All right, guys.

So let's get started, okay?

Everybody ready to exercise, I need exercise.

It's been a quiet weekend.

I didn't swim that much.

Everybody up.

I see Michael and C.J.

ready.

They're already knocking into each other.

Okay, let me turn on the music, you guys.

Let's go.

Everybody up!

All right, guys, are you ready?

Everybody standing up.

Let's go jumping jacks.

Let's go!

Come on guys jumping jacks.

Good, guys.

Good.

There was this big, big pile of snow that we tried to make an igloo out of.

We tried to make it from the sides.

Yep.

It didn't work.

We climbed on top of it, and we were just stabbing it with the stick on top because they couldn't do it.

Ah huh.

So it never even worked.

I was watching Channel 12 News on the day of the storm, and um, they showed a family in Darien, who built an igloo in their fr on their front path, and it was pretty, it was pretty impressive.

I'm not gonna lie.

It was very cool.

You doubt, like, I think someone at my height could have walked inside of it, which was kind of cool.

All right, how's it going, AJ?

How's it going, Kev?

All right, there we go.

Thank you, Kevin.

Happy Friday, Mumtahi.

Hi Ahana!

Uh, now we got, hi Felix.

All right.

We've got Ahana.

Hi.

How's it going?

Yeah, make sure you have your whiteboards and markers, guys.

Alright, so, guys, I'm going to share my screen now, okay?

Are you ready?

Uh, we've got Saffron.

Saffron, make sure you have a whiteboard and marker.

So, Ahana and Madison, it is your turn.

Kevin and Felix, it is your turn.

Kevin and Felix, Ahana and Madison, are you ready?

There's going to be four problems.

You just have to write the product.

Okay?

Go.

Bless you, Felix.

Troy and Madison, you were both four.

AJ: three.

I tried to work as fast as I can.

You were fast, AJ.

All right, here we go.

Um, can I go next?

Cause my mom just left and her girlfriend is sleeping and I got to find where my dog is cause she left off the couch.

So skip your turn this time?

Yeah, let me go and just.

Yes!

No problem, yep.

Who can tell me why a square and a rectangle are the only two shapes an array can be?

What creates them into being squares and rectangles?

Um, Arushi.

Well, they can only be squares and rectangles because if it was another shape, the arrays wouldn't be equal.

Beautiful.

Yes, their rows and columns wouldn't be equal if they were other shapes.

Right?

Sean, you are going to sign out of this meeting and sign on with Mrs.

Smegal.

Sean Kercher, sign out of this meeting and you going to sign on with Mrs.

Smegal.

There's a link on our class.

Okay?

Like right now?

Yeah, right now.

The whole, all of the Smiling Terrapins are meeting with Mrs.

Smegal right now.

Um, but I don't, but But I didn't see a... Th, There- I didn't see a Google Meet.

There's a lin, there's a link.

There's a link.

You'll see it.

This link?

No, it's not the link that's at the top of the page, hon.

Oh, here!

Oh, I see it.

Okay, I'll see you later, all right?

Bye.

I had...There's no concerns out about staffing when we come back.

So I see the return on Tuesday as seamless from a staffing standpoint.

At least, all my principals, you know, they're expecting almost everyone back.

Other than typical long term leaves.

Me too.

Well, today's the day that everyone who had to quarantine should be back.

I mean, should, even if they traveled, and they came back on January 1st, they should not be, they should be quarantined till today and then they're done.

So we should be good.

Some came home today until Sunday night.

Right?

Where.

So yeah, some other people could still ...if you came back a little late then, I don't see us having an issue, but okay.

No.

I checked with all mine too.

So, staffing, okay.

So, there we talked about this before, that Board packet stuff needs to be in by Friday because people want to see it on Friday and have time over the weekend.

For things that they asked for let's say on a Tuesday, that doesn't mean we have to promise to get it to them on Friday.

We just need to be able to say, we're not going to have that to you until a month from now or two weeks from now, and I'm fine with that.

But what I'm not fine with is Board members calling me because things aren't in on time.

That is frustrating.

So I feel like we probably need to take a minute and just make sure everything is where it needs to be, and it needs to get there in a reasonable amount of time that Jen has time to post it, and it's not being posted at midnight.

So, Cabinet is now 12:15 every Friday for, I want it to be 15 minutes, so look at all the stuff before that time period, mak sure that everything's to Jen.

And if you're wondering where this is coming from, I woke up to a text first thing this morning dealing with this.

So, I don't want to spend my Wednesday mornings doing that.

... probably standing inside the whole time.

Joe better hold that rail.

You know he's old.

Hey, what's that supposed to mean?

He's gonna tumble down.

I'm old.

You suppose I'm gonna fall down?

He takes one wrong step and it's over.

Right, he takes one wrong step and- Nah, he's got this.

Ain't like this the first time, this ain't the first time he's been down those stairs.

It don't matter.

It only takes a slip.

It only takes a slip.

When you slip at 30, You slip, Listen, you sl, you slip at 30, at 80, big difference.

It's a big difference?

At 80, he not getting back up.

There you go.

All right.

Jill looks good!

11:18 Curt.

Out there at 7:15.

They didn't start walking at 7:15, though.

This ceremony is the culmination of 244 years of a democracy.

It is the moment when leaders brought to this stage by the will of the people promise to be faithful to our Constitution, to cherish it and defend it.

It's our group.

I'm so excited.

Hi Mr.

Brown!

Once again.

Um, all the former president are there with the exception of?

Donald Trump.

Trump, okay.

Mike, um, um, um, Vice President Mike Pence is representing the current executive branch there.

Um, who will give the um oath of office to the, ah, ah, Vice President, I mean President-elect Biden?

Who gives the oath of office?

Chief Justice?

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Does anybody know who, ah, ah, Senator, now, Vice President Harris has chosen to give her the oath of office?

Sotomayor?

Sotomayor.

Very, very good.

Sonia Sotomayor.

Only the Constitution says ... Hate to speak over Roy Blunt, but I've chosen C-Span.

Okay, as per district requirements that I show a non-biased source free of commentary.

Many districts statewide have barred their teachers from showing this in class K through 8, for fear that something bad happens, and not to expose impressionable young minds to something that is Oh, my God.

traumatic.

Goes all the way back to when I was in school in 1986 with the Challenger explosion, okay.

It was one of the space shuttles.

And at that one, 1986, they selected a teacher to go up in space.

Her name was Christa McAuliffe, a teacher from the state of New Hampshire.

She went through all the training to be an astronaut, went up in space, a minute, after launch, the space shuttle exploded, and millions of kids across America, grades K through 12, were watching this.

And so that's the precedent they are citing for barring K-8 classrooms from showing this live.

This is not a moment of division.

It's a moment of unification.

A new administration begins and brings with it a new beginning.

And with that, our great national debate goes forward for all Americans.

Did you guys lose my feed?

What a privilege for me to join you today.

Thank you.

Okay, let me share the link.

Hold on a second.

When he was a part of the Domus program, was he going?

Like that week off, was he attending?

So yeah, he was coming, but it wasn't like, consistent.

Well, it was consistent, but it wasn't like.

So he would come at like what, 10 a.m?

He's got three classes before 10 a.m.

Okay.

See what I'm saying?

So he's like sleeping through those three classes and then coming in at ten and thinking, okay, at ten and thinking, okay I'm going to do the work then.

But it's like you don't have any classes left.

And what's concerning too is that at this pace, right?

He's going to be 20 years old in high school.

Exactly.

And that's what I try to avoid.

to emphasize with the Yeah!

with the students is that there is, the time is you know, the clock is ticking.

Um hm.

And like the issue with, I think, a lot of the students that I have is that they kind of want to make the effort too late.

So like, hey, if I don't, if I haven't passed quarter one and quarter two, but pass quarter 3 and 4, can I still pass for the year?

Yeah.

And I'm like, it's a possibility You would have to like get straight A's for the both those quarters.

But.

So yeah.

But like as you can see, like her absences are already over.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Um ... But see, a lot of these absences, and um, are a lot of remote absences.

So I think the district or the school, we're going to take that into consideration.

Okay.

Remote absences because it, I just think you have to.

This is not.

When the attendance policy was written, it was written with remote absences.

Right.

That's a different ballgame.

They don't have to, if you don't have the support, if your parents are working during the day, it's difficult for students to sign on.

I don't like to let that on.

Um hm.

Like, hey, it's going to be a free, right?

Because it's not.

I want them to start doing better for the sake of: let me start doing better.

Right.

And then we can go back and we can see how we can help these students, support these students, to get these quarter grades, one up.

Um hm.

All right.

Who's the next one?

Um ... Jeffrey?

Yes.

How's his support at home?

Um, Mom is.

Mom is pretty good, but, like, she, she can't really, I don't want to say control him, but it's like, in the sense of, like, he does what he wants, you know?

And he's telling her one thing, but doing another.

So he's like, yeah, I'm signing on.

Yeah, I'm doing work.

Yeah, I'm in front of the computer, but he's not doing anything.

He's all on his own with ma?

Yes.

Alright.

Any, any passions or interests, he has?

Football.

But he wasn't allowed to play this year because of the grades.

And which is something that I've tried to play on, like: hey, like, I know you love football, I know you want to play next year, so let's do what we need to do so that you'll be eligible.

And, as you can see, that's not a pushin it for him.

Yeah.

And he's in complete distance learning.

Um humm.

Um, So like with even that.

Are they planning to- come back?

Or is he, does he want to do hybrid?

I, I know for a, he didn't want to do distance at all.

But mom was like, you know, Covid, I'm scared.

I want you to stay home.

Yeah.

With the first quarter grades and how second quarter is looking, she's not going to pass for the year.

Yeah.

And, our issue is and it's not even really an issue, I just feel like distance learning.

She's not doing well distance learning.

And I know you have reservations about Covid and how everything is looking in school and all that kind of stuff.

However, I think for the betterment of her grades, and so she doesn't repeat the ninth grade again, um, it'd be better for her to come inside the school.

And I'm just going to have, um, Mr.

Agosto kind of speak more about it.

Do you mind if I put you on speaker?

Okay.

Hey, it's Mr.

Agosto.

How are you?

Hi.

How are you?

I'm doing well.

Um, so, yeah, just to follow up with what Milcah is saying it's, it's completely your decision, right?

But we're just seeing it as one of the options, um, because, at this pace, she would be a repeat ninth grader again.

And, and, and that's disheartening and frustrating.

I'm, I'm pretty sure you feel the same.

