5.7.2025 Fall River School Committee Policy Subcommittee

Thank you. I'll call this meeting to order of the policy committee, policy subcommittee of the Fall River School Committee. And at this time, we'll uh say the pledge of allegiance to the flag. I need a roll call first. Roll call. Oh, roll call first. Okay. Mr. D here. Mr. C. I'm here. Miss Larry here.

I pledge algiance 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.

Yes.

Uh for the public satification, um school committee woman chairwoman Mimi Larave is filling in for Shelley Pereira today. Was unable to make the meeting.

Thank you so much, coach, for coming in with us. You're welcome.

Uh, pursuant to the open law meeting, 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 or transmissions are being made, whether perceived or unpersceived, by those present, and are deemed acknowledged and permissible.

So item number two, citizens input. Is there any citizens input today, Deborah?

There is not. There's no citizens input today. So we'll go to item number three and that's our discussion. Item 31 discussion and vote to refer a revised walkers and writers policy EAA.

Okay. So we have um offered a revision to the walkers the existing walkers and riders policy. Um, previously the policy offered um, and there are details to it, but offered uh, bus transportation uh, for students in grades K through five if they lived one or more miles from their school. And in grades six through eight, um, the transportation was offered to students who lived 1.4 or more miles um, from their school.

We had gotten some feedback u from some guidance from the department of ed this year that our way of measuring that distance from schools the one mile K five and the 1.5 miles in grades six through eight um was even though our policy allows more students to be transported than what is required by law. We were measuring that distance as the pro flies. And the feedback that we got from

the department of ed was, you know, students don't fly. They have to walk, you know, they're walking on city blocks um and not through woods and through people's backyards and things like that.

If so, we had to measuring in walking distance. So, the proposed revisions um are language that preserves um transportation for students who currently receive transportation even though the language changes so that now in Kifi we would be um providing transportation to students who live more than 1.5 miles walking distance. So, no longer one mile at the crow flies, 1.5 miles walking distance.

And in grades six through eight, no more um it would be two miles walking distance rather than um the previous 1.5 as the core class. So, we recognize um that we that we are not in a position where we want to offer transportation to less students than we have in the past.

So, this language allows for students who currently receive transportation to maintain their transportation as long as they don't move. They're not changing schools. If all the circumstances stay the same, these are students who would um retain the transportation that they're currently provided moving into next year. And um it also it allows us to align with the expectations from the Department of

Ed as well as not um increase our transportation costs moving forward because if we kept the language that said one mile K to 5 walking distance, we would end up transporting more students than we are right now. That's right. That's the first thought that popped into my head, too. And I'm glad that you explained it the way you did. It gave me some clarity on the issue. And uh there's also a

humanistic element in there where uh we're still able to serve our students at a high level, you know, and and provide that extra bit of transportation. So that's a good thing.

Um any questions?

So Dr. Curley, you said we wouldn't have to serve any more students than we already do now, right? So the kindergarten kids come in. I mean, I never foresee any kindergarten kid even walking a half a mile to school. So those really aren't the the students that always stick out in my brain.

They're they're more the um the fifth graders, the sixth graders, the seventh graders. So if you're saying none of that is changing, is there any concern?

Right? Is there any issues that we should have? I would say if we have students transferring into the district, I would say if we have students uh switching schools, right? So if one goes to but that wouldn't be the practice that we'd be following now especially if we're moving towards redistricting.

Correct.

So I would say if we we stick to those guidelines and and if we don't have concerns about some of these kids walking a mile and a half to school right now as kids that are in school right now. Um, but I would want to know if there are any students transferred in or if we do have new students entering the FY2526 that are expected to walk to school, the 1.5, so the new 1.5. I would

want to be told about it. Um, I'm sure the parents would probably reach out, but I think that's my concern. uh some of the the new students if there are new students that this is they are affected by it. So if a student so I think what we're what what this maintains is it maintains the practice for students who are currently transported.

If a student moves into our district and they live more than a mile and a half from school we would transport them walking 1.4 4 miles. Um, well, they have to live more than one mile. No, I I get that. I'm just saying 1.4. Yeah, I hear what you're saying. So, 1.4. So, so a fourth grader, right, that used to if switch schools, whatever reason it is, and they live 1.4 miles, new student

next year, fourth grader came from New Bedford into Fall River. I would just want to be told that as a school committee person, as somebody that serves on the school committee, if we have any student walking 1.5 miles to school because they can't get to transportation, that's all. So if that doesn't mean they have to walk, they could be transported by their family.

Right. Exactly. Exactly. that one point our even our new a new policy if this policy got approved even this new policy offers transportation to more students than what is required by the department of by the state I I guess it's just a safety issue issue to me you know it's just I would just like to be in the know on if we do have students uh walking if parents go to work early

whatever you know whatever it is I I think I would just want to know if there are students walking that distance, the 1.4, the 1.3, the 1.2 to get to school.

