Canton Public School Shares Information From School Committee Meeting On March 18

Press release from Canton Public Schools:

March 23, 2021

CANTON — Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Fischer-Mueller would like to share with the school community updates and information provided at the March 18 Canton School Committee meeting.

A recording of the full meeting can be viewed here.

Additional meeting materials, including all documents shared at the meeting and the full Superintendent’s Report is available here.

COVID-19 Protocols Update for March 2021

Assistant Superintendent Derek Folan, School Nurse Leader Lauren Pushard and Canton Public Health Nurse Cindy Bonner presented proposed updates to the District’s COVID 19 Protocols. Among the proposed updates are that:

• The required quarantine time following the identification of a close contact will be lowered from 14 days to 10 days, therefore aligning the District with updated CDC and DPH guidance. Individuals will still be required to continue to monitor themselves for symptoms for the full 14 days past exposure. Testing is recommended after five days, but not required.
• The Daily Screener has been updated to include questions regarding the full household, including whether anyone in the household is symptomatic or waiting for a COVID-19 test result. The Daily Screener will also now be required for the All-in Model. Students who do not complete the screener before entering the building will be screened at school.
• Symptomatic students or staff members who get a negative PCR test 72 hours after the onset of symptoms, who have had symptoms resolve, and who have been fever free for 24 hours without medication are not required to wait the full 10-day period to return to school. The individual will be required to provide documentation of the PCR test to the Building Nurse for clearance to return to school.

The Close Contact criteria and process will not change for the All-in Model. Close Contacts are still defined as:

• Being less than 6ft from a COVID-19 case for at least 10-15 minutes while the individual is symptomatic, up to 48 hours before symptoms appear or 48 hours before the test date of a positive asymptomatic case. This can occur while caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a healthcare waiting room; OR
• Having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (e.g., being coughed on or sneezed on) while not wearing the recommended personal protective equipment (PPE).

The updated COVID-19 protocol document received a vote of approval from the School Committee. To see the updated protocol document, click here. Additional information on the updates will be provided to parents/guardians in the coming days.

MCAS Resolution

The School Committee presented and passed a resolution calling for the suspension of MCAS testing this year for the Class of 2022. The resolution recognizes the challenges remote learning has posed for students with learning disabilities, students of lower socioeconomic status, ELL students and students who identify as minorities, as well as the missed face-to-face instruction and social-emotional supports. The resolution calls for Class of 2022 students to not have to make up missed MCAS testing and to not have this affect the students’ graduation requirements. Finally, the resolution calls for a moratorium on all high stakes testing for the 2020-2021 school year.

To view the full resolution, click here.

K-5 “All-in” Model Update

The K-5 FAQ document can be found on the Superintendent’s News Blog along with the most recent letter to K-5 families.

Timeline

Tomorrow, Tuesday, March 23, is the first day of All-in for K-2.

March 30 will be the first day of All-in for Grades 3-5 (this is an adjustment from the originally proposed start date for 3-5). Friday, March 26 and Monday, March 29 are contractual staff prep days and there will be no school for Grades 3-5, including Grade 3-5 RLP students on those days.

K-5 Early Release Wednesdays are as follows:

• Wednesday, March 24 — K-5 Remote Learning Day (synchronous in the morning, asynchronous in the afternoon)
• Wednesday, March 31 — K-5 Remote Learning Day (synchronous in morning, asynchronous in afternoon)
• Wednesday, April 7 — In-person learning for K-5 in the morning
  • Early Release Dismissals: Hansen and JFK 11:50 a.m., Luce 12:20 p.m.
  • Bus transportation is available on April 7

Student Support Services

All support services will continue to be implemented both in person and virtually as needed, keeping spacing and PPE use in mind. Social-emotional and behavioral supports are in place for students through school psychologists and counseling staff as needed. Additionally, students who are required to quarantine will be able to use technology to engage in the classroom for lessons. A staff member will provide check-ins throughout the day for interaction and to answer questions. However, the traditional “window” used in the Hybrid Model will no longer be available.

All-in Classroom Setup

Custodial and maintenance staff have been working to rearrange rooms. The rooms are being measured to have a minimum of 3 feet between students’ seats. Per the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) guidance, the measuring between desks will be edge of seat to edge of seat, front to back and side by side. There will be 6 feet of space between students and the teacher’s space.

Transportation

All staff and students on the bus, regardless of age, are required to wear masks at all times and maximum distance between students should be maintained during boarding and transportation. Capacity limitations and physical distancing requirements for students on buses have been lifted through state guidance, except if the District has high community prevalence of COVID-19. Windows will be kept open at least two inches at all times during operation. In adverse weather conditions, every other window will be opened. Students will be assigned to a single bus and a particular seat.

