Videos

Harrisville School Board Emergency Meeting for Monday, August 17, 2020

Added Aug 27, 2020 •

Copy this URL:
Embed code:	<iframe class="edlio-embed-player" type="text/html" width="640" height="360" src="//www.sau29.org/apps/embed/?v=285847" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Change dimensions

Meeting Date, Time: Tuesday, August 17, 2020 – 5:00 PM Meeting Location: The Harrisville School Board members attended the meeting remotely. The closed captioning is not necessarily reflective of the true words spoken during this meeting.

Show Transcript

go ahead and call the meeting to order sir to everyone's sense okay to record the first thing on the order I'll look into it but I don't see that anyone scare is that there's only one person that I said and she does have her hand up so I will I'm going to move her over to a panelist to be able to what is Roshan Roshan I didn't realize it was going to be the only guest is on the back of the hea I think you received a letter I probably should have sent it to Rob as well but the hea in the best interest of the school staff and students to align with Keynes schedule supposed to prepare the building is in Kevin's feel strongly that he needs more time and to make sure all our protocols and everything are ready to go and as well as for families to have soap that have siblings at the middle school or high school that they would be on the same schedule for the year so that you know the high school doesn't end early and then we're now the river a sibling to my babysitter still going to school and I would also simplify the bus route so that's my input and I will just listen in Canada be offended if I move you back to attendee from analysts are you okay thank you what is the distance is Melody there was additional input I think that Claire had received I don't know if she wants to speak to that or share that with the group okay I received email from many people people have approached me at the beach or maybe five 2nd families and they sell said it would be preferable to start the program as soon as possible on the 31st because we'll never feel we are ready until we actually stops Paris books eating I think back of the children seem to working for eight weeks and I know we didn't feel ready but we started on the 22nd of June and we tweet sings they're supposed to weeks yes I hear oceans concerned about Kroger's if you know people together and the other concern was it many parents felt it going till the 23rd of June that they children who basically time out at the beginning of June when the days are so long and it's much much warmer and all the rest of it so that was the sort of feeling in the feedback that I got back from those parents regarding the stuff date any questions did you hear from Kathy Shanahan as well as in regards the same thing thank you calling Claire froze I'm sorry I'm not too hot to woman up here was how to spell should stick with the start of the 31st they may be glitches and there's to be dealt with as they arrive at a non-school time in June is never used for low productive discussion in God the starting date there are other things that I'll bring up as we speak to it did you hear me so what I if I'm wrong cuz I don't have all that there's so many calendars out there is interested in starting professional development on the 31st and the sign said Clara talk to interesting starting the kids on the 31st of that we have a discrepancy on a date what to do starting one okay station I think you might have been approached by momoland members of stuff about the situation and I'm not sure if any other parents have approached you I have not been approached specifically about the start date from many families directly I have had conversations with staff members who have brought up their concern about waiting on the 31st capable staff members kind of echo what what roastin was sang that's correct I think that there is concern about our calendar not being aligned with Team the concern that difficult for families students in high school and certainly want to make sure that they have adequate time to prepare not only the building but their classrooms and learn safety protocol I hear that says well I was just passing on what dry beans tell if you're eating jenda what we can do is we can just go to the 20/20 open right now what do you guys think what are you guys going to do you want to do the calendar you want to do the opening plan for their kind of related Wells Memorial I don't have any siblings at other schools they are thinking of the ocean I think we should do the opening plan and then move calendar open planner with her ring for Dottie or what do you think so what what you prove. Can you hear me okay I'm not sure why I'm really not but what what we approve at the August 6th was to open this school year and a hybrid model hybrid meaning that we're going to bring half of the student population in on Mondays and Thursdays and then the other half on Tuesdays Friday just to update you around the SAU that you're aware of that and then Wednesday would be a remote support that but also offering families a remote only option so where we are around the SAU King pass the same motion that you passed on August 6th following that of two districts initially have opted to start out remotely and then look at how they might face the hybrid model in one of those districts has changed that direction so I'm just going to go around all of the so that you know where they currently sit at this point in time so right now we've got what you were approved is the same as what Keene approved