5.21.2026 Fall River School Committee - Instructional Subcommittee

this meeting of the instructional subcommittee. Depp, can you do a roll call please?

Mr. Corey, here.

Miss Riley, here.

Miss Stewart, here. If you can join me in a salute to the flag.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.

Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings of transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible.

I don't think we have any citizens input unless any of you would like to speak before we start.

Okay.

All right, Mr. Raposa.

Okay. Uh, first item, what's listed first?

Update DLE program dual language.

Sydney and Kelly, do you mind just joining me here? Perfect. Thank you.

So, um, I'll start and then feel free to jump in. So, you'll see um, in the backup. So, as you know, we're moving our Nova Vista program to green. What we've done so far, um, is we've actually, uh, had a staff meeting. Um, I know that some students I believe um were there as well from the program and teachers from the program to talk to the green staff about um what it means and

how exciting it is to um have a new program there in their building. Um we've actually scheduled out several recruitment sessions um as discussed uh during I believe the last school committee meeting or one of the previous school committee meetings. Uh we're going to continue to grow the program.

Um I'm sharing here some data around current enrollment because um that changes every day. We've been surveying families. Um some families are choosing to stay at Viver if that's the neighborhood school and not move with the program which is okay. Um and so if you look uh in kindergarten uh right now there are uh 38 students um in grade 1 uh 28, grade 2 31, grade 3 28. um and grade 431. Okay. So, that's basically

where we're at um currently. Uh we're making some decisions around uh recruitment. And so, we're actually starting with the foundational students that are already at green.

So, our foundational numbers are pretty small. We will no longer run like an elementary foundational because our projected numbers um are like in the single digits at each grade level. So, um really for a couple reasons. I think we're seeing less foundational students, but we're also, I think, getting better at moving kids into mainstream, right?

And and making sure that they're at those levels with access. And so, we're going to start with our current kids in foundational as a recruitment piece because they already go to green, right?

And so, if they're Spanish speaking students, what an opportunity in four and five, we're still trying to figure out um what makes the most sense in terms of an iteration. Okay. Um we have basically enough students in four and five definitely for one cohort. we might be like one over. Um what we're trying to figure out is whether we're going to run one or two cohorts. We're able to

run the two provided that we recruit.

The challenge becomes and I want to make sure you know people are just aware that it's very hard to recruit monolingual students in a program that they haven't grown with. All right. So because this is a dual language program, the expectation would be that students have entered in K or one in the earlier grades and now are learning in Spanish and English. Um, so it is a bit challenging to say to a fifth grader who

maybe only speaks English or only speaks Spanish, come into this dual language program. There may be some students who have a decent command, you know, of the language. So, we're still keeping a close eye on that. We're able to uh, and Cindy can speak to this, we're able to um, facilitate two cohorts of each grade level um, if we need to. Just knowing though that the numbers could be

exceptionally small in fourth and fifth.

So, our option two would be to say we we have one fourth grade and one fifth grade cohort. Um, we'd still be able to preserve that TNM teaching model because you could have a team of a fourth and a fifth grade teacher.

Um, so that's really where we're at in terms of the the decision- making.

You'll see in the um in the backup how many students we really need to recruit at each grade level in order to fill it up to where we want it to be. Cindy, I don't know if you want to add anything there.

I think you did a great job. I think that's absolutely where we're at with fourth and fifth. So, I guess we can just, you know, wait a little longer and just kind of see if there's been any change.

Yeah. Kelly, anything else that you want to add?

Nothing to add. We're um excited to be able to maintain the program knowing that we have to re do more robust recruitment all year, every year, so that we don't end up like this again in fourth and fifth grade. So looking now to plan out the year so that we're um really doing good with the PR and getting people to join in if someone moves to kind of start looking to move

people in like all the time.

And some of the program Yeah. Some of the shifts we've made is we're going to actually have I'm looking at Kristen um some dele staff at the already scheduled K recruitment events to basically say, "Hey, listen. This is an exciting opportunity." Um and then we have five other uh recruitment events scheduled uh in May and June right now.

Um, and they'll be either at Green or other locations throughout the district, just info sessions for families, learn a little bit about the program. This is what it is. Um, and we're going to actually, I think, utilize some of our current staff in the program who we feel like can sell it best because they live it every day. Um, and so that's really, you know, kind of where we're at right now.

Do you do open houses all during the year for deal? We've done uh we do parent cafes which cafes throughout the year, but we have not done I don't think open houses during the year throughout. Yeah, but we should Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.

To um I have in other districts. So there's and we also have a new coach who's a do language coach, Sylvia Lima.

Yep.

Yep. So she's great. So she'll be a real asset to the program kind of always continuing all of the recruitment and the public, you know, relations kind of piece. But I do think that we should be doing open houses but during the school day to invite families in to see what it looks like. I would you know something like that early on. I mean I visited a number of communities while I was doing

this in Brockton and started you know years ago 20 years ago and you look at Milton and they have waiting lists, you know. So you want to create that kind of vibe that this is a really exciting opportunity for kids and not waiting till the end when we're registering but to recruit all year long. Sylvia's excellent. Yes, I'm super excited for her at the international school years ago.

That's so we were excited. We had we happened to have you know a physician um uh available actually at the green um due to uh a st you know someone who left and so um we were able to recruit this individual who has that background in dual language. That's exciting to be able to support that program there as well.

Tom, so could you are other what what are some of the concerns that the transition from varys to green are presenting and in the way that uh superintendent repos you know just talked about the program I want to see the program I I see that it's a very beneficial program uh I know that there are some concerns in the transition can you speak to any of those I think that the numbers of students of

families who discont continued. We're were smaller than we anticipated, which was good. One family had three students in the program. They had said they were going to discontinue and yesterday decided no, we do want to do this because at first they thought we want to save a neighborhood school, but then they now decided no, they do want their kids to be in the dual language program.

Um, I don't think there are any real concerns. I think it's more just ramping up making sure that like when we met with green staff, they were excited.

They were really curious like what is this going to look like and is this going to be a separate program or we we be integrated. So it's not a concern as much as a goal to make sure that we really make sure that the staff feel like they're a team and that this isn't just a subsearate program that's housed in their building. Does that make sense?

So, it's more just strategic planning to make sure they're integrated and um as we said doing more PR all year recruitment is is so this fourth and fifth grade recruitment have you have we thought about maybe doing some targeted recruitment to um MLL students that's exactly what we're doing those personal phone calls literal yes we're doing exactly one-on-one phone calls to those families starting with the DLE we're

looking uh starting with the the foundational students um and we're looking to recruit. We'd like to recruit 10 Spanish speaking students in fourth grade and 10 Spanish speaking students in fifth grade.

Just one of the access scores just came out. So we great like a student who's really um doing well, you know, getting threes and fours, five, not strong maybe in the writing. This would be a great class to be in because you have the opportunity to write in both languages, see those skills grow. So hopefully maybe we can get some of those to be interested in the dual language.

Yes. So, we have the capacity to run the two cohorts. We're really just in this recruitment place where we're saying, "Okay, what what makes the most sense and I think to Kelly's point, it's just an an all year building the excitement.

