ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
 
Vision Statement
The Vision of the Arlington Public Schools is to be an equitable educational community where all learners feel a sense of belonging, experience growth and joy, and are empowered to shape their own futures and contribute to a better world.
 
Mission Statement
The Arlington Public Schools focuses on the whole child to create inclusive and innovative learning opportunities for all students, values diverse identities and ways of learning, prepares all staff to maintain high expectations while providing necessary supports, and sustains collaborative partnerships with families and the community.
  
In accordance with the provisions of the Massachusetts General laws, Chapter 30A, Section 20, notice is hereby given for the following meeting of the:

Arlington School Committee
School Committee Regular Meeting
Thursday, September 7, 2023
6:30 PM

In person at:

 

Arlington High School

869 Massachusetts Avenue

School Committee Room - 6th Floor

Arlington, MA   02476

 

Via Zoom

 

Conducted by Remote Participation https://www.mass.gov/doc/order-suspending-certain-provision-of-open-meeting-law/download via Zoom link below:


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6:30 p.m. Open Meeting (K. Allison-Ampe)
6:35 p.m. Public Comment

For members of the public who wish to address the Committee, there will be 30 minutes of public comment. If you would like to sign up to speak, either remotely via Zoom or in-person, you must email ediggins@arlington.k12.ma.us by 6:00 p.m. Thursday, the date of the meeting. Depending on how many people sign up, time allotments may be reduced, but will not exceed three minutes each. If the number of people who sign up exceeds what can be reasonably done in 30 minutes, the number of speakers may be capped or speaking times may be reduced at the discretion of the Chair. All requests to speak received after the date and time indicated, will be invited to speak at the next School Committee Regular Meeting.

 

6:45 p.m. Opening Day and Summer Activities Report (E. Homan)
-Opening Day and Summer Activities Report
6:55 p.m. Policy Updates (P. Schlichtman)

-Policy AC

-Policy ACA-E

-Policy ADF

-Policy JJ-E

 

Motion:  Motion to suspend the rules and advance File AC, as amended, to Second Reading.

 

Rationale: The amendment to File AC corrects a typographical error and does not make a substantive change to the policy

 

7:15 p.m. VOTE: Authorize Superintendent to make administrative changes to any and all policies containing the title Assistant Superintendent, and the street address of the Central Office

Motion: The Arlington School Committee authorizes the Superintendent to make administrative changes to policies containing the title Assistant Superintendent, and any policy containing the street address of the central office.

 

Rationale: The school committee created the position of Deputy Superintendent, which was filled on July 1, 2023 by Dr. Mona Ford Walker. Some policies (including File AC-R) refer to the Assistant Superintendent or make specific reference to Roderick MacNeil, and this vote will align policies to the current administrative structure of the district.

 

In addition, there are policies listing the address of the district’s administrative office at 869 Massachusetts Avenue. With the completion of Phase 2 of the Arlington High School Building Project, the administrative offices will be moving to a Mill Street address. This policy will allow for making these technical edits without a further vote by the school committee. Recommended by a vote (3-0) of the Policies and Procedures Subcommittee, July 24, 2023.

7:20 p.m. Discussion of timing of superintendent evaluation materials (K. Allison-Ampe)
7:30 p.m. Superintendent's Report (E. Homan)
  • Update on Administrative Hiring Searches
  • Update on Competitive Grants Awarded
  • Monthly Update on Enrollments / Class Sizes
  • Strategic Plan update

 

7:45 p.m. Consent Agenda (K. Allison-Ampe)
All items listed with an asterisk are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the committee so requests, in which event the item will be considered in its normal sequence:

*Warrant #23304, $624,184.99, 6/27/2023

*Warrant #23312, $494,945.19, 6/30/2023

*Warrant #24009, $163,092.96, 7/25/2023

*Warrant #24026, $227,506.14, 08/08/2023

*Warrant #24036, $525,191.80, 08/22/2023

*Warrant #24052, $260,758.72, 09/06/2023

*School Committee Meeting MInutes, June 15, 2023 - DRAFT for Approval

*School Committee Special Meeting Minutes, August 18, 2023 - DRAFT for Approval

*School Committee Special Meeting Minutes, August 30, 2023 - DRAFT for Approval

7:50 p.m. Subcommittee/Liaison Reports/Announcements
  • Budget – Len Kardon, Chair
  • Community Relations – Liz Exton, Chair

