1. Public Comment (3 Minutes):

2. Student School Committee Report:

3. Presentation of the Records for Approval:

• May 9, 2023 Special Meeting
• May 16, 2023, Regular Meeting
• May 30, 2023 Special Meeting

4. Reconsiderations:
None

5. Unfinished Business/Calendar:
#23-072: School Council Handbooks | Motion by Communications & Community Relations Sub-committee

WHEREAS: School Councils play a critical and valued role in the Cambridge Public Schools by assisting school principals in planning for and implementing best practices that enhance the achievement of all students; and

WHEREAS: The School Committee seeks to support our schools and our School Council members by ensuring School Councils in CPSD:

• follow uniform policies and practices while being able to adopt practices that best serve each school community;
• are inclusive, diverse, and equitable spaces that reflect the diversity of our students, with representation from parents/guardians, caregivers, secondary-level students, teachers, and community members; and
• function as they should under state law and regulations and are supported to do so; and

WHEREAS: The School Committee is grateful for the work from March - June of 2021 of the School Council Working Group, which included a diverse group of parents/guardians/caregivers, students, family liaisons, teachers, and administrators, listed by name in the Handbook, in partnership with the then-newly formed CPSD Family Engagement Office, and is grateful for the subsequent review of the handbook by the CPSD administrative team and for the additional input and feedback of members of the CPSD community who reviewed draft versions of the Handbook; and

WHEREAS: The Communications and Community Relations Subcommittee of the School Committee has convened multiple meetings to review and revise proposed versions of the Handbook resulting from this process and is satisfied that the attached version is ready for full implementation, with regular review with the aim of continuous improvement; therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That the School Committee approves the attached School Council Handbook; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the School Committee notes that at the time of this motion being submitted, current law related to extending certain state emergency accommodations, which, among other things, extends the provision allowing public bodies to continue holding meetings remotely without a quorum of the body physically present at a meeting location and to provide “adequate, alternative” access to remote meetings until March 31, 2023, has not yet been further extended, and therefore the language in this handbook will be adjusted to ensure compliance with Open Meeting Law as in effect of April 1, 2023, if this provision is not further extended.

6. Awaiting Reports:
None

7. Superintendent’s Agenda:

7a. Superintendent's Update:

None

7b. Presentations:

Vassal Lane Upper School Renaming

Daniel Coplon Newfield, Principal, Vassal Lane Upper Schools

Vassal Lane Upper School Students:

Grade 7:

Theo Angelakis

Julie Moss

Grade 8:

Farah Ahmed

Zaida Pingitore

Lidya Seifu

Aresema Tesfaye

Instructional Framework Update: Superintendent's Evaluation: Standard 1: Instructional Leadership

Dr. Lendozia Edwards, Chief of Academics & Schools

7c. CPS District Plan:

None

7d. Consent Agenda:
#23-108 Recommendation: Contract Award: Fishtank Learning: Professional Development & Computer Software Licenses
#23-109 Recommendation: Contract Award: Lexia Learning Systems: Professional Development (FY24 Contract)
#23-110 Recommendation: Contract Award: Center for Educational Development (CEL): Professional Development (FY24 Contract)
#23-111 Recommendation: Contract Award: Wilson Language Corporation: Professional Development
#23-112 Recommendation: Contract Award: Mind Research Institute: Computer Software (FY24 Contract)
#23-114 Recommendation: Contract Award: McGraw Hill Education: Computer Software (FY24 Contract)
#23-115 Recommendation: Contract Award: Renaissance: Computer Software (FY24 Contract)
#23-116 Recommendation: Contract Award: PJ Systems dba HiQ Computers: Computer Hardware (FY24 Contract)
#23-117 Recommendation: Contract Award: Ace Endico New England: Groceries: Amended
#23-118 Recommendation: Contract Award: B & G Food Service Equipment & Supply: Food Service & Culinary Arts Program Equipment
#23-119 Recommendation: Contract Award: WW Grainger: FY24 Facilites Equipment & Supplies (FY24 Contract)
#23-120 Recommendation: Contract Award: Johnstone Supply: FY24 HVAC Supplies (FY24 Contract)
#23-121 Recommendation: Contract Award: F.W. Webb: FY24 HVAC Supplies (FY24 Contract)
#23-122 Recommendation: Contract Award: Filter Sales & Services FY24 HVAC Supplies (FY24 Contract)
#23-123 Recommendation: Contract Award: Aramsco, Inc. dba Casey EMI: FY24 Custodial Supplies (FY24 Contract)
#23-124 Recommendation: Contract Award: Next Gen Supply Group FY24 Custodial Supplies (FY24 Contract)
#23-125 Recommendation: Contract Award: Home Depot: DY24 Carpentry & Maintenance Supplies (FY24 Contract)
#23-126 Recommendation: Contract Award: Republic Services: FY24 Dumpster Services (FY24 Contract)
#23-127 Recommendation: Contract Award: Pasek: FY24 Lockes, Keys & Hardware (FY24 Contract)
#23-128 Recommendation: Contract Award: NorthEast Electrical: FY24 Electrical Supplies (FY24 Contract)
#23-129 Recommendation: Contract Award: New England School Services: FY24 Doors & Supplies (FY24 Contract)
#23-130 Recommendation: Contract Award: Metropolitan Pipe: FY24 Plumbing Supplies (FY24 Contract)
#23-131 Recommendation: Gifts/Miscellaneous Receipts
#23-132 Recommendation: Grant Award: FY24 Popplestone Foundation (SC24695)

8. Non-Consent Agenda:
None

9. School Committee Agenda (Policy Matters/Notifications/Requests for Information):
#23-133: Report of the May 18, 2023 Curriculum and Achievement Subcommittee | Motion by Curriculum & Achievement Sub-committee

Report of the May 18, 2023 Curriculum and Achievement Subcommittee

#23-134: Report of the May 22, 2023 School Climate Subcommittee Meeting | Motion by School Climate Sub-committee

Report of the May 22, 2023 School Climate Subcommittee Meeting

#23-135: Report of the May 24, 2023 Buildings and Grounds Subcommittee Meeting | Motion by Buildings & Grounds Sub-committee

Report of the May 24, 2023 Buildings and Grounds Subcommittee Meeting

#23-136: Report of the May 25, 2023 Communications and Community Relations Subcommittee Meeting | Motion by Communications & Community Relations Sub-committee

Report of the May 25, 2023 Communications and Community Relations Subcommittee Meeting

#23-137: Mental Health First Aid Motion | Joint Motion by Vice Chair Rachel, Mayor Siddiqui and Member Hunter

WHEREAS: The 2022 Teen Health Survey documented that “the proportion of high school students who experienced depression (37%), hurt themselves (17%), or considered attempting suicide (20%) reached their highest levels since 2012;” and

WHEREAS: The percentages of students experiencing anxiety in the past year was nearly half (48%) of high school students and more than a third (38%) of upper school students, with Genderqueer and female students most impacted; and

WHEREAS: Educators and staff also are reporting increased levels of anxiety and depression coming through the pandemic years; and

WHEREAS: These local mental health crises are reflected in national trends; and

WHEREAS: The Cambridge Youth Council has launched a Youth Headspace Campaign created by young people in order to centralize mental health resources for young people; and

WHEREAS: The Cambridge Public Schools continues to identify and refine interventions to support student and staff mental health, including but not limited to increasing the number of social workers in our schools, providing access to virtual therapists, and emphasizing relationship-building through advisories or Falcon Block; and

WHEREAS: CPS is fortunate to be a community in which students and staff want to show up for one another, but individuals may not know what mental health distress looks like or how to help; and

WHEREAS: In August, all Health and Wellness teachers will take Mental Health First Aid, an evidence-based program that shows individuals how to recognize and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That the Superintendent will explore offering Youth Mental Health First Aid to additional educators as well as caregivers and students and will bring a recommendation to the School Committee no later than October 31, 2023.

10. Resolutions:
None

11. Announcements:
None

12. Late Orders:
None

13. Communications and Reports from City Officers:

None

Updated on 06/01/2023