and then Marlboro approved a fully on-site model because they're building could support that would their enrollment numbers so they'll be on-site 5 days a week but also providing a remote option for their students Nelson was next they heard Turner staff and they also approve the hybrid you did and both Marlborough and Nelson shifted their calendars to start their students on September 10th so right now we've got three who are doing the hype all everybody is following the same calendar at this point Westmorland change to adopt the hybrid what they want is him on the comprehensive plan and the Nae Westmoreland specific plan merged into one document so they're not two separate documents but they also shifted their calendar so that's four districts all on the same page with a hybrid and calendar Chesterfield is starting Lee and phasing in or rolling out the hybrid so they will be on the hybrid plan and also shifted their calendar and as I said Marlboro is starting fully on-site 5 days a week with a remote option and shifted there so five districts are affirm to be starting on September 10th 4 are completely in alignment just based on your motion on August 6th okay would starting off with a hybrid and one is fully on site one is fully remote but moving toward a hybrid the last District 7th District is meeting later this evening and I hate to predict what anyone's going to do because you never know till you get there here's something wondering if is there a way I know Monday is the tampon soaked in September about Thursday is there a way that we can maybe not start right away with it like 31st and teachers and then have the 8th and the 9th or Motrin or is it a holiday today almost to the back today I'm thinking for the back and not the front end kind of help out Australia have the kids in 2 days at the end so we could and then somewhere on the way baby we can pick up a day or figure out a date so they're their loot back to the Friday the 18th of June so I think we worry more because June 23rd seems late and then we usually have snow days that we have to make up unbearable trailer light right might might my belief is that we are done with makeup day and June 23rd is a firm date which is pretty typical on an average year as we've seen in years you know we're going to another 22nd thereabouts 21st but not too far off from that these are very unusual circumstances starting them starting them a little bit early are in September is it really going to be that much different temperature wise and it will be in June at that time I'm not sure that it will be time to be quite honest with you know yeah so I do think the value of being in alignment with at least for your families who have kids at multiple levels you have a number of families with kids at at multiple levels is probably invaluable and I think that what you heard from from the hea was that you know we support that move as well and they stand behind it critical stakeholders in terms of implementation there where the rubber hits the road and they're the ones who have just stated that there they support that shift as well so are we good we can Tinker with that if you I want to be just thought I would say that your might be creating more difficult these four other families and you are anticipated by doing that well at least this way it's very clear we're starting all of your kids will be starting on the same day but I mean really it's up to you angry with just my two cents I agree with Rob I think like as a parent that has had kids at should a 12 and a kid at the middle school the same time like it's having an alignment is crucial just for planning but even more so just making sure that the teachers feel prepared is super important so I think we're done with the makeup though I believe that so do you have any other I'm sorry too. well Eric I certainly want the community to know that no matter which date we land on the school be safe and ready for students and staff I certainly understand the value of giving my staff adequate time to come together and make major adjustments that we have done this summer remotely there certainly is value in making sure that they have time together and there's also value in aligning the schedule with King High School in Keene Middle School if you have some other has been share formula with me it's not it does not have to do with the school calendar or they opening plan so that can wait for when I believe Claire brings it back up so Kate Kate do me a favor if I get your if I get your number is wrong you know stop me a call That's Not Right But Kate was the first one to get her letter of intent out after that meeting on Thursday she got it out the next day which was fabulous and she's got 100% return rate and of that nearly 84% opted for the hybrid version with roughly 16% counting for some form of remote learning numbers are inaccurate Kate then I you know I must not be calculating correctly yeah you know I'm just using percentages as opposed to exact numbers absolutely I'm spoiling that up right now because I have the exact numbers I believe 80 as you said 83% will be attending school in the hybrid model 60% will be attending in the remote settings and then there's a very small percentage will be for right so a 3.6 did I get it spot on so what is it for me two numbers because what are my numbers look like for this year hybrid model we have right now 54 students remote who have adopted 400% remote learning I have 11 students you know what I know why it looks different because you've got kindergarteners that are not in your PowerSchool when I pull back those