We want to get to the place where we have a weight list and people It is exciting. You know, I I hear Spanish all the time. Are there other languages that that can come into, you know, fray as well? Are there We would love to Portuguese dual language program in the future. So, we need to get this staff I was just curious just to outur more of a curiosity.

So I visited Portugal in 2018 with 10 superintendents and it was a grant from I think it was a state representative from Ton and they had a great program for when we brought teachers over actually to come and teaching it was really Yeah. You visited Buckton I'm going to guess.

Yes. Yes.

Okay.

And and so so we have three programs. We have three. I just visited again last year that patient Creole too.

We do and and those were again surveyed those were the languages there. So obviously the Portuguese here is a natural fit.

Natural and Sylvia did she adapted the ARC curriculum for they had a uh Portuguese strand in Central Falls in Pucket in Pucket. So she actually has done that work. So she worked with ARC actually to be able to translate so that they would have materials for Portuguese. So, and they have developed like I just brought a group last year from Bondable doing a dual language program to Burton and they were doing a

sharing of the materials that they had developed in Brook and we're part of a network through because we've had this membership component with MAB and so we've had some visits. I I was able to visit Chelsea and see a program which was very cool. So, I think our next for us what we'll probably come back here with in a year or or at some point next year is really um a proposal around

middle school, right? So our next conversation is going to be how do we grow this through exactly and then once it grows through eighth grade we have to think about what are the opportunities at the high school around higher level Spanish courses and then I think there's at the same time there'll be a conversation around what other program you know Portuguese would be a great fit and so what does that

kind of look like? So for me it begs the question with uh with the the teacher exchange program that we have going on.

Is this maybe one of the programs that could benefit through the teacher exchange?

Many of our teachers abs. So many of our teachers right now in this program are part of our international partnership in Colombia.

Um and the beauty of that partnership is that we've already had some initial conversations around what would it look like to have a Portuguese and we could expand to Brazil potentially or to Portugal, right? So there's other places we could start to look. Um, so I definitely think we know that the staffing and the instructional materials will obviously be somewhat of a challenge. So we'll have to just work

around those those barriers.

The state makes you take at least a year and a half to plan.

Yes.

So it's something probably by the by next year this time if we're really getting serious about it then we'd start at least a year and a half planning.

Yeah. Our next immediate piece will be middle school.

Actually were a very good partner. That doesn't always happen but they were a good partner in the planning phases.

Yeah.

Excellent.

All right. So, it sounds like we're on our way. We're we're committed. We're running it. I mean, we'll be tandem teaching regardless. Even if fourth and fifth grade are only one single class, they will tandem teach.

So, yeah. We're hopeful we can get the two cohorts just based on the recruitment. Absolutely. My only worry that I have is I don't want any children to not be in the program. And right now, we have 31 in.

Yes. We're we're we're going to operate.

We we're not going to have anybody have to leave the program. We still have some families that are still calling and saying, "You know what? actually maybe I want to go to my neighborhood school.

Right? So that's that's what we're monitoring dayto day. So if there were a potential drop off, let's say in a month and we were at 26 kids, we may say, "Hey, we've tried to recruit. We're at 26. Does it make sense to have one versus right?" So that's that's the conversation. Um but we definitely don't no one's being removed from the program.

That's that's So my worry is people being removed. My other worry is the tandem because then how about if you get enough of fourth grade but you don't get enough of fifth grade? How do you tandem with one? I think we would either have to do all or nothing. We would run the two cohorts in fourth and fifth are very small and the other.

Yes. Then I have a question because this program is very it's an optional program. You can get in and out. I also understand that sometimes we have a lot of like behaviors and stuff in this program. Do we watch out for that to explain to these you know if we have too many behaviors? We're this is a lot to do the program at run itself that some of the students can be taken out for

behaviors. I know that sounds crazy, but yeah, I would say I would say that it's not unlike so it's a it's public school.

It's like any other um educational program. So if you were in a regular second grade class, we would follow, you know, our code our code of conduct. We would work with a family, right? So I think yeah, I I think it really depends, you know. Um I would say that it wouldn't necessarily be this thing where because a child might have we expect kids to struggle at times. That happens,

right? They're kids. Um but I definitely think we can keep an eye on it. I think what's more important sometimes is whether this pedigogy around learning with the two languages is very unique and different. So we have to really keep a close eye on whether that makes sense for the child, right? Um I know that there were there have been one or two children where um they really struggled

with this piece of the two languages and so there were conversations around like does this make the most sense given you know it's almost like a mini manifestation like is it because of the dual language that they're having these behaviors if it's not then we have to figure out how to make them successful anyway but if it's the dual language structure then maybe it doesn't make sense for them. If

I could just follow with a brief question to that point, uh what's it like for the adjustment counselors if if something does spark up with these kids?

Are they able to uh communicate adequately with with kids who may be, you know, deeply Spanish or deeply Portuguese?

I think there's a bilingual uh school adjustment counselor, I believe, on services. This that would be part of the program.

Yeah, I believe I think Liz said that she has three Spanish speaking staff.

Well, one one person speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and a green. So, we we checked that to make sure.

Yes.

And all of those teachers that are at the bar are going to Yes. The whole program is just up.

The the program is moving. Yes.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, ladies.

Thank you.

All right.

Stick around.

Next up, SF.

I don't know what it is, but it's okay.

We can.

All right. discussion and vote to refer on contract with Ridgerest LLC to provide coaching for an Odell ELA pilot.

Do you want to join us at the high school level?

So, I'll just frame this and then I'll let um Jess, Tanya, and Steph kind of jump in. So, last year, uh we began to pilot Odell, which is an ELA resource at the high school level. So, prior to that, really, um a lot of the curriculum was homegrown. we started looking at um Odell as an option and um this team you know jumped on this pilot. They can speak specific to how many units they've

piloted. Part of the pilot and I think part of the success with implementation um has been to provide that professional support and coaching along the way, right, as we have with any new program uh that we're trying out. And so really what you have before you today is um you know a request to be able to expand that pilot and make sure that we still um can expand that uh professional coaching at

least through this next year um so that the team feels you know pretty well equipped um after that point. I don't know if you know Tanya or Jess you want to Yeah.

Yeah. So, um, this year in grades nine and 10, we piloted two Odell units. Um, and we worked with Kate Brener, who was the coach, um, who has extensive knowledge in Odell. And so I worked with her as the ELA dean, and then she also worked with teachers, and we were able to do OB um, learning walks together, look for trends, next steps, plan what we should be doing for PD. Um it was

very useful for me as just a one-person thinking to have a thought partner in that way. Um and the teachers um completed their own feedback and found her it very valuable um and saw her as a great resource. Next year we're expanding to grades 11 and 12. They will add on they will add two units from Odell and grades nine and 10 will also add on additional units. So, we're expanding to double the number of

teachers as well as adding in new units for the teachers who piloted this year.

If I could just add, we're also doing that as shown in RPA. They also piloted this year. They had less support than Dery did just because they have fewer teachers and they um did pilot fewer uh units. Next year though, um our plan is to go bigger there as well and they would get the support of Ridgerest.