If we're saying that it's not happening now or it wouldn't happen right now, if we had the 1.5, right? It wouldn't happen right now. There'd be nobody affected by it. Is that what you're saying? No. I think um what I think that if the if we it would be different if we didn't change the we we would transport more students next year than we are transporting this year right and in moving that boundary

with the language the w it's it's the walking distance that that kills us because as the crow flies is shorter of course so I think that's the piece So that the 1.5 miles tries to capture that piece because we we're going farther farther in terms of walking distance so that we can look to capture the same number of kids that we did if we were just one mile radius flies. Um but could

there be exceptions to that? We could there could be. Yeah. Right. And I think I would just ask for it down the road. I guess I mean when we we uh enter into the into September, I think we probably revisit. I I guess I would just want some numbers and see who who it did affect and who it didn't. I mean, I'm definitely going to vote for this to go

to the full committee, but I think I uh would just like my colleagues to have an input. You know, I wonder if what if that you might have it already or or how easy it is to get to identify if we just changed the rule and we didn't grandfather in any students.

How many of our current students correct lose transportation.

I think that would be helpful because I think that could be indicative of how what what percentage of kids are impacted. That would tell us you know what percentage of kids right incoming.

Mhm. Right. And I and I think when you you add the the 0.5 even to as the crow flies there still I mean not as the crow walking it's still going to be about a mile you know as the crow files. We were trying to capture our previous practice while using the same language that the department is asking us. Right. Right.

And I get that. I appreciate it. I yield.

Mr. D. Thank you Mr. Chair. Um, I will not be supporting a change in this policy. Us school committee members are elected to look out for the best interest of students and approving this policy just simply is not in the best interest of students nor the parents of this community. First, I have concerns of how this came about. I asked at the last meeting what changes were um in the

in the looks of being proposed and I was not given an answer. We have not to my at least to my knowledge um have had any communication with parents. Um may that be surveys, may that be public hearings or messages on parents square to get feedback on parents and how this could affect them.

It reminds me I wasn't on the committee at the time. This reminds me of the situation we dealt with with Tansey that this committee dealt with with Tansey in a situation that we should be reaching out to more individuals in this community. I personally believe if this policy if changed would um harm the progress that's been made by Dr.

Bronnhard. That's why I wanted to hear um that Dr. Bronhard has made with attendance in the district which has been improving. So, the last thing I want to see is the numbers go back down and just going into the public safety aspects of it. Um, especially in all different corners of our city um with infrastructure, our sidewalks when it comes to public safety, walking at different times of the day in different

areas of the city. I'm worried if there's days of inclement weather, so snow, heavy rain. Um, these are items that should be taken into account.

And again, because of the negative impact this will have on students and families that we're supposed to serve, I will not be voting to harm families in the school district and I will be voting no on this policy change. I do respond to that before you go on. Um it's not true that we haven't spoken about it publicly because we've spoken about it at school committee meetings at full

committee meetings in the Derby Artorium at least two different meetings. So even if the second time was um a month ago, we that means we talked about it as early as you know as late as two months ago. I actually think it was prior to that. Um but at least in March, at least in March, April and maybe before we actually did speak about it publicly. Um can I just clarify one thing? We spoke

about changing the district numbers from the point mile and a half to two miles that was mentioned. We did um and I I know because some of the arguments against it weren't about current students because we were not looking to change the experience of any students and our families of any of our families right now. So, um to me, a survey that goes out to families is going would have

to say, are you opposed to changing a policy that will have no impact on your daily life? And I I I will send that out tomorrow. I I'll do that. um if that's something that the committee would like me to ask because that basically is the question. The question is we have a policy that we we would like to change that is not going to impact your child's transportation. Are you opposed to it?

Unless someone was confused about the question, people are going to say, "Knock yourselves out. It's not going to change my life." Except for the fact that So that's that. And then the second part is we're making I feel like we're making it and clear that if the student if the student experience isn't going to change, then students who were walking to school down the same streets that you're describing are walking to

school right now. Maybe some of their parents are driving um maybe they go to a friend's house in the morning and they walk from a shorter distance. But whatever you're suggesting is harmful to students that you won't approve, you have approved it because it exists in the carbon policy. If I if I can just clarify two things, superintendent. So the the grandfather clause that we're we're suggesting here would go into

effect beginning SY 2026. So if a student is in kind, okay, in kindergarten taking the bus, they go into SY26, they'll still be grandfathered in taking the bus if they're in that in that gray area between the mile and a half, two miles or um a mile to mile and a half bus. And their circumstances don't change, they will continue to have access to a bus going into SY 27, SY 28. That that's the plan.

That's fine. The situation that I have and it could arise. So if you have a situation where you have second grader, you have an individual and a student who is in prek lives in the same under same same family, same same household, that child is going to be grandfathered in.