numbers today okay sounds good Eric has to give you permission on me I can't see that Dotty's raising their first and I don't know how your teachers feel about it cuz you have the it works update their kind to be determined did you want to use the 31st because the calendar that's in the draft says starting teacher starting the 1st of September Daddy I haven't spoken with this guy about that I would need a couple minutes to think about that one yeah I explain the draft that's in your drive just so that you understand how that came to be really what I did was I I took a look at what I should do is actually share this with you so that we're all looking at it at the same time share screen so what what I did was I took your existing Workshop days before to work from before students arrived one was scheduled on September 4th this will actually go back to September 4th and the three days governor gave us and put the student first day on September 10th so that it aligned with the other districts that have approved by those calendars and then just worked backwards beginning of the year and then work forward through the rest of the year so I didn't add additional day so there wouldn't be an expense to the district all I did was shift the students first day adjusted accordingly with a days from the governor which are these TR days and then the workshop days that we had for the beginning of the school year please note that the third Workshop day will be on September 4th just flip flop in 4th because there is professional development that is planned for September 4th for some of our schools in our district and I don't want it to be convoluted with a Governor's issuance of a training / preparation day I mean professional development activities were planned well in advance and we don't want to lose that opportunity so I do have to make that shift so that the workshop is on the Friday Tiaras on the Thursday and what about the early release for off early release on this Friday what we will do is we'll move it 2 September 30th because that's a remote support day I didn't do that yet but that that would be the other Amendment at this point time was taking the October 2nd early release because that's an on-site date I'm putting it on to September 30th Eric you have a hand up Claire I have a question. I'll take birth to four and presidential elections at the school in November how to cut it's a workshop day that's fine I can see if not thanks Rob September 8th this year also take students out of school for election purposes for the state primary presidential November will be reschedule that as a workshop day well in advance we got a great lineup for that day too right. I guess we are on our calendar that's fine Google right just know that you're not looking at my stream the voice behind the calendar uh I believe the motion you made on the six that allowed for us to go ahead and make that s*** we won't have to worry about those flipping the days is that cuz it's your work you're in charge doing that anyway stop motion everything else about it but it's already in your hand so you just put it out and then and we don't have to try to explain 16 different days just leave it as is and move on that's what my understanding was to put the motion all right so are we is everybody good with the school year open plan and the calendar with you we've already approve or just kind of checking everything okay do you want to go to the other topic for Claire or do we want to go to the policy review different alquiler are from Kathy Shanahan I think the bullet and caged seat cleaning help during this pandemic the teacher should not be off to take spinning tops in the room teachers already dealing with two forms of learning remote in in person and they will be doing double duty substitute teachers New Braunfels who cares Dona Donuts could volunteer two or three hours a week of cleaning a week and perhaps you could find one other person but the same freshwater places to hire somebody sing on I'm cleaning the other consideration contract Mariano do you want to discuss this point the cleaning person has I guess I would look sick hate to see what the plan is for cleaning so thank you for bringing that the building each day will be thoroughly cleaned by mr. Robbins at the end of each day we've also put in procedures and resources within the classroom to make it easy for any shared materials if there are any and we will be practicing those together I feel that I have full confidence in Mr Robins at the building will be tides at the end of every day and be safe for the next group and staff to come in the following day I mean I think that I'm scared my video on I don't know how to do this  thing sorry to have the thorough clean at the end of everyday sounds sounds great Melody can I just put something out there just to get your expertise and put on sure what what little we have learned from this virus and and this pandemic is that almost all almost all of the Transmissions come from respiratory drive as opposed to necessarily contact contamination if you will which is why we are putting in frequent hand-washing and hand hygiene into the plan because if you do touch a surface or whatever that might be we want to make sure our hands are clean but even if you touch a surface that doesn't mean you're automatically infected unless you're going to put it in you know somewhere where it could enter your body whether that's your nose your eyes your mouth your ears or something along that line very little if not any evidence of people becoming infected through that as it is through Airborne