Yes. So is Odella core HQIM. So as we shifted this year into the HQIM curriculum.

Yes, it is.

But it's common core not aligned to Massachusetts state standards.

I think it is.

Well, I don't I think most places will say like common core just to cover themselves across different states and still be marketable.

I hear that, but you know, our standards are always more rigorous than common core. So I'm just making sure that we're not missing. So Tanya does a nice job with unpacking the standards with the teachers during PLC to make sure they know exactly what is expected of students so that they can and what's that feedback so far in terms of just the level of rigor of what kids are exposed to?

I mean it's definitely a higher level level of rigor um which has been really I think exciting. Um we're also seeing I was just looking at the grade nine argument benchmark because I was just kind of looking at the numbers. Um but the units where we have done Odell we see a really positive um increase in scores um for the benchmarks.

So that's been really exciting and especially the not meeting category has dramatically dropped um on the benchmarks. Um so I definitely think that it's working. It is more rigorous.

I think that is also a challenge um for teachers which is one of the reasons why the coaching is so valuable. Um doing work around um the opportunity myth and understanding that when students are behind, it's important to keep pushing forward because those are the students who actually need it on grade level.

Well, because they're the students who need it the most, right? Because that otherwise the gap continues um to get wider. Um do you want to speak to the student survey data too because I feel like that really is powerful.

Yeah. So for each of the units we had the students um take a survey for their feedback and then the teachers did that as well and then the teachers did a survey for the coaching itself. Um we designed the questions using a portrait of a graduate um from Desi so that we could really make sure we were getting what we needed in terms of um student perception. Yeah, it was really

great to see the students feeling um like their own experiences had a place in the curriculum, student voice, um a feeling of feeling stronger in academic conversations in more opportunities to collaborate. Um more uh rigorous thinking um and so they overwhelmingly enjoyed the units um though they were a challenge and that's what we want.

Yeah.

I think there was this aspect of relevance like finding themselves in the curriculum.

Yeah, absolutely. Um and that has been really exciting. Um even you know we had a unit on the ethics of public health and global food production um and the kids really feel connected to what they're um studying and see themselves in it which is really I think really exciting.

Absolutely.

And some credit to Tanya and her team as well um choosing the right unit. So her teachers had input um and there was some like nervousness that um the curriculum would feel whitewashed in certain ways and it has not turned out to be that. So for example um the home ownership we thought oh gez like how are kids going to connect to this but they really do dig into um do you want to speak to just

Yeah. So that's going to be a unit that we're um piloting next year is the American dream of home ownership but really looking at what does it mean to be an American? How has that changed or how does it change depending on who you are? Um, and what has this dream been of American home ownership and what are the things that are barriers for people? Um, I think the same thing is true with like

the global food production where the kids have really it's really really fun to listen to them have conversations about um, you know, what's a major challenge in our global food system and how are we going to tackle that challenge in a way that is sustainable.

Um, those are the conversations that they're having and as they're writing.

So, it begs the question, first of all, uh what's I I remember Tanya's work when I was working at Dery, and I I was just blown away by her classroom and the energy in her classroom. I also my daughter was a product, one of the students in her classroom, and my daughter was so lit up by the pedagogy going on in the classroom back then. So, I trust in you implicitly. So, give me

give me how do you feel about Odell?

Thumbs up, thumbs down.

I'm going to be honest. I was nervous going into brand new curriculum. Um, and it takes a little bit of time to really understand how it works. And I feel like I'm in that place now having done a number of units and especially a number of units in the same genre. Right? So, like this is like the second argument unit and you start to really internalize the structure. Um, I really like it. I

think that we needed to do something different.

Um, and I see success in what we're doing.

And so, uh, given the global food production, what might be an example of like what you would see a student write about that?

Yeah. So the students might be talking about for example that um you know what they might be discussing the environment as a major challenge when it comes to global food production and so you're checking their grammar, their spelling, their ideas, their thoughts, all that.

Yeah. And I think the biggest thing is we we're trying to push critical thinking and really establishing what are true what are true challenges and they're so multifaceted and where do they overlap each other? um and h what are solutions having those conversations together um thinking about the other side right so if you say well I say we need to push organic farming for example because that is what's going

to really help the environment someone on the other side who's for industrial farming because this is what I hear kids saying is well that's a lot of land do we have that land is that good for the environment what happens when so now they're thinking they're going off and so it's really thinking about in an argument and they illustrate their thoughts with with writing.

Yes. So we do a lot of academic conversations and they're a support to writing. Um so going hand in hand.

So we adding more units in addition to adding the other grade level.

Correct. Exactly. And then the coaching to support the professional coaching.

I think just to mention another writing piece and again I'm going to go to Tanya. I I think I'm mentioning what the seniors are going to do when they first start next year around planning for a secondary um post-graduate.

Yeah. So, the seniors, one of their first Odell units that they'll do next year is a um how do I prepare for life after high school? It's a post-secary pathway um where they are researching um different careers um in different pathways, whether that might be um vocational um two-year college, four-year college, etc.

um doing research um on that pathway as well as jobs um what the outlook will looks like as well as if I go to a two-year college what does that mean how do and doing research on what are some of the programs that we have now in for a community college that are then going to help me to go get directly into a four-year college what are the benefits of a four-year for example um so they'll

do that portfolio um they'll create their resume they'll do their um research paper, um cover letter, annotated bibliography, um and they'll do an a mock interview either for a college interview or for a career.

Great.

12th grade, right?

No, I just mean a unit like that like 10th or 11th, right? They're by 12th grade, they've already that choice is probably already in their mind. might change their mind. Might change their mind.

Tanya, you're still lighting them up then, huh? You're still lighting these kids.

The teachers are I mean, they're such a great group, right? Like, it's a really great group of people. I I will say I think that I have worked really hard, but the coaching with Kate has really helped the teachers be able to lean in and feel supported, which is critical so that they can be excited and the [clears throat] kids can be excited.

Confidence. and it's gross. She thinks they've worked very very hard.

Awesome. So, last question on this. Did you budget for it?

Yes, this is Yeah, just needed to know that part. Long as you budgeted for it. I mean, it sounds like the pilot's going well. It's a green It's a green rated curriculum.

It's hitting the critical thinking, which is the hot the part you have we have to get at and keeping kids on grade level. So, I Great. Yeah.

Thank you. We'll refer it. Let's have a motion to refer.

Okay. Okay, you have a first and a second. Roll call, Deb.

Mr. Corey, yes.

Miss Riley, yes.

Miss Stewart, yes.

Yes. Thank you.

Thank you so much, Tanya. And Jess, thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you, Jess. Tanya, thank you so much. So nice to see you.

So nice to see you.

Yes.

All right. 3.03 03 discussion and vote to refer MC class.