Food Service

Students and staff will be at least 6 feet apart when not wearing masks while eating lunch. Each elementary school plan is different due to the space availability and size, as well as class size. Schools are using all available spaces, including the cafeteria, classrooms, other large rooms and hallways. Lunch will also be able to be eaten outside, weather permitting. Cafeterias will have a combination of desks, chairs, tables and floor space for students. Remote service areas will also be set up to minimize the time needed for each lunch period and to keep hallway traffic to a minimum.

Tents

All applications for tent use have been approved and the permits have been issued. Tents will be installed starting Wednesday, March 25 and will be able to be used to extend teaching and learning outside and for eating lunch.

Galvin “All-in” Model Update

The Galvin Middle School All-in Committee has been working to determine the timeline and operations for an All-in Model at the middle school. Monday, April 12 and Tuesday, April 13 will be teacher professional days and there will be no school on these days for students, including those students on the RLP. Wednesday, April 14 will be a remote learning day for all students. On Thursday, April 15 and Friday, April 16, all GMS students on the Learning Continuum will report to the school building, regardless of their Cohort.

Parents/guardians were asked to fill out a GMS Change in Enrollment Google Form regarding pathway shifts. The GMS Change in Enrollment Google Form will be sent out again on Monday, March 22 so parents/guardians can make their final decision about any pathway shifts which will allow the school to understand the number of students who will be in each classroom and determine room capacity.

All classrooms at GMS will be able to have students at a 3 – 4.5 feet physical distance. Alternate arrangements have been developed for classrooms with insufficient space, such as chorus and band where 10 feet of distance is required. These arrangements will include use of the cafeteria and gymnasium spaces, as well as outdoor spaces, weather permitting.

There are tentative plans to add a third lunch block so that each grade will have its own lunch period. Classrooms, cafeteria, gymnasium and outdoor spaces are expected to be used for lunch in order to have 6 feet of distance. Recess will continue to have assigned spots dependent on their cohort. There may be some potential schedule shifts regarding lunchtimes.

Professional development days on April 12 and 13 will focus on reviewing revised guidelines and expectations, ensuring classrooms are ready for use, designing curriculum to maximize in-person learning and to capitalize on student engagement, considering the role of technology, reintroducing students to one another and building new classroom communities.

Canton High School “All-in” Model Update

DESE has not yet released guidance and timelines for high school students to return to classrooms, but is expected to do so in April. To prepare for a possible transition, CHS families recently completed a survey regarding a change in pathways and District administrators are meeting with remote teachers to discuss returning to school. The number of returning remote staff who may return is the most important variable for All-in planning for CHS. Some remote CHS teachers have already returned to delivering instruction in person, and other educators will be returning to the building in the coming weeks.

Custodial staff have evaluated room capacity at a minimum of 3 feet of spacing. Whenever possible, the distance between seats will be greater than 3 feet. In the coming weeks, CHS staff will go room-by-room to determine whether any classrooms may exceed spacing capacity and will develop alternate arrangements for any classrooms that are determined to have insufficient capacity.

The current plan for lunch spaces includes using all gymnasium and cafeteria spaces for seating, as well as multiple points of food distribution. The high school also plans to create a new schedule, which would likely be similar to the 2019-2020 school year schedule.

Two professional development days will be used to allow staff to prepare for All-in focusing on reconfiguring classroom seating and furniture, continuing to maximize the value of in-person learning and continuing to provide engaging, equitable experiences for remote learners.

Over the coming days and weeks, CHS will continue working to finalize the status of teachers currently working remotely and develop ways to address any potential staffing shortages. CHS will also address room capacity, scheduling and any other logistical issues, and well as communicate more detailed plans with the school community as they become available.

The full All-in Model update presentation, to include photos of the classroom setup, can be found here.

Canton Farmers Market

The Canton Farmers Market nonprofit organization presented its plans to begin a farmers market in Canton, which had received a vote of approval from the Canton Select Board on Tuesday, March 16. The market will occur on the front lawn of the Canton High School/Rodman Building each Sunday between June 13 and October 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Rodman Building was chosen as there is ample parking, it is pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly and in close proximity to downtown, there is space for additional community programming, and there are restrooms and handwashing facilities available.

The market will follow all local, state and federal COVID-19 protocols that are in place at any given time. Based on guidance from Canton Board of Health, Massachusetts Department of Agriculture, Department of Public Health and the CDC, protocols will include, but are not limited to:

• Social Distancing
  • Directional pathways to help control foot traffic
  • Vendors placed at a safe distance from each other
  • Limit 25 customers per 1000 sq ft. The area is almost 12,000 sq ft., therefore close to 300 customers could safely be there at a given time, which is well above expected numbers.
• Face mask requirement for vendors, volunteers and attendees, unless they meet an exception
• Provide hygiene stations and encourage self-screening before attending
• Vendors
  • No product sampling
  • Minimize use of cash transactions
  • Minimize number of touches by staff and customers
  • Sanitize display areas regularly

The farmers market received a vote of approval from the School Committee to use the Canton High School/Rodman Building property. To view the full Canton Farmers Market presentation, click here. To stay updated on Canton Farmers Market news, click here or visit the organization on Facebook or Instagram at cantonfarmersmarket02021.

