Canton Public Schools Share Information From November 5 School Committee Meeting

Press release from Canton Public Schools:

November 9, 2020

CANTON — Interim Superintendent Derek Folan would like to share with the school community updates and information provided at the Nov. 5 Canton School Committee meeting.

A recording of the full meeting can be viewed here.

Galvin Middle School Schedule Update

Galvin Middle School administrators have been working to revise the GMS daily schedule. GMS administrators worked with staff, parents and students to gather feedback and review the schedule to help ensure that the school is supporting its students as best as possible.

The proposed schedule features a number of changes that result in additional time per core subject and additional time spent on synchronous learning, culminating in additional hours of time on learning by the end of the year.

The new schedule shortens the check-in time in the morning and eliminates the check-out time in the afternoon due to students’ success in adjusting to the check-in and check-out process during the first weeks of the school year. The On-Demand Learning (ODL) block each day will be reduced from 60 minutes to 43 minutes, and will include dismissal time. Additionally, classes have been lengthened from 60 minutes to 68 minutes. Finally, the ODL block will be supervised by team teachers three days per week and specialist teachers one day per week so that the ODL block teacher is the student’s regular teacher more often. This change is expected to allow for additional connection between students and their teachers, which has been a common suggested improvement in the district’s Conditions for Learning Survey results.

These changes in part reflect feedback from parents/guardians and students received on the district’s Conditions for Learning Survey and GMS’s additional ODL Survey. Results from the ODL Survey generally showed that ODL is a valuable use of time for students to complete work as well as practice being independent learners.

The new schedule results in approximately 35 hours of additional time on learning by the end of the year, while still including the same best practices for instruction, which include direct instruction, independent learning, group work, asynchronous work and homework. This time on learning is also aligned with state expectations.

The proposed schedule is in the process of review and revisions, and may include some additional adjustments before it is shared and implemented, which is expected to be at the end of November. The school will also be taking into account additional considerations going forward, such as how to move toward more student-centered work, as well as the effective utilization of Wednesday afternoon asynchronous learning time and the community block.

The full GMS schedule presentation, to include select results from the surveys and a view of the proposed GMS schedule, can be found here.

FY22 Capital Budget Presentation

Capital planning for the district began Sept. 23. As part of the process, key stakeholders submit requests for what they will need in the coming year. The Interim Superintendent and Business Administrator meet with the School Committee’s Finance Sub Committee to review the requests and gather feedback. CPS Administration then officially puts forward a capital funding plan that can be considered by the entire school committee.

The District has $800,000 of cash capital available to use for projects in FY22. At its first proposal on November 5, the District recommended the following projects. Business Administrator Barry Nectow noted that some additional projects may be added after these are modified.

Building Repairs and Improvements

• Replacement of some classroom and main lobby floor tiles at Luce ($15,969)
• Replacing second floor corridor tiles at Hansen ($12,978)
• Continued HVAC maintenance district-wide ($50,000)
• Renovation of the old metal lab at CHS into a new Innovation Lab ($40,000)

Grounds Improvement

• Installation of four basketball hoops with backboards at JFK ($8,266)

Technology

• Replacement of computers for administrative staff across the district (non-instructional computers), a proposed 2-year project ($25,00)
• Purchasing classroom phone units to have in inventory for replacement needs ($5,100)
• Chromebooks for the third grade as part of the 1:1 device initiative ($76,800)
• Finishing the classroom projector and amplifier modernization project at CHS ($7,865)
• Replacing the projector and screen in the JFK cafeteria ($5,464)
• iPads for Kindergarten ($35,800)
• Replacement of some laptops across the district (a cycled project that is funded every few years to replace outdated laptops) ($25,000)
• Ruckus classroom access points across the district ($104,092) Note: The Ruckus classroom access points project funding is expected to decrease to approximately $20,000, which will allow for additional cash capital projects to be funded in FY22. The district will provide updated funding information regarding this and possible funding toward alternative projects at the next meeting.

Safety and Security

• Continue the replacement of door lock hardware and interior door window coverings across the district (year 3 of the ongoing project) ($16,106)

Program Improvements

• A second year, of 3 years, of funding for literacy projects at the elementary schools, which includes Pre-K-5 classroom libraries ($36,000), K-5 book rooms ($18,938), K-5 professional development resources for literacy instruction ($17,147), and a K-5 literacy assessment program ($11,067)
• Visual Arts: additional DSLR cameras ($8,988), arts computer lab ($36,000), and display cases at GMS ($7,366)
• Upgrades to the CHS Memorial Field lighting control systems ($20,000)
• Updates to the CHS auditorium, including upgrades to lighting equipment, the control system and sound technology (year 3 of the ongoing project) ($87,727)
• Replacement of classroom-based instruments for the music department (a cycled project funded every few years to replace outdated or damaged instruments) ($30,826)

Furniture and Fixtures

• Stainless steel work tables for food services district-wide ($5,682)
• Phase 3 of the project to replace rectangle cafeteria tables with round cafeteria table at GMS ($18,721)
• Custodial equipment district-wide (a cycled project funded every few years to replace equipment) ($20,000)
• A new forklift for the district’s warehouse distribution facility on North Street ($20,000)

The district also recommended putting funding toward three debt capital projects as part of FY22. Debt capital is generally used for larger projects as part of a five-year plan.

• Replacement of unit ventilators at Hansen, to take place over 2022 and 2023 ($250,000 for FY22)
• Replacement of unit ventilators at Galvin in the gymnasium and cafeteria ($166,000 for FY22)
• Replacement of rooftop unit #10 at CHS ($180,000 for FY22)

The proposed FY22 Capital Plan Summary can be viewed here. The budget recommendations will be voted on by the School Committee Thursday during the next meeting.

The next Canton School Committee meeting will take place on Thursday, Nov. 12. 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.