Great. Um so really this is um we still utilize for um fluency screening dibbles um dibbles 8 and so MCLASS is really an opportunity to digitize um dibbles 8. We still do it on pencil and paper and then we enter um we hand enter those scores and so McLass is really an opportunity for us to digitize that. Steph if you want to briefly just speak. So MClass gives us so much more than a digital

platform. It's similar to what we were talking about um before this meeting around I Ready where the teachers get groupings, they get what is the instructional focus um for these groups, what are the resources, how to what are the instructional routines. Um so it really will take away a lot of the time that teachers are manually doing that because the program will do it for them.

Um I I there's also the opportunity for teachers to override that focus because I personally didn't when I was looking at the demo account. I was like I probably wouldn't have chosen that focus. I would never have a group that's solely focused on phmic awareness as a phononics instruction. Um and so there is the opportunity to override. Um it sets goals for you. You enter your progress monitoring. It graphs it um on

this will be help super helpful for us as well.

I've been using class for a long time.

Oh well good. I hope you like.

Well, I I think it has pros and cons.

That's why I want to be honest with you.

Sometimes I'm like, I wish we were doing our pen and paper dibbles because you do miss that teacher professional judgment around what's happening when when you're doing it yourself one-on-one with the student, you're learning so much about that student's reading. And as you're progress monitoring it, it's it helps internalize it. I feel like I feel like for some teachers it becomes very wrote

when you're doing it on MC class. So have you pilot like have you let people try it out just I I just would be curious on um some of our reading specialist perceptions around it because just exactly what you said. Yeah. It'll give it to you but you also still have to do some discernment.

Absolutely. And if this is what you see regularly when you're doing the pen and don't get me wrong I I know pen and paper takes way longer. So, we're we're using up lots of instructional time um that could be utilized elsewhere, but I I do think there are quite a bit of pros and cons. I'd be curious on staff feedback around those.

So, we have not piloted, but we have looked at it um pretty widely. Um I agree with you because I personally I'm a trainer for dibbles, but I still take a running record while I am dibbling a kid. Um, and the reason is because you can learn so much by error patterns and all the other things that you get by watching a child while they're reading and listening and note-taking and what

are the errors and you know what what positive behaviors do they have and that's not going to be captured on a computer. And so, um, when I spoke to the leads about MClass, I was very, um, like I cautioned them not to not to lose what we currently have in place in terms of making sure that when you finish scoring that you're writing down those anecdotal notes so that we don't lose that because that is critical

information.

The gray area.

Yes.

Can't lose the gray area. Yeah.

And we've been training our teachers um for so many years about how do you actually look at these anecdotal notes and use them to move forward. And so I 100% agree with you that we um we can't lose the good practices that we have in place right now and just go the computer told me to XYZ. No, we're going to think about what the computer is saying as um related to like what we know about early

literacy um and how we intervene with kids.

Yeah. I'm just wondering K to five. You're doing M class in 3, four five.

We dibble all the way.

Oh, yes. Yeah. Yeah. All the way through.

In middle school.

Yeah. We use maze in middle school and then we dig deeper um when we need to.

Mhm. Yes.

And maze when you need to or everyone?

We maze everyone.

We maze all the middle school students and then we dig deeper when we need.

This is a new practice. We just started this a few years ago. A couple years ago. I think my last year as a principal. Yeah.

start and most of the dibbles are we get a lot of retired teachers that come in and do we do sometimes because it does take time. I'd also push back on that to think I want to test you kids that's how I feel about math advantage same thing which is a clinical clinical interview where I'm so I I guess I'm just um MClass is not cheap.

Yes.

And it's another Yep.

digital platform and so I and I'm not against it. Like I said, we're I'm using it. So, it would be hypocritical of me to say don't buy it. I I guess I just want to be careful that we're always dipsticking to make sure we don't lose what of things that we just discussed because absolutely that that personalized piece is what we need our teachers for. That's where they bring their skills to the table. And so

I I just always worry that one one thing to think about maybe if I jump in because I don't disagree with you is that and that's really the reason we brought it here for the discussion.

Um we put an array we put three options in there for quotes. But one thing we could potentially consider and I can can talk to Steph is even identifying a grade level or two where we play with it um and study it for a year or for two years. Right? That's something I think the intention was to bring it here and have this initial discussion and then think about what it is that we'd want to

bring forward. Um because we even put in there a one year or three year a six year quote, put a bunch of options in there really so that we could open this up and have this exact discussion.

Yeah. The the reason I would be hesitant to take out the upper grades because it seemed like that was the part that was like to you um is that those are the grade levels that they know the teachers are less comfortable with. How do you intervene? Um, and so with it being in in there, they're able to get resources that they might not um typically have the knowledge of how to.

Right. You're saying a fourth grade teacher versus someone in first grade.

Yes.

Yeah. And I I just I'm just I'm just I'm absorbing all of this because when I look at, you know, you look at it on paper, it's not the same as listening to what your plan is. I I would caution you from doing the whole district and thinking about piloting and maybe not across a grade level but maybe a couple of schools so you get that that throughine of what does it look like K

to five or wanting a K to8 so if you want if that you're thinking about you know doing it all the way through just to have the coaches or or some you know are you Stephanie like being in those schools and looking at so what's changing in instruction based on this use before you know we move every because I'll tell you what once Once everyone goes to the digital platform, keep that spend time going back.

Hey, nobody wants to go back to that pencil and paper. So that's the other hesitancy is once you move to it, it is much faster. But I do think you lose something in that transfer. So just a thought again, I'm one voice. If you feel strongly, no, if one does it, we all do it. You know, I'm open to that conversation. I just if if you got some different quotes and you think about

piloting in a few schools and just kind of doing a little study of it before you shift to the full district and I Kathy I don't know how much have you used have you had M well you're a high school person but M class is I don't know I have not really used dimples of course I'm very I mean that's my background there are definitely some things that I'm like we got to slow roll this let's

try it here there and everywhere um just not convinced yet. I have to I have to think on it.

Yeah. Yeah.

I want I'm I'm relying on your expertise. I mean, really, it's a wealth of knowledge what you're providing. You know, the fact that you're already using the platform, it's way above my head.

What I'm concerned about is in in the teacher orientation to this program. Are we going to eventually get rid of pen and paper or how I think the conversation between teacher and student is what I'm concerned about with platforms like this. It becomes like so um uh black and white. But like I say, we have to maintain that gray area. Mhm.

I don't want to lose that gray area with all this digitizing going on. I'm old school, so I'm still rooted in the old school method, but at the same time, I like to see progress and I know we're progressing toward these areas. It's a little bit above my head and a little bit scary to me.

So, students don't take the assessment online. Um, you need the teacher. The teacher is administering the assessment and she's just recording the data on the computer instead of on caption digitally.

Right. So the pros and cons and I think you know we're open to sort of that's why we brought it here for discussion really is um is it you know done at a few schools where we study it. I think the pros and cons cons which Steph referenced was this idea that the knowledge that it takes to be able to decide what that child needs as a next step. You really need to do sometimes

side by side with a coach as well.