type of circumstances so playing with with sanitizing the building I think does support what we know about the virus and in the pandemic absolutely questions right now for sure nobody as far as like pee. Stop with a teacher's have access to face Shields if they want to wear them Rob do you want to answer that one or would you like me to try and see who's that behind that mask everybody new staff member the other thing that has come in for every student and staff member we got this we've got these face coverings for every staff member and student that request them and we've got the face shields for staff members to how often are there has been washed how many are they getting for washing purposes available because they are washable and reusable and we put in the cleaning guidelines into the town how you can do that even if you don't have to run a load of laundry we put in the measurements of bleach to water to sanitize those you need to soak them for 5 minutes and let them dry overnight and they're red the next day okay no problem there play I would just like to say I'm sorry I was just going to say I can I can volunteer my mom to make more face mask it's needed me to make smaller ones for children because I'll be making to the grandchildren and their have to go inside yes absolutely Claire we did order kind of got ahead of the shortages across the country and we did order some disposable mask both for adults and smaller sizes for that will be available in case anyone forgot stairs at any time throughout the year I was also reading this interesting article about face covering like you'll see some people wear some that look like kind of like a turtleneck thing and they were saying basically like the article I was reading was saying they're basically useless because they rest too closely like they conform to the nose and mouth into many particles through I don't know if there's any guidelines on what face coverings are appropriate or not but I do have we do have student size in the end we do have adult size we got both French and if you look in the comprehensive plan we've got a specific line in there that says that it must completely cover are the nose in the mouth on how to wear it if it's under the how to wear your face covering layers of fabric so we did not find technical guidance from the CDC that says it should be one or two or three layers of fabric you know what we did find was the CDC says that face coverings are going to be our strongest the strongest Ally with preventing the transmission of the covid-19 disease but it did not speak to one layer to layer three layer so we followed I think this move correct me Melody to say that it needs to be two layers of fabric and those bus things that they push around or not sufficient right that's what I'm hearing as well yeah I'm hearing but I have not seen anything come out from the CDC we might need to make it a day today or of the comprehensive plan that it will be updated Tonight Show the latest guidance from State and health official okay what if we takes it off why I mean is policy but what was really going to happen that thing cuz that's some may not be a well but it's going to happen at schools where you're going to get a kitty just that's my right I don't have to and you can't make me and so what is the I can be dressed at what's going to happen when you get the you know Master people that were in Tina door Harrisville saying that they want to wish they don't have to wear a mask when you can't make them so it is policy that to say the same thing would apply if somebody said well you can't make me wear clothes if I want to go to school I can come to school however I want but they can't you know so it is policy and the policy is that you need in your when you approve it you've approved it that becomes a policy of the district you have to comply with that 50 of everybody including the person might be refusing and so you know that Caitlin stop out there will work with individuals and families but ultimately that is the policy and if they can't comply with it and maybe we need to explore a different option for them during this time let me know it's a little messy weave we've all seen that before. Making like a mess of the day so I just want to we all have like a plan in place there's one that does happen somewhere we were talking about the whole process and he actually said that he's an infectious disease expert anyways on his other career but he said that his biggest concern for their the risk of school Transmission in New Hampshire is incredibly loud almost non-existent which is nice he said the only thing you'll blow it up in New Hampshire is if you get Karen to send their kids when the check please make sure I really just a pass that was his biggest concern. I think I think that's that's right Eric and I think the other the other vulnerability is people who aren't disclosing when they go out of New England right when they think that's the other major vulnerability nobody knows that we went away so let's just let's just answer to that question so that they don't tell you to stay home ultimately whatever what could possibly end up happening is that if there was an can we get our contact racing we've got a record of how people are responding to that screening tool and we go back to every day they say they answered this but we know that that's the person who infected others or potentially infected others or was infected by himself then something doesn't add up and reflect poorly on the individual not being forthright with the information from the beginning we've had children you