  -Chat schedule 2023-2024_DRAFT.docx

  • Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment & Accountability – Jane Morgan, Chair
  • Facilities – Jeff Thielman, Chair
  • Policy & Procedures – Paul Schlichtman, Chair
  • Arlington High School Building Committee, Jeff Thielman, Chair

 

  • Liaison Reports
  • Announcements
  • Future Agenda Items
8:00 p.m. Adjournment (K. Allison-Ampe)
The listings of matters are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair, which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.
Stated times and time amounts, listed in parenthesis, are the estimated amount of time for that particular agenda item. Actual times may be shorter or longer depending on the time needed to fully explore the topic.
Submitted by Kirsi Allison-Ampe
Correspondence Received

Email to SC from L. Rao, RE: Parent Input re Hardy Kindergarten Class Size, 6/21/2023

Email to SC from B. Goodman, RE: Resolution Affirming LGBTQIA+, 6/23/2023

Email to SC from Anonymous, RE: Girls Soccer Coach-Very Important, 6/26/2023

Email to SC from E. Homan, RE: Girls Soccer Coach-Very Important, 6/26/2023

Email to SC from E. Homan, RE: FYI, 6/27/2023

Email to SC from E. Homan, RE: A Few Updates, 6/28/2023

Email to SC from C. Kelleher, RE: AHS attendance policy, 7/11/2023

Email to SC from E. Homan, RE: A few Updates, 7/14/2023

Email to SC from E. Homan, RE: [TIME SENSITIVE] updated calendar, 7/14/2023

Email to Admin. from E. Homan, RE: Fwd: MCAS Announcements, as an FYI, 7/17/2023

Email to SC from E. Homan, FYI - RE: APS District Offices Tomorrow, 7/17/2023

Email to SC from E. Homan, FYI - RE: APS District Offices Tomorrow updated, 7/18/2023

Email to SC from E. Homan, FYI - RE: Public Records Request, 7/18/2023

Email to Chief Flaherty to E. Diggins, RE: Book-Adventures of Entrepreneurship: Products and Services, 7/20/2023

Email to SC from E. Homan, RE: Assistant Principal Announcement (Peirce), 7/21/2023

Email to SC from S. Whiting, RE: Letter to Arlington School Committee, 7-21-2023 

Email to SC from J. Hall, RE: File ACA, 7-24-23 

Email to SC from E. Lilly, RE: COVID-19 lunch policy, 7-25-2023

Email to SC from T. Seacatt, RE: Individual Football Lessons, 7/31/2023

Letter to P. Schlichtman from L. King, RE: Thelma Lowenberg Sonnichsen, 8/2/2023

Email to Policies and Procedures Subcommittee from S. Y. Shen, 8/3/2023

Email to SC from MASC, RE: MMIA Committee Seats, 8/4/2023

Email to SC from L. Homan, RE: FYI: Floods today, 8/8/2023

Email to SC from L. Homan, RE: [Ottoson-Staff] Letter to Parents - AP and Special Education Coordinator, 8/11/2023

Email to SC from C. Spaulding, RE: Fraud in Arlington - request to be placed on the agenda to inform parents/voters - public trust and fiduciary duty, 8/14/2023

Email to SC from E. Homan, RE: Several Mid-August Updates, 8/15/2023

Email to SC from E. Homan, RE: Thompson Playground, 8/22/2023

Email to SC from E. Homan, RE:  FYI, 8/23/2023.

Email to SC from E. Homan, RE: Sad News, 8/30/2023

Email to SC from E. Homan, RE: Welcome Back! Some fun from Opening Day, 8/30/2023

Email to SC from E. Homan, RE: Materials for Thursday, 09/01/2023

Email to SC  from E. Homan, RE:  Two First Day Updates, 9/5/2023

Email to SC from E. Homan, RE: For Thursday Night, 9/5/2023

 
Massachusetts law requires all open session meetings of public bodies to be accessible to members of the public, including those with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodations in order to participate in the meeting, contact the Administrative Assistant to the Arlington School Committee Liz Diggins at ediggins@arlington.k12.ma.us.