Right? So I think that even though this can support us with hey here's a recommendation around student groupings we still know that internally we need to have a mechanism where whether it's at PLC or during a coaching conversation you have someone else who's an expert in that area that's saying okay let's look at that group you know why why is that child match so I think you know there's

still going to have to be that element too around even growing someone professionally and recognizing that teachers have a lot of things that they have to do right in the course of a day and so you know I it wouldn't take away our data meetings that we hold every time we have a benchmark. That still is a intricral part especially because we share children across um classrooms and so um

it's somewhat like a walk to learn model where your intervention group may not actually be all of your kids that are in your classroom um typically and so it will require um coming together and really having good conversation. I do also think um platforms like that are educative, right? So, I might not know a lot about how to support students in how high frequency word um attainment, but

I'm going to learn through using a routine and then I will use it with other kids who maybe didn't have that flagged for them because or maybe how I teach it typically with my whole group.

What would be your recommendation, Mr.

Chairwoman?

Um well, I don't know. I'm going to look at Stephanie and say, "What do you think about the idea of choosing some schools to do it rather than, you know, do a one do a three-year contract and pilot it and then take the data from those schools and have like, you know, comparison school?" I think that's one year. You can't really It's hard to learn. It's expensive. That's why the

other my other push on it is it is expensive. So, if you commit, you're committing a big chunk of money to this.

Um, and not that Dibbles is free, but this is definitely more. Um, so my thought is if you look at it, you need three years to really look at how something is working and if it's having impact change instruction, one year you're not they're just barely learning how to use it in the first year. So, I I would if we're going to pilot it, I would recommend a three-year, but I would look to

Stephanie and Brian on how many schools you want to do and and have some, you know, kind of partner school not using it. So, you can look at is there a change in instruction or does instruction look the same even though now we're paying all this other money for MC class? You know, again, I'm looking at your feedback.

What you what do you both think about that?

I think we can meet and we can think about Yeah, I would want to connect with Steph and think about where and when. And I'm certainly open to that. I would agree. I was just going to add in that I think if we were going to go that route, I'd be hesitant with only a one year because I'm not sure what I can learn. Yeah. But I think if we did a multi-year at a

handful of schools, I think that's reasonable to study it and look at the impact alongside schools that are still doing um sort of a pencil paper.

Kathy, what do you think?

Uh you know, I I agree. I think you're spending and expending a lot of money.

I'm not sure where you have been with it previously.

Um Yeah. So why don't why don't you all figure out what where you want to pilot get a quote for those pilot and if I can have a motion to refer the pilot to the full committee we'll move that part of it forward so you can at least Has it been a pilot this year? No, no, no.

Oh. All right. Okay. So, we're I thought we had pilot.

They piloted Odell, not we piloted Odell. Okay. Thank you.

Yep.

May I ask a question that that's not really this issue, but related to early educ?

So, where are we at with cursive writing in the Mr. Cory's question?

This sounds like new business, but I can answer that pretty quickly. Over the summer, I do make the the um cursive writing program packets for kids and send them out to school during the summer with a when MCCAST is over, let's you know, like have this push to let kids kind of um experience it. Yes.

That's all I need to know. Thank you.

My daughter did it in sixth grade. Her entire sixth grade. She's in eighth grade now. And they did.

We have some teachers who who encourage it and utilize it in my classroom.

I actually recently saw it, so I know it's happening. I need to go relearn myself.

I don't ever I I always sign my name in person and that's barely legible. So I try to stay away from the They should have done it with you.

And I went to Catholic school stripes and rulers. There's lots of things. It's probably why I hate Chris.

But yes, we have a first.

The second.

Yeah, you were the first. The second roll call, please.

Can I just uh reiterate that motion, please? It was to pilot a one year.

No, we're we're going to do a multi-year pilot instead of buying it for the whole district.

Okay.

And then the team here will determine where they're going to pilot it and what that looks like and get a contract for us.

That would be like what two or three schools or something.

Whatever they think is appropriate to be able to really tell. It's good. I like your assessment.

The company will be able to advise you on what a pilot would look like in a district this large. Making decisions like that.

Exactly.

Okay, Mr. Corey.

Yes, Miss Riley.

Yes, Miss Stewart.

Yes.

All right. Thank you.

Thank you.

All right. Thanks for sticking around for this one.

I just added this in. Um I can jump.

Just give me one second. I'll jump right in here. So, basically what we've done is um we're really studying. There was a question on the the mascot, so I included the presentation schedule for the mascot. Yes. The um Lexia reports.

Um what we're actually doing is with all of our platforms, we've been really studying um usage and making decisions around where we think things are best suited based on usage. And in cases where we don't have great usage, we really want to peel back, right? And so that's what this request is today. It's actually not to increase the Lexia contract. It's really to amend what we've been doing for the

past few years. Um for us specifically um we're looking to remove it from 3 to 5. Um we have seen that because we're departmentalized, our usage is much lower in 3 to 5. Lexi is one of those programs that the more you do use it, you do tend to see, you know, you can see some gains with kids. Um but our usage is much better in the lower grades. Um we're also really being

mindful about the amount of screen time kids are on. And I know that we're really committed and I'm meeting with a t um one of our joint labor management committee meetings we just had with the with the union and this conversation was actually around screen time um and really thinking about how to pull back um a bit more. And so um this would be an opportunity for us to say we've

looked at the usage, we don't really the usage does not support the continued use in 3 to five, but we would keep it in the lower grades. And then we want to make a decision around K um where we're really seeing kids on computers for an extended amount of time as kindergarteners. And we actually would eliminate it from K as well. Um we have some other programs there. Um but we

this is really us taking a close look at the amount of time our kids are on screens and what the usage looks like in these platforms. So you'll see that the quote that's included represents um a reduction in in uh in the cost um from last year this year.

So is the op is option one this year's I'm looking there's an option one and an [snorts] option two on here.

Um one option was to do a full school license at a couple of the different schools and we would not take that option.

Okay.

Yeah. it would be the more cost effective option. Okay. Um so you're reducing down to 1,900 licenses.

Yes.

And that's and so it would be about 73,000.

That would target kids in grades one and two.

Um and that would be compared to that 73,000 I think compared to last year we were at is it 151,000?

So this is about breaking it in half. um the cost and really again why continue paying for it when we're not seeing that usage um you know we just [snorts] don't think is up so I mean you can see it across schools so also maybe encouraging use where it's not happening but you want it to happen grades one and two also be and that's a monitoring yeah we included

all of the all of the data by school there this is not looking to be referred just up for discussion um this would we would bring this in July That's why I didn't do it as a referral, but I just wanted to, you know, you all to have the discussion around, hey, when I come in July, oh yeah, I remember we talked about scaling this back and and that sort of thing.

Okay.

Just have a question for you, Brian. I was I I was glad that you mentioned about the the computer time for such young grades. Have there been any uh any kind of u clinical optical studies about blue light and and because they're relying on computers so much and Yeah, I mean there's a lot of stuff.

Just this week, there was another study that came out around um screen time. And so, we're looking at all those. I referenced earlier um that I'm actually with the teachers. We have uh some draft screen time guidance that we're creating um for the fall public schools that I'll likely bring back to another subcommittee in the future. We're getting teacher input on that right now.

