1800's" 
14 schools with full mechanical ventilation systems; can bring in between 90-100% outdoor air (another 3 have that but no AC)
20 have partial (bring in outdoor air but have no mechanical exhaust
26 with NO mechanical systems; natural ventilation (that's open windows)
ionization systems: all schools will have permanent enhancements of this kind, either as part of the building system, or portable systems
replacing all filters and evaluation for upgrades
restricting scheduling any non-ventilation basement rooms
surveying non operational windows

sorry got distracted there with downloads...
we're now into scheduling...
and 
Budget: eliminated first year phase in of Student Opportunity Act
schools' final budget based on state budget, not yet completed, usually done as the city completes its year
King: thanks for all the work
dedicated funds at most recent meeting; different variations of "air challenges we have"
how many buildings are in the "ready to go category"?
Allen: "None of the schools are in the ready to go category" contract with Honeywell just now being signed
King: collaborative schools; are they part of this?
Binienda: not part of WPS, they do attend the Collaborative; they have four buildings
King: "is there a separate plan for those buildings?"
Binienda: "School Committee does not oversee" those buildings
students are tuitioned into collaborative for their education; superintendent is chair of board; superintendents of Oxford and Webster
King: those are our students, families are constituents of the City Council
also wanted to know about technology; "wondering where we are technology-wise"
"are our technological needs--beyond the broadband, I'm aware of the broadband--being met?"
Binienda: there are always technology needs; apps; cameras, speakers in classrooms if we move to hybrid
"as we move forward in this COVID world, there are always things we could use for students and for staff"
King: very diverse city and student; "wonder if we can get a report on diversity in hiring"
wow, not their purview
Binienda: chief diversity officer just came on board, English learners....will send report to city council
King: how important home to school connection is
"part of that is making sure that process is important"
social-emotional learning
explore "whether or not our human resources can assist with that hiring piece"
concerned about collaborative, "situation"
collaboratives are extensively legally bound and described...it is pretty clear that this isn't understood
Binienda: students have been receiving services during the school day, have received device
director had had all the buildings checked and approved

Bergman: asks clerk if they can make Chairman's orders; it is noted that by their clerk that they can only do it for things under their purview

Rosen: thanks, "I try to put myself in the position of teachers...virtual teaching would be difficult for me"
"what are we getting for feedback from teachers?"
Binienda: feedback from staff: requesting more powerful devices; have gotten requests for dual monitors
took 12 days to train staff; using Google classrooms, apps
Rosen: hope teachers can maintain those high standards as much as possible
"any support they need from the City Council, I am sure it will be there; it's already been there and it will continue to do so"
"I would think there would be some students who really...staring for several hours at the computer"
how are students doing overall?
Binienda: what's attendance like? in 90's M-Th; in the 80's for Friday
Monday morning check on students; also Thursday last class; those go into data board so schools and districts can see what's working for them
"we're finding that high school students really do like the schedule they've been given"
younger students: "a lot more difficult"
kindergarten itself for the first six weeks is teaching school behavior; hard to do that virtually
partnering with parents; Caregivers Academy
Rosen: are we on a traditional grading system?
Binienda: still using regular grading system
Rosen: flu shots: just students required...seems silly, seems you'd want everyone
is there a teaching shortage?
Binienda: shortage in certain areas even pre-pandemic: special ed, EL, math, science, elementary
Rosen: open to the public?
Binienda: have to have a code to get into the classroom?

Bergman: how adaptable is this for snow days? will there still be snow days?
Binienda: good Q
Commissioner has said that he's going to make the decision based on equity
some districts are fully in-person, if a snow day is called, they'd have to make it up when a fully remote district wouldn't
snow day=no wifi in the city; would need to make up time on learning
Bergman: subject of nurses have come up
"I was always under the assumption that nurses rotated"
Binienda: had to hire four this summer
right now a lot are coming in and upgrading health records
Bergman: once students go back into buildings, how do you monitor bathrooms?
Binienda: have always monitored bathrooms in middle and high
Bergman: no temperature checks why?
Binienda: not useful given temp variation
Bergman: furlough numbers
Allen: about 240 of 330 cafeteria workers, all crossing guards for first quarter
Bergman: do you anticipate more furloughs or layoffs?
Allen: it will depend on in-person, hybrid, remote model looks like and what savings there might be
plus final state budget and any additional federal stimulus money
Bergman: feedback from teachers; what changes are being made or asked; how does that work
Binienda: special education have complex challenges "are obligated to return them to school"
900 students around November 16 to get back in classrooms
Bergman: is "there a ledger that's been done about the cost of to the school department to the savings"?
Allen: reconciling for next F&O meeting at end of this month
Bergman asks that it be shared with Council

King: question regarding sports
is there concurrent planning going on with relation to sports
Binienda: announced today fall sports are cancelled due to four weeks of red plus increase in number of cases
we now can move those sports for fall II; new season added this year between winter and spring; will be offered then
King: as students are coming back, is there planning for that
Binienda: no planning for winter as yet

Bergman: very content with opportunity to ask questions, hands off to Foley
Foley to Biancheria
Biancheria: time frame for next steps:
Binienda:11/16; statement being released tomorrow
student cohort: are we changing bus routes and stops and how communicating
Binienda: cohorts based on five areas
students will only be placed in buildings with upgrades
Biancheria: how will we let them know?
Binienda: phone calls and emails
starting and ending times won't change, even if at at different building
Biancheria: devices for staff?
Kyriazis: part of delayed shipment
Walton: have been delayed, told the end of October
have taken laptops and converted into Chromebooks have been distributed through the principals
Biancheria asks for updates on viewing of training video
McCullough: thanks Council for attention
Foley: Biancheria asks for report on Chromebooks coming in
report on current status on ventilation and current building status and teaching and learning at the collaborative and to share with Education subcommittee

Bergman: adopts similar motion which makes no sense as they don't have purview
King wants an order to have city HR "assist" WPS HR in hiring
uh, have y'all checked the city's numbers on this?
Bergman suggests "collaborate" rather than assist
Foley: "it's consider and collaborate; that's fair"
Binienda: hiring process is very different for school department; licensing requirements
suggested: "request city manager consider exploring collaborate with city side HR with school side human resources"
Binienda suggests virtual job fair and collaborating with colleges; would welcome help
Bergman proposes making city chief diversity officer available for collaboration; King points out the city doesn't currently have one
aaaand there you go...
which is what passes

Bergman thanks Foley for meeting
Foley says expects more coming during school year