1. Public Comment (3 Minutes):

2. Student School Committee Report:

3. Presentation of the Records for Approval:

• March 15, 2022 Regular Meeting
• March 22, 2022 Budget Workshop
• March 24, 2022 Special Meeting
• March 25, 2022 Special Meeting
• March 29, 2022 Budget Workshop

4. Reconsiderations:
None

5. Unfinished Business/Calendar:
None

6. Awaiting Reports:
None

7. Superintendent’s Agenda:

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

RSTA Review
Victoria L. Greer, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Lyndsay Pinkus Brown, Chief Strategy Officer  
Dr. Nicole Gittens, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education
Michael Ananis, Executive Director, RSTA
Damon Smith, Principal, CRLS

7c. CPS District Plan:

None

7d. Consent Agenda:
#22-46 Recommendation: Approval of the Fiscal Year 2023 Recommended Budget
#22-47 Recommendation: Approval of the Amendment to Agreement between American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, Council 93, Local 1611 & Cambridge School Committee Regarding COVID-19 Testing
#22-48 Recommendation: Approval of SY2022/2023 Cambridge Public Schools District Calendar
#22-49 Recommendation: Day & Residential Program Services not Available from Cambridge Public Schools
#22-50 Recommendation: Contract Award: Scholastic, Inc.: Instructional Materials
#22-51 Recommendation: Gifts/Miscellaneous Receipts
#22-52 Recommendation: Grant Award: FY22 Early College Support Grant (SC22831)-Increase
#22-53 Recommendation: Grant Award: FY22 ARP Special Education IDEA (SC22-610)-Increase
#22-54 Recommendation: Grant Award: FY22 Special Education IDEA Allocation (SC22605)-Increase
#22-55 Recommendation: Grant Award: FY22 Title 11A Educator Quality (SC22731)-Increase

8. Non-Consent Agenda:
None

9. School Committee Agenda (Policy Matters/Notifications/Requests for Information):
#22-56: Free CharlieCard Program for CRLS Students | Joint Motion by Member Wilson, Mayor Siddiqui, and Member Fantini in collaboration with Student Member Killian and Student Member Vera-DeGraff

WHEREAS: Most of the high school and upper school students are responsible for commuting themselves to and from school every day; and

WHEREAS: There are approximately 742 students or 40% of the total student body at CRLS currently using the M7 transit cards which are designated for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch benefits; and

WHEREAS: Students are continually penalized for being tardy their first period regardless of transportation circumstances; and

WHEREAS: Many high school students hold summer jobs through the Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program (MSYEP) or other job opportunities; and

WHEREAS: The city of Somerville, Massachusetts has started a pilot program to give students preloaded monthly Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) passes, or CharlieCards, so they have a reliable source of transportation to and from school regardless of economic status; and

WHEREAS: Somerville High School's enrollment is similar to CRLS at roughly 1,400 students compared to roughly 1,800 students; and

WHEREAS: Somerville's FY2022 budget estimated at 99.6 million dollars for their education system compared to Cambridge's FY2022 budget at 223.7 million dollars and has managed to implement this pilot program; and

WHEREAS: Larger cities, such as Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, California have implemented programs for free public transit for every student enrolled in their public school system and at a community college; and

WHEREAS: The MBTA has a program to provide students on free/reduced lunch with free M7 CharlieCards through the months of September through June; and

WHEREAS: Cambridge Public School District (CPSD) had a proposed budget of 232,389,140 dollars for the 2022-23 school year; and

WHEREAS: The proposed CPSD budget allocates 12,207,028 dollars towards transportation (or five percent of proposed total budget; and

WHEREAS: Students deserve a safe and reliable means of transportation to and from school; and

WHEREAS: Students should avoid the financial burden to pay 17 dollars a week on transportation to school; and

WHEREAS: The Cambridge Youth Council (CYC) has been actively working on this resolution since October of 2021; and has been active in the issue since 2018 when they rallied to establish free M7 CharlieCards for free/reduced lunch students; now therefore be it

RESOLVED: That theSchoolCommittee do serious research in conjunction with the MBTA and the City of Cambridge to consider implementing a program to distribute free M7 CharlieCards to all students at CRLS, regardless of free/reduced lunch status; and be it further

RESOLVED: That due to participation in MSYEP or other summer job opportunities, that these CharlieCards remain activated throughout not only the school year but the summer as well; and be it further

RESOLVED: That upon an agreement with the MBTA, CPSD will distribute free yearly M7 CharlieCards to all high school and upper school students; and be it further

RESOLVED: That this motion be referred to the Superintendent, for the Superintendent and Mayor share an update with the School Committee by June 1, 2022.

#22-57: Switch to Electronic Transcripts | Joint Motion by Member Wilson, Mayor Siddiqui, and Member Fantini

WHEREAS: Cambridge Public Schools (CPS) only offers printed versions of high school transcripts for former students and electronic copies to current students to send colleges, universities, and employers; and

WHEREAS: Many former students may not have time or access to free technology in order to make copies, scan, and upload or mail transcripts; and

WHEREAS: User-friendly online services allow students to receive an electronic copy of their transcript to send to as many places as they would like; and

WHEREAS: E-transcript delivery services allow students to have a PDF file of their transcript and avoid requesting from CPS each time; and

WHEREAS: E-transcript delivery services will make students' lives easier and will significantly cut work time for employees coordinating handling said transcript logistics; and

WHEREAS: E-transcript delivery services offer free professional training on how to use their software and allow for other record digitization outside of transcripts; and

WHEREAS: An e-transcript delivery service would likely be more cost effective and environmentally conscious than having paper and ink printed hard-copy transcripts, creating less cost-burden on both the school and the students; now therefore be it

RESOLVED: That CPS records staff and relevant others attend necessary training from expert staff on e-transcript delivery services; and be it further

RESOLVED: That CPS commits to using an e-transcript delivery service to cut cost and effort burdens placed on both former and current students trying to pursue post-secondary options.

10. Resolutions:
#22-58: Resolution to Congratulate CRLS Model UN Team | Joint Motion by Member Wilson, Vice Chair Rachel, and Member Weinstein in collaboration with Student Member Killian and Student Member Vera-DeGraff

WHEREAS: Thirty-one students (see:Appendix A) from Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) attended the National High School Model United Nations (NHSMUN) Conference in New York City from March 18 through March 21, 2022; and

WHEREAS: Students have been conducting research and doing other preparation for this conference since October of 2021; and

WHEREAS: Students represented several specialized agencies and countries at this year's MUN Conference, such as Afghanistan, Argentina, China, and more; and

WHEREAS: The CRLS MUN delegation was presented with six different awards for their individual and overall performance (see:Appendix B) in committees that discussed topics like international security, gender equity, migration, criminal justice, and more; and

WHEREAS: CRLS student Nicolas Valayannapoulos-Akrivou was invited to speak in front of the entire NHSMUN Conference during the plenary session to present his committees' research and work; and

WHEREAS: These students deserve recognition for their hard work and dedication to the CRLS MUN team; now therefore be it

RESOLVED: That the Cambridge School Committee go on record honoring and congratulating these scholars on their hard work and dedication; and be it further

RESOLVED: That a formal copy of this resolution be prepared by the Executive Secretary to the School Committee and forwarded to the students listed in the appendix

11. Announcements:
None

12. Late Orders:
None

13. Communications and Reports from City Officers:

None

Updated on 03/31/2022