Um and really what we would look to do is to set some guidance and limits um at each grade. you know, it's not necessarily a policy, but we want to say, hey, this is what all the research says, and we need to be mindful of how much time because we know that students are spending time on screens outside of school as well. And so, if you look and say wow so it's compound. It's a compound issue,

right? And I'm I'm certain and particularly in the lower grades with social skill development, that's really important. you're building language. And so, you know, when you're just engaged with a screen, we're losing opportunities to build language, to solve problems, to resolve conflict, to learn how to take turns. Right. Almost.

Right. Right.

The human interaction part. I'm glad you mentioned that. No, that was very astute point to uh to bring up and it caught my attention immediately. I'd be curious to know more, you know, down the road, but I never even thought about that. You know what I mean? It's very important point. Thank you, Ail. And I know people are invested in this dinosaur. Lexi does get used quite often. I've seen Lexi

many places. Just so everybody knows, Lexi does get used. It's always a share with you the report. Yes, Lexi absolutely gets used.

I've seen Lexi many times out and about, but I know it's I was going to ask Miss Kennedy to be here today um in in Lexi, but she declined.

I can't wait to meet Lexi. Oh, I love her. Well, she's backed up in the other room. So, anytime you're ready, right on her fully animated.

Yes.

I'm a pretty good Lexi, right?

What's your impression of Lexi?

I like Lexian.

Yeah, I've done Lexi. I use Lexi.

I've done Lexi. I've done You've done it.

No, she was saying that's what I said.

Yes, I've used Lexi with the kids. Yes, I'm here for Lexi. I like it. I I agree with the lesson of the grades. That's what we were speaking about. I'm duplicating.

Keep my opinion to myself.

Oh my goodness.

I know some people don't [clears throat] like it. That I do not.

I I I'm just going to speak to the dinosaur piece. That is a reward for students. When they hit their marks, when they make what their their goals, Lexia comes to celebrate with them. So just I don't want people to think we're just yapping about like what is this mascot? No. Oh no.

It's fully an incentive for students.

It's an incentive for students and it's a motivator. It's a motivator.

They want Absolutely.

I'm going to be I'm going to go get a Batman costume.

Yes.

Oh, that was just a discussion.

Yeah, that was just a discussion. Okay, let's move to discussion and vote to refer contracts to develop SFL units for ESL.

Kelly, do you want to join me for this?

Thank you.

Thank you.

I don't know why a glass person. I'll just point out I didn't I actually asked forision.

I did ask for it to be second. Yeah, it was an Oops.

You've been so quiet there.

Okay, I know about that, right?

Yes. Um, okay. So um we so last year we actually started to bring uh we started this journey around creating um SFL units which is systemic functional linguistics. So we actually work with Dr. Maria Brisk out of BC Boston College. Um she's done a lot of research around this and this really curriculum is for our uh students at ELD level 3.

Um and so um all of these units um you know I I think are designed by genre.

Correct Kelly? So you can talk a little bit about that. And so really what this request is is we were able to pilot a few units, but we want to basically create more units um so that we have a fully fleshed out curriculum for our students at that level three. As you know now based on our foundational numbers, that's a lot more students that are moving into level three than we've

had in the past. It's a good problem to have because they're exiting foundational and we want to make sure that they don't stay there. that tends to be the level where kids hang out the longest is that three because the language starts to get more complex which means the instruction has to be a bit more refined at that level. And so um these units are really to target that. You'll see um requests here around

middle school and um derby uh high school as well because we're using these um at the secondary level right now in elementary. So, if I could just ask as a backup when you present this to the full committee, let's see the access scores and bands for for these that we're talking about so that folks can visualize like here most of our kids are at this level and that's why we're looking for this resource because if you

bring me something that shows me all the kids somewhere else, I'm going to be like, I thought you wanted this because most of our kids are stuck at three.

So, I would say always bring the data to support that, especially to the full committee because that goes out more broadly than just our sub. Kelly, anything to add um your thought?

Well, yes. So, in in Massachusetts, as in Rhode Island and across the nation, the push is for access to high quality instructional materials for core content and for English learners. And in Massachusetts, we have next generation ESL. So, a [snorts] a project started back in like 2012, the ESL, MCL, MCU um unit development. So these units will be aligned to Massachusetts next generation

ESL and Gita 2020 and nothing on the market is aligned to them as you know like like 3D is fill in the blanks you know the the other curriculum that's on the market is not fully um high quality. So these will be high quality so the kids will have access to complex reading and then really aligned to WEDA 2020 through systemic function linguistics and the teaching and learning cycle. So, and

then also we get to um kind of align the topics to the core content topics and make them more um place-based, right?

So, right now a middle school unit is um how does litter um affect our waterways and marine animals. So, they're doing a science explanation.

You may have seen some of the social media posts around the we partnered with Save the Bay. Yeah, that was amazing.

Live near the water. We need the kids need to understand like where are they?

So they started with maps and investigating all the waterways here and then um learning how to write science explanations in ESL and pulling from um the science and engineering practices and the language of the science and engineering practices. So the units are all kind of really designed with with that in mind. what are the disciplinary practices and then what's kind of like high interest

and what's um you know unique about that is that it's building this disciplinary literacy right in the language of science and artist and we know that access is tested in that way as well right so it's like the language of social studies the language of mathematics and so it's multimodal we're excited about what we've seen so far charts so it's it's even I think this is even good for your fours and fives because what

happens is I I think for some students who start to excel in in the other content areas, they want to exit MLL because they feel like they don't need it anymore. But when you provide rigorous content, the goal is I mean, I was an MLL student and my mother's like, "Nope, don't need the services." Because she wanted to push me into the rigorous courses. Um, and so we don't want to

have kids exiting when they're not quite ready because they're starting to excel.

Like you said, they already got some of those foundational skills. they're ready to excel in their other courses, but they're missing some of that, particularly science, you know, those those vocabulary words that don't translate as well as some of the other core content. So, I love the idea of providing more rigorous and they deserve it, right? All of our kids deserve that level of rigor in their

No, it's great. I would just say add the data so the full picture.

Sounds good.

I mean, I certainly support it and if my colleagues have any questions.

Yeah, I'm I'm just curious about No, I'm I'm going to support it for sure. Um I'm just curious about the growth and development uh especially in terms of vocabulary for what it is that like let's say it's a science thing like around save the bay uh now this now they're research in terms the the science of saving the bay and they're seeing all of these oceanographic terminologies are they picking up on stuff

they are they learned about brackish water and all the they literally they learned about all the marine life that live here so from cohogs to oysters to estuary Right. So with the talking river, so they're picking up on all of those concepts and ideas and the vocabulary is expanding as vocabulary, the linguistic.

So the more refined rigor as Brian uh tells about then all of a sudden we start to see that refined learning and it's this multi multi-disiplinary they're connecting it to a realworld um you know learning where kids are out there actually doing something you know which is fantastic. So, it's the academic vocabulary because that even you just use so many vocabulary words that would um not have

a connection for students whose first language is in English, but they're learning a vocabulary that's like academic in nature, not just what they hear, you know, from their peers. So, I think that's great.