come to to the Children's Center on we literally drive to sneeze twice as much then spread out the door and it has caused a lot of upset but they have to be 100% wealth be able to stay drawing easy what's next okay consider Asian this was mentioned at the Epic meeting that you hire some part-time chooses to help the families who choose remote there so many retired folks in college students between 2 and 10 hours a week gang support students and families working at home budget Artemis I've offered to Kate that I would be willing to work for us a week and 1 hour Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday to do the recess and lunch has said the stuff would have actually have an hour to eat lunch go to the bathroom and hear it for the afternoon UTSA basic ideas so what it what I would offer as a response to that I believe Kate is fully aware of of these sharing of ideas and you know as the as the building leader at as the captain of our ship she's taking all of these considerations in the mind to make sure that she's signing something that is going to meet the needs of the students in the staff of the building without necessarily responding to all of those just letting you know that she's not looking at not only those ideas and then but additional ones that have been shared with her through other contacts anecdotally within the the community as well as professionally through some of our inner circles inside of the SAU with diff administrators and she's looking at all of those to be able to make the best decisions on what's going to work best at Wells Memorial we've asked Kate to know all of us have let's go let's give your best plan what's the let's worry about your best plan and absolutely what she's been committed to from the beginning and we've seen her demonstrate time and time again just how diligent and how efficient she is at at doing that without without trying to tell her you need to do this or you need to do that I think that she is incredibly responsive uses a great deal of decision-making metrics to make sure she's making the best decision on behalf of the students the families of Harrisville it's somebody we should be championing her because of her her diligence Kate I don't and I don't know I don't know if she has enough fingers and toes to tell us exactly without saying how many hours of sleep she's lost I'm working through all of these these challenges of I don't know that any of us to do all lost our share of sleep but certainly don't don't let that be lost on on Kate either because she's well the other thing that I do want to mention is that you know a lot of folks in the public may not be aware of of the number of days that Kate is contracted for that has not even been a conversation she put in the extra 9 and 1/2 yards repeatedly unselfishly and willingly and dutifully a very professionally and I think that needs to be recognized because it it's different than what you signed up for but she's not going to drop the ball so that's what I would say are or specialized easy a queen like us well, you said it is on top of all that stuff so and I mean there's lots of issues going on here and we are still two weeks before I think we're all available needed I think right now for the majority of almost everything 18th will be our our Point person on this I would say an end my somebody has a rate of ject ejection that seems to be for my purposes mean I'm fully confident that she's going to handle you know every cutie might need a tutor or extra help or special ed services or whatever else it is and that's not really our domain to begin with like where are you know she's the principal for a reason. recipe for this can I just call her can we just call her Allstate Kate I appreciate the fact that you all have confidence in me but it is certainly a very strong Village at Wells and Browder community and end fortunate to know that we're not doing it alone that we have the support and resources if we need it so thank you that's a very good point gate because I know you have a rededicated and caring staff as well I don't want that to be lost in conversation either if I look at the he flipping back and forth her school year opening family a calendar is there anything Mister something why don't people bring up or talk about her before we move on to the policy review which is much less dressing but nobody thinks that I joined a little later so I don't know if they have anything to add or not we can give him a second to just waiting to see if there's a hand that goes up see you with Roshon we Wing had her hand go up and we moved your over so if anybody has anything to add if you could raise your hair I'm not seeing any hands go up all things change because I'm comes out the address of any do we want to talk about the J5 definition of non-resident students review policy no. I had to stop on that so we should probably handle that or do you want to talk about that. Earlier well it's really kind of Scott it's that we reaffirm that but if you remember the very last board meeting we had we reaffirmed all the policies with the exception of this one so on the back when it says it was reaffirmed and whatever the Minnesota matchup I think you know basically I don't think we made any changes right Kate never changes we didn't even change the tuition rates so I mean everything's the same I guess it's a matter if you want to change anything then maybe you know like that would want to weigh in on that but the payment schedules being exactly the same and just take needs to know with her affordable Choice families to let them know what he