Um, so we're just trying to kind of brainstorm ideas on how to kind of get her more engaged.

I, I think we have we really have to sit down and have a a conversation with her, because this is, it's frightening, to be honest.

Because Um hm.

there's no way she's going to be able to pass this year.

Okay.

And, and.

And, and.

What days would she have to come to school?

Um, so the quarter ends the 29th.

So we would hope to get her starting to come in that next, um, that next week.

So I think it's February 1st.

Got it.

I think she should come back because she's sleeping all day.

That's why she's not getting up doing it.

And even if I wake her up, she falls back to sleep and does whatever she wants to do.

So Yeah, and that's something like, listen, this is difficult.

Like a lot of, obviously a lot of issues are coming about during this pandemic and students staying home.

But that could lead to other issues, right?

Depression, anxiety.

Um hm.

And that's and not for nothing, school is not only an academic place, but it's a safe place and where they can socialize, where they can connect with social workers, they connect with teachers, other students.

And there's something about that, too, that she's not getting if she's sleeping all day.

Um, so she's Yeah!

Yeah.

Um, so you have a discussion.

You're more than welcome to give me a call back or Milcah.

No, I'll just take the Paperwork.

Cause she's going to just come back February 1st.

All right.

Alright.

That, that sounds That's exactly what it is.

So, alright, I'll e-mail If she fails after that and doesn't do what she's supposed to do, then she'll repeat the 9th grade and she won't have anything.

So the first thing is I'm just gonna, you know, tell what the budget number is, Um hm.

what the increase is.

And then this is kind of the narrative: The amount is intended to sustain and improve our current programs, but also to specifically address the challenges facing our students and families due to the ongoing pandemic.

In addition, we've restored items like classroom furniture and professional development, which were reduced last year.

To provide some context, if this amount were to become the final approved budget for next year, the five year compound annual growth rate of the school budget would be about 2.7%.

Yeah.

If you look at the long term, you know, there's there's nothing egregious in our increases Right.

Yeah unless you just disagree with .. That we should have anything.

Exactly.

I mean, how do, how do you educate children, especially in a diverse district like this, without some level of increase?

But until you said it, the way you said it in terms of: across these five years, this is what it is, it doesn't dawn on you that over that period of time, it hasn't been a huge impact to people.

Yeah.

Okay.

Um, and then just an overview of the net changes to operating.

So just breakdown of that.

And then the last is the per pupil.

Um hm.

Which I'm going to say that, if nothing, I think comparing our per pupil spending to surrounding districts provides some context to our budget in a way that Yeah.

$300 million on its own doesn't.

Right.

No, I think that's good.

That's it.

It's about 15 to 20 minutes.

I think that's perfect.

Ha ha!

Ready, ready, ready, ready.

Alright!

So, if you agree with it, it's me.

If you disagree with me.

Mr.

L?

It's not me.

All right.

Um, I like pizza.

Pizza.

It's good.

These are warm up kinds of questions.

Me, me, me.

I don't like the elementary school pizza.

Oh, my God, yes.

The elementary school pizza is so soggy.

We just eatin sauce, we're not even feeling the cheese or the bread.

Like, it's just sauce.

At my old school in elementary, we used to get pizza from the John the pizza, like John the Baker, so it was good.

That is good.

And filling.

Um, alright.

I watch TV, play on my phone, or do social media more than two hours a day.

More.

Five.

That's the hardest one.

So, we're all me?

What if it was three hours?

We all still on our phone more than three hours?

Yes.

I'm on my phone for- I'm going to show you my screen time right now.

No, my screen time, everyday my screen time is nine hours and 41 minutes.

What's yours?

I'm watching TV and I, and I'm on my phone.

When I get bored.

It's a daily average is eight hours and 20 minutes.

And TikTok is so addicting because there's so many funny videos.

Exactly.

Right.

And you can't stop watching it.

It's the same idea of like the gam, you know how they have those like gambling things.

You pull the lever and up comes the thing, you see what pops up?

It's the same thing, you wanna see, get that little boost, that little pop.

And by the way, I'm guilty of it, too.

Alright, let's move on.

Um, I value education.

Me.

Not me.

I value education.

Ooooh.

I value education.

We got a me.

We got, why not me?

Ab?

Sometimes you just feel like, eh, what am I doing here?

Yeah.

I understand that.

Yep, Liana?

I want to get good grades and everything, but it's how you teach your class, and it's how you treat me.

Like, if you're giving me respect on the one assignment, I'm not going to do it, or I'm not gonna give my all when I know I can't.

If you are going to give me respect and like, help me, or if I need help or whatever, and like, your class is actually pretty good.

Um hm.

I'm going to do your work.

I'm going to do your homework.

Not saying that I'd skip out on homework because of that but, But the relationship matters to you?

How I feel about you impacts how I'm going to do today.

Rachel: You value education?

Ummm, I had this teacher one year, I think I was sixth grade before I came here.

Um hm.

She told me, actually he, that most of the stuff that you learn in school, you don't use it outside.

Um hm.

And I feel like he's lowkey right.

Personally, me, I feel like all the social studies we learning, not worth it, waste of time.

Yeah, facts.

I'm fluent in Spanish.

Right.

So why am I taking Spanish class?

Yes.

Yes!

Oh my, God I feel like you guys should have more I asked that same question So, your tugging at the strains of education and like what's the line between actual knowledge and like, what are we doing to prove that we have a certain level of learning.

Right.

Now, I wonder if we taught a different social studies, would you like that better?

Yeah.

But what about social studies are you talking about?

Well, social studies is so broad Social studies could also be civics and current events.

I wonder if current events would be more exciting?

Like I don't want to learn about the old days.

Like, I wasn't ther so what was I supposed to know.

What are we using that for in the future?

It all depends on the career that you're going to choose.

Um hm.

Like, like, I feel like you should like get to choose like what classes you get to take.

But I do understand we're still in middle school, so we don't really have a lot of choices.

But still, I feel like it's just like Why do I need to take Spanish if I already know it?

For Spanish It makes no sense.

Like, have, having the, have like, people that don't know Spanish should take Spanish class.

People that do know Spanish Shouldn't.

should like take French.

Like do French.

No, but it's not even like that.

I feel like you guys should have more options.

We?

Um hm.

We should?

Yes, the government.

Yeah.

The school.

The school, you're part of the school!

Like, yeah Yeah, but I'm not governing it.

I'm not the principal.

Yeah.

Don't forget to do your desk, guys, clean your desk.

Clean your desk.

Come in.

Okay, let's, look at this George Orwell guy for a second.

Kind of a funky looking dude, right?

A little funky looking.

What's going on with his teeth?

Does?

That's not his teeth.

That's a mustache.

He was born in 1903.

So if you can believe it, he's even older than me, right?

What?

I know, it happens.

Alright, so he was, he was born 118 years ago.

Alright, that's problem number one in trying to understand his writing.

Right?

Problem number two, he's a, he's British.

So not that that's a problem, being British, but sometimes if you're born in Britain, you speak with elevated diction.

What does that mean?

Ah, ah bigger words.

Higher level language, right, than what, what we are used to.

So the fact that he is, was born so long ago, and that he's British, there's, there's sometimes a problem with us understanding what he writes.

Would you agree?

Yeah.

Sometimes it gets a little off.

Okay.

So we are going to look at Old Major's Song, ah, Beasts of England, right?

Why did Old Major teach the animals this song?

To get them, like ... To keep the spirit of the rebellion alive.

Yeah.

Alright, to keep the spirit of the rebellion alive.

So he's trying to hype them up.

But some of the language is not accessible to us.

So take a look at stanza one.

Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland.

Beasts of every land and clime.

Okay.

Do you see a number one there?

Yeah, yeah.

Hearken, do you see a number two?

Yeah.

to my joyful tidings, we see a three?

Yeah.

Okay.

Of the golden future time.

Now, scroll down to the bottom of the song.

Do you see a, an index, Yeah.

with numbers?

Uh hum.

All right.

What does clime mean?

Climate.

Climate.

What does hearken mean?

Listen.

Listen.

What do, ah, tidings mean?

News.

News.

Okay, Okay, so if we replace that, that's a little easier.

Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland, beasts of every land and climate.

Listen to my joyful news of the golden future time.

Alright, It's a little bit easier?

Yeah.

Okay, we're going to take it one step further.

And this is, this is a little scary to me.

I have learned a lot about text language from you guys.

Oh.

Oh no.

You guys taught me this.

I'm going to turn off this light, so it's a little bit easier to see.

Cap.

All right.

I knew this, I knew this, I kn, I even know ight.

I knew I knew bruh.

Okay, wait.

I did not know ayo.

That, that, Really?

that it's kind of like, yo.

Um hm, yeah.

I did not know valid.

I mean, I know valid, Wait, wait.

but in text language, I didn't know.

Umm, I knew IDK, ID, okay.

Ima yeah, yeah, yeah, okay.

What's the word for the upper class?

Bourgeoisie.

Bourgeoisie.

But you have to say it with your pinky out.

Oh, sorry.

Bourgeoisie.

I'm sorry.

Bourgeoisie.

Okay.

What word do you guys use that came from bourgeoisie?

Bougie.

Okay, so there's a connection.

Do you know where this comes from?

No.

Like, what's that?

What's what's the T?

Yeah.

Like what's the, Yeah?

The news, like, what's the rumor, like Yeah, the Boston Tea Party.

Wait, what?

No, that's not what it is.

Yeah.

What, like, what's the news, when they spilled all the tea into the Boston Harbor.

Oh.

Yeah.

So.

Wait, what?

Alright, so All right, so anything else that we have to add?

That you use in your text language.

That's relatively semi clean, umm.

Ehh?

I know that limits it.

I know.

Boi, B.O.I.

Okay, boy.

But B.O.I.

Oh, of course, because that's how you spell boy.

Exactly.

Yeah.

That's the point.

What else?

My guy?

My g, my g. My g. My g?

My g?

My g. Alright, what does that mean?

My grandma.

No.

It means my guy.

My god?

Yeah.

My, no, my guy.

Oh, my guy.

Like your Like, hey, what's up, my guy.

Yeah.

Okay.

So, here's what we're going to do.

We are going to translate this into text language.

So pretend you are sending this national anthem of Animal Farm, if you will, to a friend.

And you are texting it.

Now, I know I'm older than dirt, I used emojis.

Oh, God!

Same.

You, same?

Thank you.

Oh, lord.

All right.

This is how I ty Alright, You can cap on me all day long.

