1. Public Comment (3 Minutes):

2. Student School Committee Report:

3. Presentation of the Records for Approval:

May 14, 2020 Special Meeting
May 19, 2020 Regular Meeting
August 4, 2020 Regular (summer) Meeting
August 20, 2020 Special Meeting
September 3, 2020 Special Meeting
September 15, 2020 Regular Meeting

4. Reconsiderations:
None

5. Unfinished Business/Calendar:
None

6. Awaiting Reports:
None

7. Superintendent’s Agenda:

7a. Superintendent's Update:
None
7b. Presentations:

COVID-19 Response Update…...Dr. Kenneth Salim, Superintendent of Schools

7c. CPS District Plan:
None

7d. Consent Agenda:
#20-240 Recommendation: Ratification of Vote Taken in Executive Session on September 29, 2020
#20-241 Recommendation: Approval of Revisions to the Draft SY2020-2021 Cambridge Public Schools District Calendar For Full Remote Learning For PreK-Grade12 on November 3, 2020-Election Day & the Observance Of Juneteenth-June 19th
#20-242 Recommendation: Day & Residential Program Services not Available From the Cambridge Public Schools
#20-243 Recommendation: Contract Award: Sunbelt Rentals: Equipment Rental
#20-244 Recommendation: Contract Award: Stoneham Motor Company: Facilities Management Vehicle
#20-245 Recommendation: Contract Award: Displays by Garo: Desk Shields
#20-246 Recommendation: Gifts/Miscellaneous Receipts
#20-247 Recommendation: Grant Award: FY21 Special Education Early Childhood Allocation (SC21607)

8. Non-Consent Agenda:
None

9. School Committee Agenda (Policy Matters/Notifications/Requests for Information):
#20-248: Broadcast Sub Committees | Joint Motion by Mayor Siddiqui, Member Fantini, Member Rachel

Whereas equity and access are top priorities for the Cambridge Public Schools and the Cambridge School Committee; and

Whereas crucial discussions around school reopening are happening in subcommittee meetings, and

Whereas it is integral that all Cambridge Public School scholars, families and staff can easily access this information; and

Whereas the School Committee amended the rules to record and post subcommittee meetings online this spring; and

Whereas public participation in subcommittee meetings has reached an all-time high;
Therefore, be it

Resolved that the rules are amended to allow subcommittee meetings to be live-streamed on Cambridge Educational Access TV Channel 99 (second reading).

#20-249: Buildings & Grounds Saftey and Facilities Manual | Motion by Buildings and Grounds Sub-CommitteeThat the attached COVID 19 Safety and Facilities Manual, developed by the Buildings and Grounds Sub-Committee be adopted for implementation by the School Committee. The document will be a living document during the life of the pandemic and the School Committee will be informed of any changes to the document.
#20-250: Governance Sub-Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity policy | Joint Motion by Member Rachel, Member Wilson, Member Rojas

That the following be adopted as Amended:

Whereas the Cambridge Public Schools are dedicated to culturally responsive education, to dismantling structures of white privilege, and to becoming an actively anti-racist district; and

Whereas Cambridge Public School Equal Employment Opportunity policy commits the district to making, "all reasonable efforts to ensure an environment free of discrimination or harassment on account of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, or pregnancy-related condition and encourage all members of our community to support and foster the acceptance and inclusion of all individuals;" and

Whereas elected School Committee Members share the district's values and believe that our silence when there is harm in our school community can be experienced as complicity; now therefore be it

Resolved that the Governance Subcommittee bring to the Committee of the Whole for consideration a policy on how the Committee will address a complaint of harm by Members to one or more of the groups listed in our Equal Employment Opportunity policy by November 15, 2020.

#20-251: Roudtable with Principals | Joint Motion by Member Wilson, Member Rachel, Member Fantini

That the following be adopted as Amended:

Whereas the Cambridge Public School District's remote learning has been in session since September 16, 2020, and;

Whereas CPS is working towards opening our schools to our youngest and most vulnerable learners on October 13, 2020, and;

Whereas educators and administrators report working harder than they have ever in their careers, and it is critical that policy makers and the public understand what is working well and what changes would be helpful; and;

Whereas we value the leadership and expertise of all members within our school buildings, and;

Whereas transparency and accountability is extremely important to building a community, now therefore be it;

Resolved that a special roundtable meeting to discuss the opportunities and challenges of this exceptional year with all elementary school principals be called by October 30, 2020, and engage upper and high school principals before the end of December.

#20-252: Flu Clinics | Joint Motion by Vice Chair Bowman, Member FantiniBe it
Resolved that the School Committee work in collaboration with the Cambridge Health Alliance to provide Flu clinics at designated CPSD school facilities.
#20-253: Outdoor Space | Motion by Vice Chair Bowman

Whereas the Cambridge Public School District is planning for in-person learning on Oct 13, 2020, and

Whereas many CPSD facilities will need to provide more natural air into the buildings by adjusting windows according to recommendations in the COVID-19 Safety & Facilities Manual; and

Whereas ensuring the physical safety of our students is of great importance as we adjust to the new reality of COVID -19; therefore be it

Resolved that the administration limit access to CPSD playground areas to only student and childcare providers during school hours; and be it further resolved; That the CPSD administration works with the city to explore the feasibility of designating space in city parks for educational purposes during school hours.

#20-254: NSBA Dues | Motion by Approval of Invoice for $4,165.00 from the National School Board Association (NSBA) for 2020-2021 annual dues.
10. Resolutions:
#20-255: Standing in Solidarity with Asian Americans | Joint Motion by Mayor Siddiqui, Member Rachel, Member Wilson

Whereas: Anti-racism is a key priority and value of the Cambridge Public Schools, Cambridge School Committee, and the City of Cambridge; and

Whereas: Twelve percent of the scholars and families in Cambridge Public Schools identify as Asian and Pacific Islander; and

Whereas: Two of our elementary schools focus on Mandarin language and Chinese culture; and

Whereas: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a flood of anti-Asian racism in the United States, ranging from derogatory slurs, to blaming the outbreak on Chinese people, to violent physical attacks; and

Whereas: On September 21, 2020, a coalition of Asian American students submitted an open letter to school educators and superintendents in Boston, Malden and Quincy urging them to address the surge of anti-Asian racism that followed the COVID-19 outbreak; and

Whereas: Since the beginning of the pandemic, Stop AAPI Hate has recorded about 2,500 incidents of anti-Asian discrimination across the United States, with 61 such incidents in Massachusetts; and

Whereas: Stop AAPI Hate released a report that looks at 341 incidents reported by youth, with 24 involving physical assault. In 56% of these cases, perpetrators employed anti-Chinese hate speech, including blaming China and Chinese as the source of the virus and mocking Chinese dietary habits; and

Whereas: As our students return to school, it is important to protect and keep our students safe from racist attacks; now therefore be it

RESOLVED: That the School Committee and Superintendent go on record supporting the high school students' open letter requesting leadership to protect Asian American students from this onslaught of racial bullying and abuse; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the School Committee and Superintendent go on record supporting and protecting Asian American students from any acts of anti-racism in the Cambridge Public School system.

11. Announcements:
None

12. Late Orders:
None

13. Communications and Reports from City Officers: None
Updated on 04/26/2021