knows what it's going to cost them this year that's I don't have any recommendations for changes over what we had last year unless there's something that the K can think of so then it would be a motion to reaffirm policy cfab yeah I don't think there's any need to address the situation at this point just wouldn't be fair to anyone it's two weeks before school starts so I think we got to go I think I think finances are probably a little tougher people to stop motion you got that Jen got that so just because we are virtual we'll have to do it in one hour last-gen to go ahead and do the Roll Call mr. Anderson Miss Garden is motion 300 CGA purchasing card so do we have a we want to speak on that is that Scott again to covid crisis one of the things that we have run into is the need to occasionally be able to purchase stop I'm sorry hold on one second I apologize you hear me again okay sometimes to be able to for Kevin or Kate to be able to purchase supplies very quickly stormy get them in and then they may sell out very rapidly in currently what's happening is Kevin is putting it on his personal credit card and then being reimbursed for it then that's really an ideal situation what we would like to do is to implement a purchasing card program through our bank that has like $1,000 card limit has the restrictions what I can and cannot be used for the guidance the oversight then it'll also look a lot better to the Auditors if we're using that for those purchases versus reimbursing employees I'll make a motion to Pomeranian readings and approve purchase purchasing card GG a policy I think I'm going to have to do it in two steps Eric is the first motion would be the suspend your rules for passing a pie and you'll need a two-thirds approval to do that and then you can move to approve the first thing you're going to suspend your policy with regard to approving policies so your second reader and so far Melody it's all you change policy of reading it more than twice and this as it's an emergency case and accept this proposal mr. Anderson Miss gargan motion so now we need a motion to approve the posi DGA is the one that allows them to have we should approve policy dga's a DJ is at the approve policy tja purchasing power so most no they all are going to do a roll call them Esther Anderson is motion I think I missed it Eric who II motion oh I did my bad RDI okay to do anything else on that part or all good with the two event correct questions or want to bring up or anything else at this point pretty well down here I'm not seeing any hands go up do we have a non-public I don't have any I'm looking at. E&k doll. You can't tell I'm looking at do you know of any non-public there you have it I think so I think so I think we all here's a short meeting now anyways that's not a bad thing anyone has something comes up though anyone please let us know cuz we can easily be relatively easily get this thing back going in the Sochi working up by apple juice work that you've done when you should be having a semi vacation to thank you very much from all the families and and thank you thank you very much I want to Echo that as well to Takei in the ICU and and the teachers that are that are going to be back at the school yet exactly what Rob said right there in my spare time during this meeting I was just looking at the CDC website and they did say they do have they're like mask off mask guidelines that indicated should be multiple layers they don't say like how many but it does say multiple just like so these are two layers I can feel them the other two layers yeah I think most of them are the only thing the only thing I wanted to add was you know in your motion we both committed to a one another that if there are reasons that we need to update any of the comprehensive plan or or the plans for Wells Memorial specifically that we're going to keep you informed earlier today I sent kind of a cheat sheet of updates to all of the SIU board members so that you're aware of what has been updated by you share with a principals as well earlier with little no what's in the side of it but I pulled it out so that you're not going through the whole document looking for it just pull it out what updates were made so that you're aware and will keep committing to doing that that's the commitment that we made to each other and that's what we're going to hold and honor I just want to say thank you for your support we really do appreciate it your trust your confidence I wish I could say it's going to be easy but that would be probably untrue but you've got the right people in the right places and I think everybody's committed to doing the right thing so I think that's really important and I really appreciate that recognition so thank you very much I also had a one other bit of news for the board is at 4 p.m. today you officially have a bus contract able to get all of the things that we desired into the contract as far as the age of the bosses The Knowing When the bus will be late for the parents will know if their child's bus is going to be lay in advance of it we were able to get the agent has to be age of the buses is going to be new or there will be cameras on the buses and we are in between four and $5,000 less than budgeted so and if parents want to find what time their bus pickup is that where do they stop serving questions that doesn't concern us this year we wanted the $11 going to go check the remote anyone else have any last parting thoughts yes it's 559

Videos

Harrisville School Board Emergency Meeting for Monday, August 17, 2020

More videos in Harrisville School District