And I know you're going to.

Here we go And I'm, and I'm okay with that.

And I'm okay with that.

So check it out.

Yo, beasts of England and Ireland.

No matter the (clime) weather, listen up.

Hmm?

Ima bring you mad good news.

Yeah, yeah.

Our future be on fire.

Yeah.

It's so accurate.

Yeah.

It's good for an old lady, right?

Yeah, it's pretty good.

It's alright, it's alright.

Okay.

Now, make this kind of old archaic national anthem your own.

You good?

Yeah.

We got it.

Yeah.

We got it.

Okay.

Do you say, We are going to or do you say we are gonna?

Do you say in text language: I am going to?

Don't you say I'm gonna?

No, ... I do a lot of, a lot, but, I don't, He's Shakespearean.

I don't want to show it in front of the class.

Are you Shakespearean?

Are you bougie?

Okay?

I encourage you, once you get on- Are you texting me?

You're not?

Because, do I need to check my phone?

You're not texting me?

Okay.

Hi beasts round the world.

I got some fire news.

Umm hum.

The time gonna be so lit.

Um hm.

Oh!

Look at you.

Soona or lataa, the imposta gonna get ejected.

Yeah!

Among Us.

Among Us.

This is good!

We gonna to take back wat is ours.

Ayyyyy.

Ayyyyy?

Ayyyyy!

Ayyyyy!

Ayyyyy!

Okay.

Umm, we have posted an RFP for a curriculum instruction and assessment audit.

It is time that we look deeply at all of our content areas, pre-K through 12th grade, to make sure that we have horizontal alignment across all of our schools.

Not that every school needs to be, you know, a cookie cutter or exactly the same, but there needs to be, a, a shared, high quality, equitable experience for every student and it shouldn't matter what, which school ah, our, you know, our students attend.

As we talk about our district goals, this is the one key thing, I think that the board, and, and I'm speaking from conversations and consensus from this board and working with the superintendent, that have identified as an area that we want to move forward and we want to have an impact in our district.

First of all, Amy, this is extremely robust, and I think it's very brave of you to put it out there.

This should have been done even prior to Covid.

So, um, thank you for taking a jump at it.

This should have been done way before that.

You know, I guess my bigger question is to Superintendent Lucero and Ryan.

You know, you're putting together, ah a very huge budget.

6% is asking a lot.

How much for the homeowner is each homeowne going to tack on to their taxes?

That's my next question.

And eventually, you know, it'll go to the Board of Finance.

But I think, you know, curriculum and instruction should be the foundation of what drives this budget.

Um, but I, I think that's a question Ryan and and, Superintendent Lucero, I would ask you to consider, you know, what are we, you know, with the 6% and I understand, too, the Board of Finance will crunch that, as well.

But Eechhk!

This is, it's a big budget.

So, yeah it is and you know, we have to make really hard decisions.

And it, uh, and when we look at the needs of a school district that only got a increase of 0.83 last year, you've got to think about that.

That you can't two years in a row, put us in a place where we're not going to be able to really focus on some of the areas that we think are in need.

So I think the board now has to make a decision on whether or not in the middle of a pandemic, with curriculum that has not been touched in the time that I've been here, and probably ten years before I arrived, is it the time to wait, or is it the time to move forward and ask for what we need?

Not more, but what we've asked for.

I've been thinking about our middle school curriculum and what we put in place in middle school to help students realize their potential and what they're able to do.

Right.

And I think about that whole foreign language piece of it, and the thought that you don't have to take foreign language in middle school.

Ah huh.

And so if we said: you have the opportunity in your sixth grade year to take a optional class that helps you think about career and, college and career readiness, and then in your seventh grade year, you can um, opt to either start a foreign language or take part two of whatever this career track is.

And then in your third year, it's when you would take that basic foreign language, basic foreign language, because I would argue, if you are going to go into any career, you should probably know how to speak a second language, but you don't need to probably take it at.

You could take it your eighth grade year and your ninth grade year of school to get a foreign language credit.

Right?

You would still be on trac to go to a four year college, if you wanted to, but middle school allows us to stretch the experience for students.

That allows them to be able to still go in both paths depending on what they decide.

Yeah, no, I, I definitely agree.

I was just thinking, we were thinking about this the other day that like this one class that we just opened up for middle schoolers to take an it's about academic success.

And how do you start to think about helping those students create an understanding about where those options and pathways are?

And this course we're going to offer it starting with six grade.

Six, seven, and eighth grade.

And it's really and you, I think, Amy, you said It should be a critical course.

It should be a course they take because it opens up those.

Yeah, I guess, ah, well, I think they're ready to choose a pathway ish.

Right?

And there's still tim to change their pathway, right?

It's not lik you're getting locked in to a No!

But, Exploratory.

Right.

And I think, I think there's an opportunity, while they have to take, you know, the four core, right?

To think about what period five and six, why can't they have a little bit of choice?

You know how many fifth grade boys do not, or sixth grade boys do not want to be in chorus, yet they get dumped in there because they don't fill out the form of what instrument they want to play.

And then you get to high school and you have to make all these choices, right?

Can't we start a little bit of choice in middle school where kids, we have a program of studies that's small, right?

You only get to you don't get to pick your four, becau, but, because you have to take sixth grade English, right?

But you, but you get to pick your other two and and and maybe they're not full year courses.

Maybe they're semesterized, right?

So you get four, you get four choices your sixth grade year to explore different things.

Right.

To me that's engagement, right?

You're engaging a middle school population of kids who's not always probably so engaged.

And I think it would be a shif in mindset for our staff to say: “what is my role in career/college readiness?” I was thinking, what better way to put into a class, a classroom if they were, um, they were learning how to write an appropriate email and the structure of an email.

I mean, that to me is such a fundamental, like, I would, if I were an English teacher, I would be jumping on that.

Right.

That's a college and career tool.

That's a life tool.

That's a English tool.

Yeah.

There's, I mean, I think there's such a great opportunity here for us to really be impactful in this.

I think we'll have to be thoughtful in implementation of it.

But all the stuff we just talked about does not cost us a dime.

Right.

Mia, can you help me read the directions?

You do a really good job with that.

Are you ready?

There right here in front of you.

Okay, Mia.

So you can write number one.

So how do we start a conversation?

What does that say?

Do this?

Yep.

When you talk with someone?

Say that again?

When you talk with someone.

Okay.

So Mia said that having a conversation is talking to someone.

Good job.

And the way we start that is greeting.

So what can you say to start a conversation?

What?

Hi!

Hi.

What else?

Hello.

Hello.

You can say it in another language.

What other language?

Spanish.

Ooh.

Does anybody else know Spanish?

You do.

Hola!

Hola.

I'm pretty sure like everybody in the school should know that.

You think everyone should know that?

Yep.

What does hola mean?

It's, hola is just a, hello.

Hello.

Alright, good job.

Mia went.

So, Allen why don't you choose our topic?

Have a conversation about a time you are happy.

Oooh, okay so Allen said, talk about a time you were happy.

So what are some things that make us happy?

Funny.

Ah, when something's funny.

Okay.

What else?

Maybe some people that make us happy.

Who makes us happy?

Friends.

Friends.

Friends and family.

Family!

What else?

What makes you happy, Allen?

My mother.

I see police cars everywhere, like whenever I go to, like, a state or something, I see police cars.

I know exactly what you mean.

I know you like police cars.

Mom.

Mom.

Let's ask Camilla.

Camilla, what is something that makes you happy?

Sister?

Hold on.

Camilla's turn.

Ummm, I say when Molly, Bella's happy.

Yes.

You, Molly and Bella.

So Molly was your dog and Bella was your cat.

So they made you happy?

Okay, so, Allen, so, Allen, talk about what makes you happy.

Ah police cars.

Why?

Why does that make you happy?

I don't know, I just like seeing them responding or something.

You like Or, or, or just seeing them, like on the highway.

Oh, so Mia, Allen said police cars make him happy.

Can you think of a question to ask Allen about his police cars?

Why you like a police car?

I don't know how fast they go, like they zoom like right past.

Oh, I know.

It's canine?

Oh, do you like K-9?

Oh the K, I seen the K-9 unit before like tackling people.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's just really cool.

Yeah.

Camilla, what colors are on police cars?

Black and blue It could just be black.

and red.

Black and blue and red.

Very good.

And white.

And white.

Very good.

Yes.

Very good, I like that.

All right.

Now, Mia.

Your turn.

Which one do you want to talk about?

What makes you happy?

Friends.

Friends, very nice.

So, can you ask Mia a question about what makes her happy?

What makes you happy about friends?

My friends?

Um what about a different question?

Um, what about a different question?

How about can you tell me one of your friends names?

Ben.

Ben?

Oh, what do you like about your friend Ben?

He makes me laugh.

He makes you laugh.

Alan, do you have friends that make you laugh?

Ah, yeah, mostly like online.

Cause sometimes like some things happen, like I'll, like we're, we'r playing online games and things.

Sometimes, things happen that aren't supposed to happen, and that just makes us laugh a lot.

Oh, Oh, interesting.

So what, what video game do you play?

What's your favorite?

Oh, there was this, um, there's this, um ... Yeah.

There is this, um, uh, Oh, yeah, there's this game on Roblox called, um, First Responders: Coastal Heat or something.

Ah, does it have to do with policemen?

And firemen, EMS and all that and Department of Transportation and all that.

Very cool.

Camila, do you play video games?

Yeah, I do.

Yeah?

What's your favorite?

Umm, I play Roblox.

Roblox.

Oh, look, you guys have something in common.

Can you ask Camilla a question about Roblox?

What's your favorite game on Roblox?

Um, Sharks.

Ooh!

Oh, Shark Bite, I know that game.

Oh, you know that game?

Like, if you're tryin to keep the shark from biting.

It's really fun.

Very cool.

Okay, moving on.

One more.

Um, Camila, pick one on the list.

What makes you happy?

Umm, Friends and family.

Family.

So let's, we already talked about friends.

Let's talk about family.

I just, I just remembered something I used to do.

Sure.

It was like, it had to do with, it's called, um, Wii Sports.

You know that, Wii Sports?

Wii Sports?

Does anybody know what that is?

Wii Sports?

It had like different sports, like bowling, baseball, basketball.

Is that on a video game?

Uh huh.

Yeah.

Bowling alley!

Say it again.

Bowling alley.

Bowling alley.

Ooh, is that on Wii Sports?

Yeah.

Yeah.

I have to look it up because it's been a while since I've done that.