Thank you. Can we budget?

Yes.

That was also I had to ask before and it's in the budget. That's the other one we're already taking money away.

Yes. and and some of this I think we were going to follow the sutag.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Yes, exactly.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

No. I have a motion to refer this to second.

Mr. Cory.

Yes.

M Riley.

Yes. Please do it.

Yes. Thank you. All right. I think you're building blocks.

Should we do building blocks next? So that Yeah. Why don't we have Yeah, let's do that. Yeah. Go ahead.

She's here.

So we grow.

Building blocks.

Building block.

Yeah. We're going to skip to building blocks. So we can let this go.

Yeah. So really um I'll just frame it and then Kristen can jump in. Um, building blocks is um a preschool uh math curriculum and so really um just an opportunity. We really haven't had a resource there. Um we're also in addition to using you know um potentially using the building blocks if that's approved. Um I'm working with Miss Various on um training teachers an advantage um and really incorporating a

lot of early numerousy games there. Um, so we're excited about just, you know, really ramping up the the mathematics piece in general, but I'll let you jump in.

Yeah. So, currently our curriculum is um World of Wonders, which is McGraill's preschool um version of the Wonders curriculum.

So, it is a literacy based but multiddisciplinary um curriculum. So, it incorporates this is the math, science, social studies, social emotional learning all into one curriculum. We've had this curriculum now um for four or five years that we've kind of been in it and what we found over time is that the math isn't great. It I mean it it hits most of the things but not really comprehensively in a way that we would

really like it to. And so what we were looking for was a curriculum to bring in to strengthen the math piece of the work. Building Blocks is also a McGraill um program, so it does complement. What we really liked about Building Blocks is it is a very hands-on play-based math curriculum. So, it is primarily focused on the use of manipulatives. It is not pen and paper type things.

Um and so very easy to bring into the natural structures we have in preschool already. And so bringing it into centerbased learning. Um, this one fits really nicely in that and aligns um with the work that we're already doing in preschool. So, less of a lift. The teachers really like that it was a manipulative base when we looked at, you know, what is this? It's teachers manuals and tons of manipulatives.

That's what it comes with. Um, and learning love it.

Yep.

What do we use for elementary math?

We use IM right now. And then we have teachers trained in advantage through second grade. Um so we still do the clinical interview uh for every child um three times a year in advantage and then u we utilize the games and the number sets work from there. So we do a combination.

So what are we talking about four four year olds doing this? This will be the threes and fours. And so the way we structure um the learning particularly in those multi-age classrooms is we do a lot of early exposure for the threes.

And so they have an opportunity to explore the materials to start to engage with some of the concepts but more play-based and more in um the way that they're ready to. Is the math a a tangible math like like like uh you know the old math maybe building blocks maybe two here three here equals five that's what it is that kind of thing. So it's visual bears with different Yeah. It's all counting with materials

and so they're able to move them around help build that onetoone correspondence where they're touching and moving the materials versus just seeing a visual representation of something. So, I'm just really curious as to the learning perspective of a three-year-old and a four. I I'm I'm so into prek is so necessary. The science says we need to be there, but what's just give me an idea of what it looks like.

So, for our littles, it's a lot of sorting, a lot of matching. And so when we're talking about helping them understand the concept of one, we may have pictures of one and they're putting one on top of if we've got three circles, they'll put one on each circle, seeing that alignment and the match between what they're counting.

Um lots of shapes. Um like remember the old bead counters, you know, you move a bead, you know, three beads here.

Fun stuff. Little bears.

Yeah, we've got bears. We do use beads.

We use a lot of stringing beads so that we're working on the fine motor piece, too. So, we'll do some counting beads with stringing them on.

Good. And and they show excitement when they're playing in this.

Yeah. Anything that they can touch and manipulate and move around is it's the way our little ones learn. And, you know, we've been talking a lot about even that as we roll into kindergarten and first grade and second grade that that play-based learning is really where kids do their hard work. Do certain children present with deficiencies? Are those deficiencies obvious maybe to a

three-year-old or a four-year-old? Can you see some deficiency, early deficiencies?

Yeah. So, that's part of the three-year-old part of our program is all of our three-year-olds are students with disabilities and so we're really trying to catch those students who may have delays earlier and bring them in and start working with them to start to develop those skills. Yeah, this is this is like a scaffolding thing that we never had until we instituted prek. You know, we never really paid attention to

that.

Um, we probably did this when we were in kindergarten, but now they're doing it in preschool.

Everything has the standards have changed. Yes, they haveed significant significant. So that's what I was you know and I think to that point we've sort of followed it probably a little too far in in yes the standards have changed but to some degree our pedigogy changed with it in a way it probably shouldn't have. And so now we're looking back to say yes this is the standard but there's a play-based way a more

developmentally appropriate way for us to get kids back.

Yes.

Sounds good to me. cost.

Yeah, none of these have Oh, this.

Yeah. So, it's actually not super expensive.

It's in like $35,000, I think, for all 33 classrooms.

I think it's 28.

28. 28.

Yeah. And then there's additional professional development we can choose to purchase or not. Um, we have a pretty strong base of math expertise in the district that I don't know how deep we need to go into their professional development. Is this in the budget or your grant?

This would have to come from budget.

Yeah.

Just asking. Do we have a Yeah. All right.

Yes.

Keep saying yes to all these questions of do you have a budget?

Mr. Al is not here.

We've already just making sure we have that contact because it's kind of cut off.

I will copy.

All right. Do I have a motion to refer building blocks?

Second. De Mr. Corey.

Yep.

Mr.

Yes.

Miss Stewart.

Yes.

Okay.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

All right. Now we're on the Grow Education Program.

Okay. So, we're super excited about this. Um we started this conversation last year actually with grow um they are partnered with the Mar institute and so this is a farm-to-school program um and so we met with them we're actually going to pilot um at three schools Tany Watson Westall and they were really excited to work with us um I well Watson Tany Watson Westall um and so at the three schools um one of

the things we did right from the beginning we wanted to make this an authentic experience like from the beginning. And so they have someone who comes in and builds the beds. And I said, "Hey, wait a minute. We have a construction program."

Like, and they're like, "Well, we've never done it before." I said, "Well, you try." Right. And so they actually um supported that. And so they taught our kids in our Derby construction program how to build it. They went and built it.

So if you drive by a Watson, you'll see.

Yes. You'll see the beds in the front.

Um I love Watson. I didn't hear you say it.

Yes. Sorry.

So this will be geared toward third grade. Um it's really designed to build like healthy habits for kids. They start to learn about uh cultivating crops.

They then eventually will use them so they'll create a salad, right? Um in some districts that have had this for years, this actually starts to provide fresh u produce to the cafeteria, right?

So they can start to work with cafeteria staff. So we could potentially think about how to grow this, right? For lack of a better term, um down the road. But right now, we're excited about third grade. we would integrate this into what they're learning in science and ELA and kind of make it multi-disiplinary. Um, and kids would learn how to farm their own their own vegetables and and um and

take care of them. Um and then we also would partner with um what you know as I met with them what they've done is um we've partnered with local food banks and sometimes whatever is left that maybe we're not utilizing um we would actually teach kids about that process and be able to donate um some of the stuff that kids are growing which is cool.