Additional News

JFK Fundraiser “Raise Craze”

JFK staff, students, administrators and CAPT organized this year’s JFK fundraising event, “Raise Craze.” The fundraiser ran from February 24 – March 10. Students performed acts of kindness in school, at home and in the greater Canton community. Many were sponsored by friends and family who made donations to CAPT with a focus on student enrichment (outdoor classroom, playground equipment, field trips, etc.). On March 3, all students were treated to a storyteller via Zoom, Leeny del Seamonds. On the last day, the school held Raise Craze pig races to close out the fundraiser. Classes named their own pigs and Principal DiDonna, Team Chair Administrator Kris Delaplain and Reading Specialist Jackie Abrams dressed in animal outfits and served as official racers/coaches. The fundraiser was a huge success with $25,782 raised, 1,192 acts of kindness performed and 252 participants spreading kindness. To view a video, click here.

Scholastic Art & Writing Award Recipients

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards were founded in 1923. It is the longest running awards competition in the country for creative teens, with submissions judged on the following three categories: Originality, Technical Skill, and Emergence of a Personal Voice or Vision.

The below list outlines the students, their work and category, and the award they received.

• Brandon Vinh: Porcupine Duo, Sculpture – Silver Key
• Elise Kleinbauer: Escapism, Mixed Media – Honorable Mention
• Kyra Coughlin: humans of an infinite darkness. -fit for a monster, Poetry – Gold Key
• Alexis Newton: Nothing is going to end today, Poetry – Silver Key
• Alexis Newton: Type AB, Poetry – Honorable Mention

Each of the awarded pieces can be viewed here.

John Crowther Lacrosse Scholarship

The School Committee voted to accept the offering of a scholarship for high school students by the Crowther family. The scholarship will provide one boy and one girl lacrosse student-athlete in the Hockomock League a $500 scholarship to be awarded each year for up to 4 years (total potential value of $2,000) to support the student’s education at a 4-year college/university.

Recipients must embody the qualities of humility, leadership, selflessness and work ethic while embracing and practicing the concept of team before self. Applicants will submit an essay discussing how they have displayed these qualities and two letters of recommendation.

FY22 Budget

The District met with FINCOM earlier in the month to present the budget that had been approved by the School Committee in January. The approved budget was a 5.11% increase and the FINCOM target is a 3.48% increase, leaving a difference of $752,185 between the school committee and FINCOM budgets.

The School Committee Finance Subcommittee met recently to discuss how to resolve the gap. The committee proposed removing the following items from the FY22 Budget:

• GMS Challenge & Enrichment ($75,032)
• GMS Special Education Teacher ($75,032)
• GMS Adjustment Counselor ($75,032)
• GMS Lunch Aides ($39,796)
• Elementary School Adjustment Counselors ($75,032)
• Supplies at CHS ($1,000)
• Supplies at GMS ($600)
• GMS STEAM Curriculum Materials ($20,000)
• Novels – 7th Grade ($2,475)
• Novels – 8th Grade ($3,000)

The reductions from the school committee approved budget bring the now proposed budget down to a 3.90% increase with a remaining difference of $193,986 compared to FINCOM’s target. This week, the Finance Subcommittee will meet again before presenting the proposed budget on Wednesday to FINCOM. Another School Committee meeting is scheduled for March 30 which will be the final meeting to revisit and discuss the final number for the budget.

The updated budget document can be found here.

Device Loss/Damage Report

With over 3,200 devices deployed to staff and students, Canton Public Schools’ Damage and Loss rate has an overall average rate of just over 4%. Within the 4%, the rate of total loss of devices is 0.12%. With the use of warranty purchases, such as Apple Care and HP, and the skilled professionals the District has on staff, almost every device owned by Canton Public School was able to be evaluated, repaired and redeployed at a minimal cost. Director of Technology and Digital Learning Julie Shore and her team have been diligent in tracking and managing all devices shared with staff and students this year.

CHS Strength and Conditioning

As schools are getting the opportunity to go back to in-person learning, coaches are also working to get student-athletes back into the weight room safely and efficiently. Coach Adam Huges participated in a podcast called “Chalk Talk” to explain the work being done at CHS. To listen, click here.

CHS Performing Arts

Five chorus students represented CHS at this year’s virtual MMEA Southeastern District Festival. To view the Festival Choir, click here. To watch all of the videos, click here. Additionally, the Cabaret performed earlier this month. To view the performance, click here.

The next Canton School Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 30 at 7 p.m. The meeting will discuss updates to the FY22 Budget. Each meeting is available to watch via Zoom and upcoming meetings are listed on the District website.

This press release was produced by Canton Public Schools. The views expressed are the author's own.