Yeah it is.

That's my favorite.

That's your favorite on Wii Sports is the bowling alley?

Yeah.

Have you been bowling before, Camilla?

I have.

At my cousin's party.

Your cousin's party?

Um, Will and Juliet.

Will and Juliet?

Romeo and Juliet.

Hum?

Romeo and Oh, that reminds you of Romeo and Juliet.

Did you read that in one of your classes?

Yeah.

Yes.

Romeo is dead.

Hmm.

Romeo?

He's dead?

Romeo is dead.

Oh.

That's actually a good story.

I really enjoyed that.

Wait, so you, you've also read Romeo and Juliet?

Tybalt is crazy.

Yeah, Tybalt's You're crazy.

Tybalt is crazy.

Because why would, Tybalt's crazy because he's killing Romeo.

He killed Romeo?

He didn't kill Romeo.

You don't think so?

No, Romeo, Romeo killed Tybalt.

No Tybalt, Tybalt is dead.

You guys all seem very passionate about Romeo and Juliet.

No, Tybalt was jealous.

Tybalt was jealous?

Would you agree on that?

He was jealous.

Yes.

I mean, he had, yeah, he tried sword fighting Camilla agrees.

him, but he ended up but, um, Romeo Montague, Right in her heart.

And Romeo's friend, he's dead too.

Mercutio, Huh?

is dead.

You guys are really smart talking about Romeo and Juliet.

So, you know, when we think about McFarland and all the potential topics that can come out of it, there's a lot.

There's these relationships.

The relationships change.

They evolve, and there's cultural elements.

There's linguistic elements, family scenarios and dynamics.

So I think we're just going to jump right into it.

Does anybody have a level three they want to roll out with?

Katelyn, go for it.

Um, my level three's um, could McFarland USA be classified as a White savior movie?

Um, I put that this is important to me because, like, um, like in mainstream media, usually, the movies that are being pushed, it's usually when the White person is, like the one that saves everybody.

Usually they save like minorities, like in this movie.

I guess Coach White is being pushed as the hero, and he's the one that saved all these little Hispanic kids from like, poverty.

Obviously, you know, I'm Hispanic, so usually when I'm looking at these movies I'm always, I guess, the one being saved.

So So this is a true story, right?

Yeah.

Yeah.

They could have like tried to find another story.

But at the same time, it's also like, what if, like, what if they couldn't find another story?

What if there just wasn't like an Hispanic person saving?

Do you have Hispanic savior role models in your life, in your community?

I mean, I think so.

Okay.

Like, I think my parents.

But, like obviously, I'm always going to think my parents are the ones saving me cause they're my parents.

Okay.

Ava?

I think two examples that really stick out to me of the White savior narrative is the movie Hidden Figures and the movie Green Book.

Um, because in Hidden Figures, Um, I don't know how many people here have seen that, but there's a character in the movie who's a White man, and he knocks down the sign that says colored bathroom.

And he also lets the lady, Katherine Johnson, watch the rocket take off.

But like, after the movie came out, Katherine Johnson herself said that there was, like, no White man who helped her do that.

And she didn't even get to see the rocket that she helped to take off.

And in Green Book, the family of the doctor, they said that the story was like sanitized and that he didn't need a White savior and he didn't really have that type of relationship with the driver.

Um, and also Mahershala Ali, who played the doctor, only got a supporting actor nomination, when it was the character's story.

So, I mean, so I think that, like when you're like, even looking at these “true” stories, there might be aspects of it that have been dramatized and made to seem like the marginalized characters can't have, like, um, the narrative in their own story.

Okay.

Um, Does anybody else in this room have any thoughts on, on this idea of the White savior in the movies?

Does it make you feel a certain way?

Do you question it?

Kanye?

Yeah, it just, I agree with the, the, um, the White savior thing, but, you know, it's Hollywood.

Okay.

So, Miranda, do you think you would have liked this movie more if Mr.

White had been Hispanic?

I mean, yeah, because I just feel like I, It's not always going to be like, the White savior, hopefully not, but like, I feel like, as of right now, it's always going to be somebody who's White.

And I feel like, um, even if it like, was Hispanic, like it would have been better, in my opinion, but I feel like other people wouldn't have watched it.

And like the creators would have been like, “oh it didn't get any views,” and then da, da, da, da, da.

And then it's just like a matter of, um, like sometimes the producer really does care about the story, bu like other times it's literally just for money, and like, that's why they continue to choose the stories that have, like the White savior.

Um, I don't know.

Excellent.

You know, historically we haven't had this open minded, let's all get to know each other, right, and understand where you're coming from.

So it creates a cycle of clash or tension because the openness and the transparency aren't there.

You know, and I think that's a big piece of it.

It creates a cesspool of racial tension that carries on from generation to generation.

And it could be a very good reaso why we are where we are today, you know.

And so, What, what, how do we combat that?

I'm Albanian and Albanians have been fighting with Serbians and like the other Slavs for centuries, mostly because like Kosovo and other countries like that, but recently, like with more younger Slavs coming to power, you're kind of starting to see this dynamic where it's like, oh, like, why do we have to fight?

Like, so I think when you're looking at different cultural things and like language barriers, you're, like, especially now in the 2000s when we're becoming more open minded and we're seeing other perspectives in a different light, I think, like, that's a really good sign for the future, and that we may be able to collaborate more.

He walked in the room, he kicked the garbage can.

The expectation was to go sit at his desk.

He chose not to sit at his desk.

He went to the teacher's desk, threw everything off the teacher's desk.

Got asked to sit at his desk.

He sat at his desk.

He took everything out of there.

When he was prompted to probably go pick it up, or asked to, if he needed a break, or any of those things, he picked up a pencil, started with self injurious behaviors.

Then when he wasn't getting the response he needed, he then went to the floor.

That's interesting cause I know you can't, You're not going to be, on those mornings like the antecedent happened back here somewhere where no one Yeah, something Well So, so but it's an interestin It's a no zone.

Part of it is the arrival at school.

Right.

Right?

So that would be paramount because in the conversation that we had, that Kristen and I had with mom, we asked her, going forward, cause we expressed to her, that we did not want him, want him walking through the hallways alone, that she text Kristen, specifically, to say that she would be late and then that would help us communicate with somebody so that somebody's greeting him at the door.

Because now with Covid, they're not letting these parents in.

So she's dropping him off under the assumption that maybe, I don't know.

So instead of help him get to class And that's not happening.

And that could be his worst trigger, being left alone.

Correct.

And that could just set off And we could be, We might, we might see A whole a whole different Right.

student.

I doubt it because It's happening somewhere else.

There.

Right.

And what we're seeing too is, So, and I'll talk with Tanya about this, um, exhaustion.

So some, to your point.

We may not know.

Yeah.

Right.

We do know that Monday's, that typical Monday's, so that return to school after having time off is usually not a great day.

So Mondays aren't always a fabulous day.

Yeah, and it's somethin that I could take all the data and we might not have a clear function.

So we might have to dig deeper into like, hey, this is a really bad day.

Do we know what happened?

Or like our, on Mondays And we all have days where a child, but what we need to do now, we need to build trust.

And mom does not give any of us a sense that she trusts anything.

Partly from the stories that she tends to create um, to protect herself.

And right now, the story that we really need to uncover is the living arrangements.

Are you convinced they're homeless?

No.

And the definition of homeless is basically, you could be couch surfing, so you could, you just don't have a permanent A domicile.

Right.

So he leaves Stark and goes to, um, the Yearwood Center every day.

Okay.

When there is school.

Okay.

Umm, And he, according to Miss.

B, she does not see the behaviors that we see.

She has never seen him, They have a really nice rapport.

They have a lovely, she has basically, it sounds like, she's become that surrogate mommy.

Umm.

Like he sleeps like, I think she may have, like, 2 or 3 other students in her little group.

Um, she gives him snacks.

She does a little work.

Nine times out of ten, he crawls up either like on her, on the cot that they have for the students and sleeps for most of the time that he's there.

Yeah, and he's a little peanut and he's a treasure.

I know.

And it's really, I think, for the team, what I would love is understanding how do you stop putting your entire fist in your mouth?

I mean, I think we've all seen the head banging.

We know, like, it's very.

Upsetting.

It's jarring, it's jarring.

It's jarring.

We know how to prevent it.

Um, or at least protect the head But this is probably, and I watched it, to watch a little boy take his tiny little fist and shove it all the way in his mouth.

Scary.

Is very scary.

In regards to, and I had mentioned with Ms.

Della Flora previously, the um, suspension and chronic absenteeism numbers were reported or released from the state today.

Is Special Ed aware of the amount and the EL department, the amount of students that are being suspended?

And do you need resources to support those students within your budget?

Well, um, we are aware of it.

We look at data every year.

I haven't looked at the most recent data that you just mentioned.

Um, I think going back to what Olympia said, uh, that work isn't necessarily staff centric, meaning, adding a person, I don't think, is going to solve that.

I think that's work that you do with a school, or with training a staff, with leadership, with strong leadership, um, with research based practices, whether trauma informed or restorative.

Um, so I, you know, I guess I would want maybe a little bit more time, Ms.

Pioli, to sort of think about what you're saying.

But, you know, initially, um, I would rather invest in good training for whole staff, school work.

Um, because I really think that's the most powerful is changing the culture of the school.

Um, this budget, too, is huge.

Have you, um, considered prioritizing what are the must haves and the ones that can be put on a back burner?

Because I, I, you know, as I look at the big picture here, this is, you know, it's just, we need a lot.

We need a lot in this district.

And the plane is flying and I, you know, I, I, you know, we've got kids that are needy, we've got families that are needy.

And you know, if the families aren't healthy, their kids aren't healthy.

And you know, and likewise, if families are healthy, most of our kids are healthy.

Um, so that's what I'm just wondering too is, if, you know, I know Mr.

Feeley did that, but has that been identified by you, Mike?

Because ... We all work on that work together.

So this was a collaborative, they're presenting their piece of the budget, but we spend many hours going over this, discussing it.

And, as I said, um, the last time, and I know this is, is, um, I would be remiss as a superintendent if I didn't present you with the budget that I believe that we need to run our school district efficiently and effectively.

We didn't just put in everything that everyone brought to the plate.

We went through everything.

We've been workin on this budget since September.

And so, it is, what we believe as we really debated one another and had conversations about things.

This is what we believe we need to run our school district in an efficient and effective way.

Alright, so I need you to turn on your listening ears, ready?

Alright.