As an old man, I I still grow the garden every year. I I'm I'm getting ready. I'm going to till my garden this weekend if it if I don't get rained out and start getting my plants. I look forward to that process each and every year. It just connects me.

I live in the city, but it connects me to nature.

It it opens my mind up philosophically.

Uh it helps me to appreciate that now we can eat something that I grew myself. I really really love that process and to know uh we never had this when I was a young student in the public schools here. But to see that we would have this in the public schools now for these young children is is very enlightening. It's wonderful. It's wonderful to know and and I'm glad that you backed up the construction program,

the construction craft program to have those kids do the hands. Yeah, exactly.

that those are real projects that they cuz you know as you know I work at Diamond part time and I see what they're producing there you know and it's just really good to see the kids doing this hands-on stuff it's so much uh you just feel it more you know it it just it what can I say I'm at a loss for words right now but it sounds really good to me

Brian how do we how do you get in touch with these programs do they come across on on a wired to you.

Yeah, I think this one came across um we had a couple of initial I think I had a virtual meeting then an in-person meeting and we started having some conversations and thought about really how could we potentially just start small as a little you know um pilot opportunity and so we started looking at you know what potential sites um and so you know that's where we are here now right to think about

and when are we doing this this would start in the fall um but they I mean when during the day are we doing this so this is during So this is during the day they uh so what happens is um Marian will come in and support we usually going to align this to science instruction for grade three students social studies you mean farming is social studies it's agriculture it's in there in third

grade that's in the social science curriculum I just don't want them missing core content this is great don't get me wrong it we can't squeeze out our core content like this fits into the third grade standards for social sciences it's social science farming agriculture or how do we survive as a humans in this world? So, I'm okay with them going outside for social studies and doing this, but I would hate to see them

missing core content time for something that's only at three schools and is valuable and good, but I just want to be careful. We never have enough minutes in the day. And once you get kids outside, it can't just be 5 minutes or 10 minutes because they need to learn what they're doing, why they're doing it, how they So, if it's going to be a period, it's not every day.

I hope we would consider We certainly can. Yeah. I I only mentioned science because they've done this in Massachusetts and always been science aligned with like life cycles of a plant. That's what they've done um previously. Um but I I think it could live in social studies as well. 100%.

Farming lives more so. Sorry.

And we have control with a chemist. It's hard. It's hard for me to fit where it is.

Yeah. And we have control over that.

They're not um So, I think that's great feedback. I mean, we can figure out where it lives. Our our hope is that and it might live in both. I just That's what I think. So, it's multi-isiplinary.

At least they're not going they're not missing science class once a week because you do have to take care of the garden. You can't just go out once a month. It'll you know, and what they'll do is the classes will share that responsibility. So it might be that one class goes out or half a class and then next time it's a half a class and so they when they've done it it's always been multi-disiplinary where it's

like cross content in some ways I know that we met with them and was actually my first question I said tell me what standards in Massachusett right because I was like is it this great is it for is it like where exactly right you're right it's a life cycle of a plant but it's all sounds like it's more about like farming and and I'm listen I'm still got in my mind she's talking about those other standards

thinking about all of it. So I feel like that could fit nicely together. Also like teacher buyin is important. So not just the science teacher but the social studies teacher and elementary and we want to get to that right. We want to get to that place where we have this multi like crosscurricular opportunities like this.

So that's where we know we can make learning stick for kids. But that's great feedback. I think we can we can figure out exactly where it lives. We haven't gotten to that um logistical.

And is there even a cost for this?

There is not right now. There was a uh I think the beds were going to be a certain level of cost, but because we're able to get our kids to do it, we saved a ton there. Um we've pursued they've supported us with pursuing grants. So, this organization's very good at, hey, let's find five grants for you. Let's find three grants for you. So, they actually support us in writing some

grants. Um which has been great. Um, so if there is at some point, obviously I'd be back here saying, "Hey, this is important to us." Like, can we support it? Um, but at this point, no.

Okay. So, I'm just trying to get in. I I see the beds at Watson. They look great, by the way. [snorts] Uh, so now the kids are out there on a Monday, you know, and they're doing some work in the beds, right? What happens on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday? Who maintains the beds when the kids aren't out there working the beds?

Yeah. So I think they what we would do is we would come up what they've described is in some places they've had some sort of a rotation even with students um where it might be like a school like a Watson has two third grade classes. So we'd have to think about there might be times where it's like all the class 48 kids are out there or 50 kids because there's more of an

instruction around this thing. Other times when it's cultivating something maybe it's 12 kids that are out there today and 12 kids that are out there tomorrow. So I think they come up with some sort of a rotation around that. Um, so we'd work with them and see what that any opportunity to partner with Bristol Agricultural and have some of their students mentor our kids. Any any kind of opportunity?

I'm sure there could be. Yeah. I mean, we also have at Dery the environmental.

So, we talked about that.

Yeah. So, we actually said because I'm always trying to connect.

Yeah. So, I'm always trying to connect to what we already have, which is why con building the beds. I'm like, Dy can do that, right? And so, this we started talking about our environmental program and how do kids come. I don't know about the new one, but the old one had a had a greenhouse and the kids were out there all the time. But Anna, I think that was through the science curriculum, the greenhouse derby,

we had a I mean there was a pathway they call themselves now, but they used to be an environmental team.

We have we have a CTE pathway now that's environmental at Berkeley and so that pathway again I think what a great link some great hands-on learning for them.

Yeah. So I want to keep that inhouse as I'm not saying this. Hey, Bristol Aggie is great, too. And we have our own, you know, I was unaware. I was unaware of our own.

Oh, I'm much No, no, I'll stick with our own. I It's And if we can get some of the older kids mentoring the younger kids. Younger kids, young kids love to learn from the, you know, the older peers.

Yep. Absolutely.

And you grow by being a mentor both ways to vision of the graduate.

Yeah.

Yeah. Absolutely.

Yeah. There's a lot of cross age opportunities.

Good. These are all ideas that are like just some stuff to think about for us.

Yeah.

Love it.

It was only discussion.

That's it. Oh, you don't need any money.

We don't need anything.

But it was exciting, so we wanted to talk about it. That's all. Great. Great.

Great.

I love it. All right. Bring vegetables to the next school committee meeting.

Our success.

I I bought some organic carrots from Leaves yesterday, which is tremendous.

I have a motion to adjourn on that.

Before Before you adjourn, can I can I make a comment? You know, again, coming to subcommittee meetings. I know Brian, you worked to put things on the agenda.

Uh just listening to the discussion. I can't thank you enough. I I don't know everybody that was here this evening.

I'm still getting to meet people, but I really appreciate the professionalism, the collaboration that went on. You know, a lot got done tonight, and I just want to thank you for that. I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Motion second.

Deb Mr. Corey, you got it.

Yes. M Stewart.

Yes.

All right. Thank you very much, Deb.

Thank you.

Thank you.