I'm gonna say a word and then say it again, but I'm going to change a sound in the word to make a new word.

The word is heart.

I'm going to change the, Ha to a T. Now, the word is tart.

So this is in Heggerty when we do the hands right?

The thumbs?

Now, you try one.

Say, look.

Look.

Now change that Lll to a Ba.

Book?

Book, good job.

Wedge.

Wedge.

Change the Wa to a Ha.

Hedge?

Hedge, good job.

Ms.

Dolby can I show you my?

You can show me in a little bit, okay?

Alright.

Byron?

Good.

Very neat.

Do you want to add a background?

Are those toys at home or at school?

I made my toys here.

Right.

So are they at home or at school?

At home.

So why don't you draw your house or maybe your room or your backyard?

I like your pizza.

Ms.

Dolby, can I have a plain like, a plain paper?

A plain paper?

Sure.

Good job.

Sorry, Em, give me one sec.

Oh yeah, those are Here.

You can get started on your pizza.

Okay?

Um hm.

Good job.

Alright.

You want to get started on your pizza?

Um, yeah.

Okay, get started on your pizza.

I need a color like my skin.

Um hm.

Okay, whatever you want.

Yes?

I don't have that color.

Good job.

You don't have a peach?

Can I have a peach?

I only have one.

I'm fine.

Alright, you're still- you're staying in this rotation, though.

Okay?

Some of my friends are just finishing a little early.

Ms.

Dolby, I need, I need um, scissors.

I already have my own glue.

Your scissors?

Yeah, I need scissors.

Alright, Miss Em, ready?

All right.

So I'm going to say a word, and I want you to segment it into all the sounds you hear.

For the word chip, I would segment it to: ch i p. This is when we chop it up.

Okay?

Quickly.

Donald, your headphones.

I forgot them.

Careful.

Alright, so this is when we're chopping up our words, okay?

So if you want to use your hands, you can use them.

Lamp.

Lamp.

L am p. Lamp.

Good job.

Blink.

Blink.

Blink.

Bl i nk.

Blink.

Good job.

Crunch.

Crunch.

C un ch.

Crunch.

Good job.

Yes, Luke?

I need help with my pizza.

You need help?

Yes.

Alright, go on to the next.

The next thing first.

Okay?

I need to finish up with Emily.

Alright?

Try another part of your picture.

Alright, good job, Em.

All right.

Alright, kiss your brain.

I'm going to give you a wipe.

Okay?

Wipe your s- your station.

Ready?

Yeah.

Boop.

There you go.

Luke, cover your nose please.

Ms.

Dolby?

Yes?

Can I get some water?

Yes, you can have some water.

Ms.

Dolby?

Color here.

Yeah.

You just want to color there?

You don't want to color the rest?

Nah.

Because my, white is my favorite color.

White's your favorite color?

Yeah.

Okay.

Are you done with my crayon?

Thank you.

Alright, so then what you're going to do is you're going to color this.

Do you want to color just the outside too?

Uh.

Or you want to do different colors?

Because it's gonna be like the bottom of your pizza, your crust.

Do you want to use peach or d you want to use another color?

Another color.

Okay, go for it.

Here you go.

Where?

You have your colors.

Alright.

I just want to thank you again for your input and for your push back and for your questions around this policy, this diversity and equity policy.

It's really exciting and, you know, some of the things that you bring up are just really relevant and we want this, uh, we want all of our policies to, um, have some input because you're going to be the ones who are living in the schools where the policies and procedures have to be played out.

So, um, today there were some definitions that were, um, listed that the Board asked us to come back and have some conversation about.

So we're really just going to open it up and talk about those definitions and what we need to include.

Did you, did you get the document that we, that we sent?

The one pager with the seven definitions?

Uh, I don't know.

Did you send it today?

Yes.

I did not, but I'll pull it up and put it in there too.

Okay, thank you.

Miss Burke, did you have anything you want to say?

Cause I know you said you may have to hop off early.

Yes, sure I did.

Um, I want to make sure that the students take into account that one of the things that I have seen asked as to be added as a part of this policy is when do we look at this policy to review it?

You know, definitions change over time.

And right now we are in a time, in a heightened, um, heightened racial time and social, you know, social justice and uh, systemic racism is at the forefront.

So these definitions are going to be very important.

And my, my personal view, I am one member of the Board.

I think they should be included in the policy.

Now, whether all of them should be included.

There's a little, I have some reservation, but this is your conversation I'm just sharing that, you know, part of what is also being suggested is that we build a time frame into this policy for a revision or an update.

Okay.

All right.

Anybody have any questions for me or I can just, I can just listen, this is your meeting.

Um.

I, I have a ques.

This is for Ms.

Burke and Dr.

Lucero.

Would, would it be fair to say that the policy is the school district's statement to the community, and therefore, you may want to include more than fewer definitions?

Do you, I, I can go first.

Um, I would say yes.

And in, it's, it's, particular to this policy.

Right.

Other pol, some other policies you may not have to put so many definitions in, in the policy, but this policy, I think it's important, this is a community policy.

And I think the, the policy is the place where the definitions should go.

Okay.

Okay.

Emma, I saw you.

Yeah, sorry Em.

Oh no, you're good.

Um, One of the questions we had, uhh, I think as a group, was what were some of the things, whether they be definitions or just like the edits we made and stuff like that, that you maybe didn't want to include just to let us have some, you know of, maybe a better understanding of where you guys are coming from, what you want and don't want in there.

I know one, Emma, was, um, White supremacy.

That's a trigger word for a lot of people, right?

And so, if it is included, um, if, if it is included, it is about the definition, you know?

So another, I'll just give you an example.

We just did the policy, um, for transgender non-binary youth.

Right?

So that is an area that if you think about a lot of people do not understand the terms.

Right?

That are used around, Um, and so it was important to add some of those: “What is gender?” You know, um, “What is transgender?” Um, it was important to add those definitions.

So it's like a common, it, it's, there's no question as to what it means.

When you just say White supremacy and there's no definition, you might have one understanding of what it means, and I might have another.

So if, if you have like some common definition that might bring context to it, but as you know, many of these things, when we talk about race and diversity and inclusion, there's a lot of bias that's involved in that.

And people come with their own experience.

So it gets a little, um, dicey, I would say.

So that was one of the ones that I know that came up.

So, um, tagging onto that was White privilege and I guess some, there was a discussion around whether it sh, we should include White privilege with White supremacy or have one or the other.

The other one was, um, uhh, so there was structural racism and institutional racism.

So I was trying to understand why both?

Where, where we were going with that, as well.

So we removed the White supremacy from our document that we sent to, uh, that we sent to Olympia that she posted.

Um, but I'm not, where, Ms.

Burke, where the other terms come from?

I don't see those.

Did you say you removed White supremacy?

Yeah, you know, we, we talked about it, Dr.

Lucero.

And, and I think it was similar to why Olympia said, what Olympia said, that, that it could be triggering for a lot of people if people do not have a common definition of it.

Um, and so we removed it.

So Okay.

if, I, I just want to kind of push back just a little.

Sure.

Yep.

Uh, umm, do we re, when we we don't understand something or we don't think people are going to understand something, do we remove it or work on it until we find a common definition?

Nope, that's fair.

Um hm.

Ah, no, that's a fair point.

I mean, it's an easy thing to just say: “Well, we're not going to deal with it.” But I think that it is and listen, I'm not trying to um, convince you one way or another, but you all seem like a bold group.

And my suggestion would be, why don't you try to get us a definition that you all can agree on.

And lets, you know, take it with us to see if, if you all want to, I'm not saying that you should or you shouldn't but that, I'd say, because, um, our Board meetings have been, become, have become very popular things, I hear, to watch on Tuesday night.

I think we get, we're more popular than “The Bachelor” right now.

So I do think it would be interesting to hear you all's thoughts about how you decided on a particular definition, and I think that's a good one to have a conversation about, because I think some people will argue tha that doesn't exist in Stamford and it doesn't exist in Stamford Public Schools and so why do we need to have it there?

So, um, if you all get to a place, that you think that you would be able to kind of go back and forth in why you decided on one definition over another or you want to bring us a couple of definitions, I think that would be a great conversation, because I think that Board meetings, because they are so well attended are a teachable moment for our our school community.

So when are we going to vote on the budget?

So are, we have to vote on it by If we can vote on it the week of the 16th, it will help Ryan and the administration get it to the mayor.

Okay.

It has to be the mayor by March 1st?

Is that the deadline?

Correct.

Uh, technically, it's something like March 8th.

March 3rd.

Yeah.

But, but Okay.

But, I think unless we have some reason for delaying, the sooner we get it, the better.

Okay, so let's plan on the 16th that we will, it'll be after the public hearing and any input from the public Just want to make it clear that the 16th we're discussing it and possibly voting on it.

Correct.

Does everybody understand that they can submit their questions in advance so that we can have all the questions answered by the 16th to get all of our, to have that discussion, to be at, to make it efficient and productive?

Yeah, I think it, it, it um, it should probably be more than just questions.

If there are areas that specific board members think can absorb a cut, then I think it's incumbent upon board members to let the superintendent know what, what areas they're looking to make cuts, so that she's prepare to have a discussion about it, or else we won't get anywhere on the 16th.

I just want to keep reiterating in our budget process that, you know, we all, we're all on the Board of Education, Stamford Board of Education, and we're all educational advocates.

And I understand that we want to control the budget.

And I did the exercise with Dr.

Lucero last year.

I went through the budget for two, three hours, four hours, whatever it was.

Called her up, we had a half an hour discussion and, and I was trying to nickel and dime it, and she couldn't, and we couldn't find between both of us, we could not find any savings.

So I want to challenge these other board members, who want to cut the budget to find the savings and review it with the superintendent.

So if you want to cut the budget, you're on the wrong board.

If you want to cut the educational budget, you can be on the Board of Reps or Board of Finance.

Okay.

Let's go.

No Erin, one more minute.

Hold on.

Bye guys have a good day.

Hold up.

Kiara Neives.

Kiara Nieves.

See, I had it.

I!

Just you guys.

Hold up, Val wait.

Justin, wait a minute.

Coral, give me another minute.

I know you want to hang with your friends.

Samir can go.

Uh, H. And hold on, one last second.

Hold on.

And hold on.

G. All right, Alright, 12:15, I'll see you upstairs?

12:15.

Yep.

You got it.

Just pull that up above your nose for me.

Thank you guys.

Have a good day.

Rippowam, can I help you?

Copy, Mr.

L. No, you, oh, this is team meeting What's your son's name?

6th grade, but if you have, if, I don't know if your connecting with the 6th grade uh, team or not but if you're able to swing down to my office, um Alright, so mom is, um, is guardian.

Alright, so in order to, um, put you, and your his biological mother?

All right.

Okay.

So in order for you to be, um, for us to switch it on our end to make you guardian, I need a court document.

Alright, so, um, he's coming from your country, correct?

This was his first year at eighth grade?

ring a bell?

Yes.

His mom's on the phone, She just came from out of the country.

Mom or grandma?

No, mom.

So now mom wants to get guardianship.

Um hm.

Hang on one second.

Okay?

Can I help you?

Coming in late.

So.

Alright, go straight to classroom, period three.

Okay.

Mom said she just came over from her country.

She's now staying here.

Yeah, um hm.

I mean.

Finally, She was trying to come since like two years ago.

I know.

I don't know if we Alright, so ever had anything from grandma.

I have to go back and look at Infosnap.

But regardless, I need the court documents.

Right?

Saying that Mom, Cause, I don't think Or let me see what I have on the birth certificate, because if I have court documents saying grandma is his guardian, then I need them to switch it.

If not, and she's on the birth certificate, She just needs to, then that's fine.

she just needs to, she would give up the guardianship?

Yeah.

And I don't know if mom, if grandma has a, just locational guardianship or not.

Let me look, hold on.

Oh, I'm so glad that she's here.

There's several kids in here that she was taking care of.

Grandma, right?

I remember, yeah.

So mom granted custody, which can be revoked to remain under the custody and care of grandma.

Um hm.

Hang on.

Because they're on, they're still on (address beeped out).

It's partial custody.

Ma'am, so are you gonna, you guys are going to stay at the, um, same address, the 20 (beeped) Street?

You are?

Okay.

Alright, give me, give me one minute, okay?

Okay.

So does she just need, yeah, but then where's she getting a new notarized document just here saying that no.

She would have to get it It says: which can be revoked.

Right.

So.

Okay.

Ma'am?

Okay, so So, um, when grandma had registered him, she gave us that document that was notarized that granted partial custody of _______.

Okay, so basically, we need the same document because it said, you know, that it can be revoked when you come back into the country.

So we need basically the same document saying that you are now residing in the United States.

And that you are now taking full custody of him.

I need to upload that to his, you know, to his record and all the information that we have.

In order to change you to his guardian.

Okay?

But for now, for now, grandma, Um, Diana, is going to stay guardian.

So, I mean, you're still going to receive all the stuff at home and everything.

I get it.

Who's Tiffany?

Okay, so it looks like Tiffany has access to his parent portal account.

Um hm.

So ask Tiffany, I have her username.

If I have to reset the password that's fine.

But if Tiffany logs in right when she goes into that, that parent portal account on the le, I believe the left hand side, it's going to have the report card.

Because we just, um, we just gave report cards out.

Or, or you can have, you can have your mom call and request us to email it.

I can't, I can't, you know, I have to have the Guardian call me.

So if you just have mom call, I can do that.

Okay?

Yeah, no problem.

Okay, no problem.

All right.

Bye.

Ugh, aye yai.

Are they staying in the same place?

Um hm.

I'm surprised, based off of his grades, that Matt Roberto hasn't reached out to the family.

He's new to the country.

He has no English.

Did he, why didn't he, did they test him?

Yes.

And I don't know why he- Mom's English was fantastic.

Yeah, cause she was, she's a citizen and she wa, she lived here and then they moved back to Honduras.

Yeah.

I get it.

But he didn't qualify for new arrivals or anything.

But still, But still that's like so unfair it's not academic English.

Yeah.

Oh goodness.

Um, also in that session the kid said to me, you know, I'm not going to tell you anything, school counselors are poop.

And I said to them, and then a few minutes, less, later in the session, I went back with: let me give you some of that poop counseling to help you.

Did they laugh?

They laughed.

It helped.

It help Yeah.

It helped.

I mean those, a lot of people don't want to, don't believe in the process.

And, um, Yeah.

it brings them into the process is they see the impact you just as much as you impact them.

So using their words back to them lets them know that I'm here.

So sparingly, I'll use it.

It was good.

Alright, so, Touchpoints?

No, not Touchpoints.

No.

Digital tracking.

Digital tracking?

Yeah.

Yup, that's what I said.

Digital tracking.

Alright.

Um, so interesting with this one, right?

So engagement has improved.

Um hm.

Chronic absenteeism slightly worse.

But we don't know where it was cause it could have just, it could have been at 9%.

Alright.

And we're just over 10% now.

Right.

Um, failing multiple classes.

I'm going to pull him up actually, Hmm.

and see what those classes are.

So a significant drop off.

And so the question is, is that a product of the month of distance learning?

I mean, that's the way I feel about a lot of things.

I, I think, I think I need to interview him and really like, ask him like, Yeah.

tell me more.

You know Do you want me to put him down as a, Roberto?

Yeah.

Yes.

I mean, with Claudia present, but yeah.

Yeah.

You got, you got a note to do an interview?

Um.

Okay.

Um, VA, I know we have a bunch of support in.

Oh yeah, she's been here three times today.

Huh.

Yeah, she's good.

She's been coming around a lot, actually.

Okay, yeah.

I think she wants to better.

She wants to go to Wright Tech.

Did she get in?

Um, no, we just did the application.

Got it.

Okay.

Um, Mia came in today, right?

MB?

Uh, yeah, I missed her today, but, yeah, she was here.

Uh, so Claudia and I met with mom and dad.

We toured the building, Um hm.

Um, discussed safety protocols.

Um, parents are nervous about health and safety.

Um.

Which is ongoing, right?

I, I, I'm hopeful that what they saw, um, gave them a different perspective of how the schools are operating.

And so we were trying to work her in, at the very least, for quarter four.

Right?

Um.

Sure.

Alright, TB.

Um, so, Let me check.

I mean, ah, there's definitely been an improvement from the beginning of the year.

Right.

Just based on, you know, that first month, six weeks.

Um hm.

But, um, you know, what are we looking at otherwise?

Well, third is off to, she went from seven F's to four F's to two F's.

So she's trending.

Yeah, yeah.

In the right direction.

And the attendance just if I do a quick analysis.

Um, two absences in February, one two, three, four, five absences in January.

Alright.

So coming off of say an October that had maybe 12 absences.

So Yeah, alright.

I mean I think you're listed there; we'll stay on her.

Yeah.

But she's definitely getting better.

Alright, LC.

150.

Oof.

This is.

This, so, So he, he's trending the wrong way.

Yeah, he doesn't look good in class either.

Head down, phone down.

He's I mean, I wonder with him, if um, school based?

Or, I mean he, Yeah.

he obviously just, you're right, his affect um, is totally different than it was.

I sent him to McKenzie earlier this year.

And he totally challenges the line between like, what's your right to be left alone?

And he keeps saying: I'm fine, leave me alone.

And that's fine to a point, except for the fact when you're failing, then I'm no longer.

You waive that right for me to leave you alone.

Well, I see here he got two F's and he, he's passing everything third quarter.

Oh, one F, sorry, take that back.

I do think that there's something in there that we're missing.

I think so, too.

And I talked to his mom and she, she says, she would say the same thing.

In fact, she says I can't do this anymore.

She's kind of like done with it, you know, at times, at her most, most frustrating moments.

I have to imagine when you're, you know, you have a big kid standing in front of you, you hope to see more, you know?

So we have possibles for structured addition.

One, two, three, four, five, six, Hmm.

seven, eight, eight.

Not terrible.

And I know I'm like not, I mean, you know I don't want to be too like, you know, innocent about looking at GV.

I just think he's movable.

I don't know, you engage with him and he's just very engag, You, you, you talk with him I know.

he's very engaging.

You know, he just is with it and Yeah.

savvy and makes nice promises, talks well, you know.

I do think distance was a huge challenge for him and his brother.

Yeah.

When you look at his round one data, it wa, other than his attendance, his engagement was solid and he was passing most of his classes.

So, Umm.

I think you're right.

He is somebody who is- reachable and movable at this point.

That, that distance was.

What are you thinking?

No, I'm just trying to see if it was sticking.

Yeah, I know, um, is it sticking?

It doesn't seem like it's sticking very much.

Right here.

See mom?

She's got that red hat on?

Oh, yeah, that's my mom.

All right.

Bye Grace.

Be safe, okay?

Bye.

No, we are getting burned like it's not even like middle of the floor.

Nobody's, nobody's stepping up.

Nobody wants to check the middle.

You two, keep an eye on the midd C'mon, let's plays some defense now!

Step and help and stop the basketball!

Defense.

Defense.

Let's go!

Defense.

Defense.

Defense.

Defense.

You're one.

You're one, You're one!

No one gets the rebounds either.

We don't look to rebound.

Stop the ball!

Defense.

Defense.

Your and one!

Find yours!

Right now the biggest thin that's killing us is rebounds.

They can't have, How man offensive boards do they have?

13.

13.

They've had 13 extra possessions.

Against a better team, that's a problem, right?

Too much.

So 13 extra possessions.

We got to lock up and get those boards.

Let's go.

Let's get after it.

Hard work on three: one, two, three.

Hard work!

Do all the schools have Spanish speaking social workers?

No.

We would love to have mor Spanish speaking social workers.

And the few that we have acros the district are always in need.

Umm.

It would be great to have a Spanish speaking social worker who was specifically tied to the bilingual programs.

Um.

It sometimes happens that when we have a Spanish speaking social worker, they are in such demand that they are pulled to other needs at the same time.

So that's why that's something that we still need to develop more in this bilingual new arrivals program, because I want there to be a consistent partnership so that this social worker does not only come in for a crisis situation, but so that the social worker kind of has weekly lessons and ongoing conversations with the students and with the families, and can then identify when more support is necessary and also provide some support for the teachers.

All right, Miss Hammond.

Yeah, um.

The family advocates, how useful are they?

I understand we need social workers, but they're hard to hire.

And are the family advocates part of any of this work?

It's probably more from the social emotional side.

The family advocate?

Do you mean the family facilitators?

Family facilitators, sorry.

Our family facilitators are specifically good in reaching out to those families who perhaps are um, not understanding the procedures of American schooling because you can imagine American schooling looks quite different than what they are coming from.

So often those family facilitators are a great intermediary and really take some of that work of communicating with families off of the teachers' hands so that the teachers can focus on instruction.

And then I guess, you know, Ryan spoke to this last year when we were doing the budget on fund, on funded mandates and unfunded mandates because, Unfun, you know, Unfun, you know, we are, you know, fortunately, very diverse.

But what has happened, too, you know, we are the city that works and everybody comes to our city.

And, you know, these unfunded, unfundated, unfunded mandates, tend to, you know, become part of what we have to pay for.

I do just want to point out, when you say that, that this bilingual new arrivals center was not created at any additional cost.

Um, we used what, we already had six positions up at Northeast and when we saw that the majority of the families were choosing to go to their district school instead of at Northeast, we repurposed that those staff.

But we didn't actually add any positions.

So it wasn't more staffing or more cost than before.

Right.

And I think, um, for the Board of Finance, Ryan had a number that he, Ryan had a number that he gave to the Board of Financ when they asked that question, I think was, you know, it was a chunk of change.

No, but that's good to know.

That's, you know, what we need to do.

And, you know, but it's still, it's a chunk of change.

But I think sometimes if you spend some money at the beginning and support students early on, it does save you, well I, you're an educator also.

So I know you know this, right?

It helps, it saves money in the long run.

Just you, but my question, the bigger is: who's helping us is is coming out of our taxpayer dollars or is the state level or the federal level helping with that cost?

Because you open the gates and we get all of Central America, Southern America, and, you know, South America in here.

Becky?

Whose going to pay for it?

You know, I have to stop.

Becky?

Yeah No matter where student is from, we as a school, have to provide faith, you know, that.

Oh, no, I understand that, but I think that let's put it out there.

Because, Put what out there?

It's the taxpayer that ends up paying for it.

So just, you know, I, I am an educator.

I will take care of everybody that com into my classroom in my school.

I understand that.

But I think that- Different discussion, If you guys want to take that offline, that's fine.

Good morning Stamford High., It's Jesus the genius.

Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the fla of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Attention Stamford High students this is a friendly reminder that masks need to be worn at all times, including in the hallways, with exception when you're actively eating or drinking in the cafeteria, or during a scheduled mask break session with your teacher.

This is non-negotiable and there's no flexibility concerning this matter.

Thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation concerning this matter.

Have a great day Stamford High.

Jesus the genius.

I switched it up today.

Listen, pick it up.

Say: forgot one.

Winter sp, ah spring sports ah, registration now open online, blue cards.

Winter sports registration.

Missed one, sorry.

Winter sports registrations are now open today.

Spring sports.

Spring sports.

Spring sports.

Spring sports are now open today.

Sorry.

Now have a great day, Stamford High.

You're the best, kid, thank you.

Okay.

Somebody's following you.

Yeah, I know.

The reason why you're not doing well is not because you're not smart enough.

The reason why you're not doing well is because you're not doing the work.

Right?

And so a lot of times a lot of freshmen will come into my office, and they, they don't realize the power of a zero.

Right?

So the reality is, if you have ten assignments, right?

And you did the first one, so you get 100.

You did the second one, you get 100.

You're killing it.

You get 100.

You forget one, you get a zero.

Alright?

Then the fifth one you do, you get another 100.

The sixth one you do, you get 100.

The seventh one, you get another zero.

You forget for whatever reason, right?

Your dog are it, whatever.

Then, then you get another zero.

I mean a hun, another hundred, another hundred.

You've essentially done perfect.

But those two missing assignments, those two missing assignments, that you got a zero on your grade goes to an 80.

But when you did the work, you had 100.

Do you, so you see, the power of those zeroes?

If, even if you were to do the work Cheray, and you got a 50, which obviously you're capable of higher than that by your grades.

If you got a 60 or a 75, your grade will jump tremendously.

You are a freshman.

The conversation kind of shifts when your junior and you're still struggling, right?

But you still have four years to turn this around.

And that's why we connect you with tutoring.

What are your thoughts?

Well, I'm going to try my best.

Cool.

And Alright.

When you say you're going to try your best, what do you mean by that?

I'm gonna do my work.

Doing your work?

Um hmm.

Yeah, do your work and listen, If, like I said, Cheray, I'm, I'm not judging you, right?

If you come in here, you say, hey Agosto, I did my work and I tried.

This is the best I have.

I respect it, and we'll figure out another, some other ways we can support you.

All right?

I'm not out to get you.

I just think you're not giving yourself a shot.

So if we look at your freshman year, you had a 1.9, right?

So you have a C minus.

That was a C minus average.

Okay?

Then you went to a 2.8, which is a B minus.

That's incredible.

Thank you.

That's incredible.

Right?

And so you want to keep moving up, right?

Everyone says your junior year is the most important year, I think every year is the most important year, Yeah.

but since you are in your junior year, that's the most important year, Yeah.

Right, like you, this is the, you have to do the best right now, right?

And so one of the things, when I'm looking, right now English 11.

What's going on there?

What's going on there, like I explained to her, it was mainly due to like my connection, how I'm like doing my work, cause I do everything.

It's like why, like, I, that's why my computer's in Mr.

Fiftal's right now.

To figure out what's going on, because I would write something because I would write something and it would completely erase and like, you know, how you can just hit the back button?

Yeah.

It wouldn't do that.

Okay.

And he was telling me it would skip between so it'll be like in like my other personal account and I wouldn't know.

So it was really complicated.

And I explained to her like I understand the work fully and everything in between.

And just like it's really difficult sometimes for me to like be able to, especially with the Wi-Fi issues going on with my computer.

Like, I have to email her multiple times, and also cause I work.

And sometimes I'm not able to turn it in on time, and I'll have to ask for multiple extensions cause I work from like three to like closing time.

Where do you work at?

Footlocker.

Footlocker?

Yeah, I'm trying to get my grades up for this quarter, especially cause I'm going to sign up for their scholarship they're offering.

Okay.

What schools are you looking at?

Um, schools I was looking at there was a few in Massachusetts There was Merrimack, possibly with my, if I can get my GPA high, Quinnipiac.

I was looking at like, if local, if I could possibly do in state tuition, I was thinking of Southern or Western.

You, even though it's really hard to get in, UCLA.

And one of my dream schools is actually John Hopkins University.

You have Central; you have Western.

You know how much these cost?

I would say like $20 to $40,000.

Good, yeah.

It's about $25,000 each.

Right?

To live.

And then you have NCC, which is about $5,000.

And that's where I went.

I started.

Okay?

Um hm.

The cool thing is that if you go to Norwalk Community College, right?

You save $20,000 a year.

So if you were to go here for two years, right?

Um hmm.

And then you transfer to one of these, you're saving, if I'm doing the math correctly, you're saving $40,000 in your life, right?

So that's $40,000 less in loans.

$40,000, and you can use that money for anything else.

Right?

And so, uh, when you're applying to these schools, that's awesome.

But don't sleep on Norwalk Community College.

You know what I'm saying?

Cause you can have like an associates and you can build for like a four year.

Yes!

Yes.

Yes.

Okay, Yeah.

And so you go here for two years.

That's what I did, get the associates.

and you go to these four or you can go to like the schools you're saying like Quinnipiac.

Right?

Which are a little, about I want to say $55,000.

Right?

See the difference, right?

Yeah.

It will jump.

You can go to, um, you can go to Fairfield University, right?

That's another 55, more or less.

So you see, what I did was I went here, right?

And then I went to UConn, Stamford, which is a great school.

And then you went to Fairfield University.

But if I started here, at Fairfield University, I would've, I would owe a lot more money.

And so you want to make sure, long term, you're thinking.

Yeah.

Yeah It's a very important decision.

And you have to make that decision when you're so young, you're 18 you're gonna make this decision.

So make sure you get as much information from the people around you who have experienced it, and then you make your own decision.

Right?

My job is just inform you.

I'm a little biased, right?

Because I love Norwalk Community College and I think it's a good place to save money, Yeah.

but you get other opinions too, and then you make the best decision for you.

All right?

Um hm.

Cool?

Good for you!

Here goes this.

Alright, thank you so much, Mr.

Agosto.

You're welcome, take care.

Have a good one.

You too.

You went from a, a C to an F. You went from a C to a B. Good.

Congrats.

You went from an A- to an A. You went from an F, you still have an F. F to F. C to C. F to F. Right?

And, it's going to become more difficult, if we can't get these grades up.

So what I really want to focus on, is I really want to focus on the English.

English, yeah.

Um.

And, and , and what's going on in Mr.

Lutz's class?

What, what's going on in his?

I'll be honest, I'm I'm not really on the work.

So, Okay.

I'm not.

I'm being honest.

No, I respect that.

Thank you.

It saves us time, right?

Why aren't you doing the work?

Like, Um, some, sometimes I don't understand it or, I don't know, I just, just like that.

I don't know.

I don't know how to explain it.

So, No, so, let, is it, sometimes you, you don't understand it so you just say, hey, I'd rather not do it?

Kind of.

All right.

Is it, what do you want to do after high school?

After high school?

Yeah.

I'm gonna go do mechanics.

All right.

So when you are doing mechanics and you don't understand something, what are you going to do?

I'm going to ask for help.

So why aren't you doing that?

I don't know.

Um, You see what I'm saying?

So, So, like, we all need help.

Like, even me as dean of students A, a, and, part of, I guess, our frustration, right?

An, and, ob, obviously I'm going to communicate with your mom is: ask for help.

Yeah.

Um, what do you do when you get home?

I've gotta go to work, like, straight to work.

You go straight to work.

Yeah.

And I leave like, at ten.

Where do you work at?

Wendy's.

I work Norwalk.

But, they're going to move back over here.

Okay, where, which one in Norwalk?

Uhhhh, like on Westport Ave?

Oh, okay.

I know exactly which one, by Stew Leonards?

I think, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, cool, yeah.

Um.

Yeah, so, like, you're sacrificing, and it's easy for me to say cause I'm not in your position.

I was in your position when you, when I was in high school.

But you're sacrificing you graduating on time for a minimum wage job.

Right?

And, and I'm being real with you, right?

I want you to graduate.

Wendy's is always going to be there.

Wendy's will be fine.

With or without you.

You without a high school diploma won't be fine.

diploma won't be fine.

And, and, and and you need to figure out a way to communicate with your employ, and I have no problem calling.

I'm, I'm not going to do that without your permission, but even have a discussion Hey, he kind of has to lighten the hours right?

No it's because, like, I'm, I'm like, I'm like, having problems at home with money and so I, I'm com, I, like, I'm sacrificing school Alright, so, for work.

So can I can help my mom at least.

Okay.

All right.

And, and, and so I'm going to have a conversation with your mom.

Right?

And, and honestly, I'm going to see if there's anything on our side as the school we can do to support you better.

If you don't graduate, it's not the end of the world.

Right?

Yeah, I know.

You will figure out how to connect in the dots later on, right?

But why go to the stress, when you can just finish right now?

Why?

If you just focus these next four months, Kevin, you're going to be fine.

You're, you want to do mechanics you'll keep working.

You're going to be fine.

Right?

It's going to be tough if you don't have a college education, but you're going to be fine.

You'll just work hard.

Right?

Yeah.

But if you don't get through this, we're looking at another year at Stamford High School and all these courses.

Does that make sense?

Yeah, I understand.

If you pass five out of the, out of the seven, then you're looking at summer school.

So the more classes you pass, the better position you're going to be.

Okay.

And that's what I want to do.

I want to make sure you're in the best position.

And maybe you can take three courses.

So if you pass four.

But let's not think about that.

Let's try to pass them all.

And then maybe we can help you out with the other credits that you need to graduate.

Yeah, sure.

Alright.

All right.

Is that cool?

Yeah, sure.

All right.

Cool.

So I'm going to give you a pass.

You have questions for me?

Not really.

You sure?

You can ask me anything?

Whe, where are you looking at to as far as school um, for mechanics?

Um, I don't, I don't know, just like around here, I guess.

Trade school kind of.

Yeah.

So they have um, Porter and Chester in Stratford.

Have you looked into them?

Yeah, I saw that, yeah.

Have you ever been there?

No, I haven't gone.

Listen: if you got these up, we will schedule a time where you can actually go there and tour.

It's pretty cool.

I've been ther a couple of times with students.

And you do the bookwork, and then you actually do the hands on work.

You do the book work, you do the hands on work.

Um hm.

And then they have different licenses.

You can specialize in a Mercedes Um hm.

and all that good stuff.

Yeah.

But it, we can't have that discussion.

If I don't do this.

Who's she in there with now?

Yeah, she's on the phone, but Alright.

And so, yeah, if that's helpful to us.

So as long as you're in your cohort and there's space between your cohorts, I think you're fine.

So, yeah, so I was trying to think of how do we, because on the one hand, you said you didn't want to link the vaccinations with the return to school.

Right.

But on the other hand, why wouldn't we go back to school tomorrow?

Like, you know, I mean, like, why are we waiting?

Well, we need time to prepare.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So.

We've got to get desks.

We've got to get, there's lots that you have to do to, to prep.

So then how would you?

I'll try another shot at it, because I think that maybe it's better to talk about the data that we've been watching and how it's dropped over Yeah, and maybe we can say we agree that our current data and CDC guidelines support our desire to return students to in person learning as soon as practical?

Then you could go to: Therefore, we plan to return all hybrid elementary school students elementary school students to, I mean, you would take out Yeah.

that whole middle part.

Yep.

Yeah.

But I don't know.

I, I, I think you could incorporate a sentence into your weekly message that says we plan Yeah, that can be, maybe totally separate.

Maybe we're just making the announcement that we're making plans to return to school and our projected date is March the 15th for middle school, and high school, and, oh we changed this since we talked.

I'm like: what's she talking about!

It's the eighth.

It's the eighth for, um, elementary.

So you're not worried about doing it the eighth when the elementary staff is getting their vaccinations on the sixth?

I mean, No.

I know you and I would be fine going back to school on the eighth.

But No, but aren't you hearing the same thing?

Yes, I am.

In the general public It's the second shot.

Exac But the, it's the second shot that is the one that is a concern.

And we'll have to pay attention to that.

That's why for the second shot, I would prefer that they do it on a Friday night and Saturday morning.

Hello.

Hey I want to ge your thoughts about something.

Okay.

So, have been working with Doctor Yoon, Doctor Calder to try to figure out, um, our numbers now that the new CDC um, information came out.

And, um, they both agree that our numbers are to a point that they have no medical reason why we should still be out of school.

Oh!

Wow!

Yes!

Okay.

So I just want to get your thoughts.

Um, we are proposing that um, we return to school on the 8th of March.

Huh!

Oh, my God!

Really?

Yes.

Hybrid kids only.

Okay.

So that we can kind of get them in, make sure we're set, and then we will, um, elementary hybrid kids only.

And then the next week, secondary, um, all middle schools, but, um, high schools only, um, they're going to phase in because they're just too big.

We'll figure, you know we'll have to figure them out.

But elementary would go first.

And then you still got the- They still got, the distance kids will stay, They will stay distance until we figure this all out.

Yeah.

And, um, the good news that comes along with that, not, um, tied together, but I think people will be excited about it.

We got our numbers today and over the next two weekends, not this weekend, but the two next weekends, we will be, um, we will receive the vaccine.

So.

Yeah.

So, um, Oh wow!

So, elementary is going to go first and And, um, Are we, is there any, going to be any suggestions like do we need to have a three feet space?

So she's um, checking with the state one more time, but what the official language in the CDC document is six feet or as much as applicable.

And then it says that, Oh.

um, what does that mean?

As a footnote, it says that, um, you should stay six feet.

You can be within six feet for a cohort, but between cohorts you need to be six feet apart.

Okay.

So the whole class is a cohort.

Cohort.

That's correct.

They can be within Yeah.

three, six feet of each other all day.

They can be within six feet.

Now, if we have to quarantine someone, you would need to have a seating chart and you would need to look six feet.

So it's going to be harder for us to quarantine.

Right.

Oh my god.

Yeah.

So here, here's what I keep on thinking.

The teachers are going to hav an absolute nervous breakdown.

Sure.

But I think that that's us talking them through, showing them the numbers completely going down, and hopefully helping them understand that, um, we are, we paid attention to the science this whole time, Yeah.

and finally the science is telling us that it is time to return to school.

Well, I'm up for it, it's time.

We need to get back.

Yeah.

It's time.

And then we'll just take it, We'll take it day by day see how it goes.

and we'll figure it out.

Yup.

And if a school is struggling in some way, we'll figure it out.

Yep.

Sounds good.

Yeah.

Most of what is in here, you alrea, you should already have established.

We're not a school district that's been on full distance learning the whole time.

We've had kids in school for a long time.

Right?

So most of this is there.

What we have to think about.

What you have to think about as the leader of the building is: I'm going to have two, 300 more students now, what do I have to think about to ensure health and safety for those students?

There's no more six feet.

It is now to the greatest extent possible.

We are shooting for three feet, if possible.

Does that mean we just keep putting desks in until max?

And if it's less than three feet deep, that's okay?

So at the height Is it, is it three feet... Is three feet...?

At middle school and high school we we're shooting for putting 25.

So in the middle schools we're starting to set up now.

So we're putting 25 desks into a room, spacing them out as far as possible, and then when administration circles back with us and says room one has 26 desks, room one, room two has 24, then we, you know, make final adjustments there.

So the new guidelines are, to the extent possible for social distancing.

Running out of pages in your passport Hanging with some girls I've never seen before You used to call me on my cell phone Late night when you need my love Call me on my cell phone Late night when you need my love I know when that hotline bling That can only mean on thing The feet in the cafeteria Is, seems to be changing.

And I don't know if it's what they would like or what they're requiring, but I'm getting a lot of texts, so What did you hear today?

Umm, Cathy Cummings just said Moira just told me six feet for lunch, snacks and mask breaks.

Please confirm.

Who said that?

Moira.

That's not what Moira told me.

Moira said, Three feet with barriers.

Without barriers.

No.

Is that what she's saying?

Six fee without, three feet with barriers.

Three feet with barriers.

Six feet without barriers.

Without.

For Eating.

Yes, that's right.

Kids don't lean in and eat in the barrier.

They're going to be like this eating, right?

And the barrier is not going to protect it.

If you're sitting in a seat, if I push back and start eating and I'm talking to my friend over here, I'm not I'm not talking through the barrier, right?

Because I'd have to lean in Right, but I don't to my seat.

know that you're you're going to solve for all of those problems.

I think you have to set the expectation that when we talk to student about what we want them to do, which is eat your lunch.

We really need to face forward.

You can't be turning and talking.

Right.

This is and ed, You gotta eat That's an education thing.

and then you talk.

Right?

Yeah.

Okay.

My main concern is the timing of this because, you know, we have high stakes testing coming up for our juniors.

Bam, bam.

April 13th: in school SATs.

April 30th: NGSS.

Then we turn around in May and have two weeks of AP testing.

If I have to quarantine kids because of lunch or a bus or whatever, there's no make up for any of those things.

So Yeah, well, you still have to quarantine kids now, right?

I mean, it's still, You do, but not, you wouldn't have to quarantine, you know, we're going to be reducing the six feet restriction, so it will be more kids.

Yeah, yeah.

It is a concern.

I get it.

How do we?

Where do we have it?

This way, one more.

Yeah.

Right?

Yeah.

That's good.

So we do it two and this end to this end.

and this end to this end.

So, so we go on this line.

He's gettin 27 isn't he?

Yeah, I know.

It's going to be five rows of five and then he's going to have to have He's going to have to do two.

How I got em it, they were, Right, like the roo right up against the blackboard.

across the way.

This is roughly the three feet what it looks like.

Wow, that's tight, huh?

Yeah.

Yeah.

So you're a teacher?

Yeah.

Awesome.

What grade do you teach?

Third grade.

Oh, nice.

How's that been going?

Awesome.

It'll be much better on Tuesday.

I know.

They're all coming back.

I'm excited for the kids.

I'm excited for the teachers.

But I think, you know, there's a lot of precautions that the plan is, you know, being built.

And I think there's a lot of apprehension about it.

And I, especially at the secondary level.

I think elementary, um, you know, will be successful.

But I, I'm really concerned about the middle school Yeah.

and secondary level.

And I think if we all reflect back to the fall, we had similar angst before we went to school.

And so, and then once we transitioned in, I, my building leaders have done a phenomenal job this year and our teaching staff has gone above and beyond the call of duty, and all of our support staff have gone above and beyond the call of duty.

So I just think the city of Stamford has done an amazing job of trying to educate our students.

When we heard that there was an opportunity to get our students back at school and we move forward with it, you may think I moved too quickly.

I think we moved it the appropriate pace working working with our building leaders to make this happen.

So whether or not you want to accept that, that is up to you, because these are the same conversations we had last, um, fall and there was doubt then, there's doubt now but I'm going to continue to move forward doing exactly what I think is best for our school system.