However, the second child that's going through the district could be affected by by I think for I'll be honest, to me that is a suggestion for um an amendment to what we think that can part of the discussion today. I think it can be part of the discussion when it goes to full committee. I don't think that it is it is a reason to just say no. I I understand everybody can vote obviously

the way they want to. Um but this is a draft policy revision and it's open for discussion. That's why we came here today. I can ask one one last question just on the transportation aspect. So the the budget that was presented for transportation going into next year, does this would this affect it in any way? What we proposed um would account for this policy being approved, the policy revision being

approved. If it is not approved, we would anticipate asking for an additional $750,000.

I as one member I I I have an issue with that that we were presented with a number before a policy that so that's assuming that the school committee in full votes to approve this policy and we presented a number before we had this discussion. I I have an issue with that just as one member.

Um, and again, if it's Have we had any conversations on the city side? Is there an issue with the city funding the 750,000?

Um, no. I mean, if we ask them to, if it gets voted down and we end up transporting more students than we are right now and they have to pay the bill, they will have to pick up the bill.

How you open? So, um, you raised a curious point when you raised the question on attendance and you want to see attendance rec from its current levels. So, I know um, Assistant Superintendent Ron Hard, you've been working really really hard on attendance and I I think the last report at the full committee meeting was a very positive one. I think attendance numbers are looking, you know, somewhat better

than they were last year. Do you care to uh address that in a in a larger way?

Sure. I I would say that our increase in or decrease in chronic absenteeism and increase in daily attendance is not singularly affected um by our attendance. If we do look at attendance and kids um who have transportation provided to them, we still see large rates of chronic absenteeism even with students who are provided attendance.

And so I wish I could make I'm sorry, transportation. So I wish I could make the argument to say that transportation is the golden ticket, but unfortunately it's not the golden ticket. There are a wide range of barriers um that we address as schools. And you know, we continue to work with every individual family to break down those barriers and work with families to provide whatever

supports, interventions to get our kids to school, which we will continue to do.

Uh whether it's a one and a half or a two mile. Um but I can't say that this would this is a direct you know that this would be a direct correlation to a reverse of where we've been. Yeah. Um because as we look at large numbers of our chronic absenteeism students, unfortunately, many of them do have transportation provided to them. Um and they're still not coming. They are still not coming to school for different

reason. So this is very it is a very personalized experience as it relates to tracking every individual student in every individual family's circumstance as it relates to our work around chronic absentee. So in regard to this policy change, things should be pretty much status quo as far as that's concerned. I think it will change our work as attendance monitors and it will change

the way with which we support families.

But again, do I think this is the single factor? It's not the single factor as it relates to our kids who are chronically absent. And continuing to do work with our families to understand the circumstances, I really think is how we address the root cause of chronic absenteeism. um and work with families to meet those needs across the the landscape of needs that families have.

Thank you.

Um Madame Superintendent, uh as far as DESI is concerned, are they happy with this uh this current language? We haven't I mean this language it provides more transportation than what's required. So they don't I we haven't shared this exact language with them, but it offers more than their requirement which does. So I don't know that there would be an issue. Yeah. So there would be an issue with and um I

have a question as far as uh any extenduating circumstances that may arise in regard to transporting the kid to school. Could a family advocate to possibly Miss Cavarlo's department or to the assistant superintendent in any way to get an accommodation?

We so we do provide some hardship transportation to people who would not otherwise qualify. Um I would say that in general we have to be like we have to be real careful about that and very often we will you know and we end up partnering with families to figure out what the alternative is. So sometimes someone needs a bus because they have to leave for work. We help them find uh

child care in the morning which is provided at many of our schools so that they can actually do an early they can drop off. They would just need to do it so early. They can do an early drop off to to morning daycare instead of our instead of the student waiting at home for a bus to pick them up kind of. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. I'm going to take I'm going to ask a question and this is strictly pulling it out of the out of the whatever you want, you know, but I I just recall the success of the walking school bus from the Laterno school model a few years back and that model sustained itself for a good number of years. Uh but that takes uh uh what do I say? That takes a special person from

within the school itself to want to step up and volunteer into um into that a position as such. Uh and I know that those people just aren't in every school building we have. But I was wondering if if there was any kind of a campaign uh even a slogan or some something to try to ratchet up some interest within our school leaders to want to maybe step up

to a a position like that. We do have a walking school bus um at a number of the schools at a number of our schools right now. It's not in every elementary school um but we do have it at seven. The walking school bus is something that um It works within the confines of that a right you know that one mile radius of school. So it is comprised of students

who would be walkers. We don't go into neighborhoods um to you know pick up some of the kids who would who would otherwise require a bus um one mile out from school and I think it's one mile walking distance. So we do have that at seven schools. Um I don't know the number seven schools but I don't know the total number of students participating. That's something we need to get. And um some cases it was because

we didn't have um you know some schools don't have walkers you know Sylvia is a school that isn't a walking neighborhood um we had some other schools yeah that's that's certainly a tough neighborhood because of the length of Meridian Street and you had other um we had other schools that as you said like they couldn't they didn't have a person who could who could commit to doing that

every day and things like that so but we it is up and running at seven schools right now thanks that's a good update I appreciate that Mr.

Thank you just to follow up with some questions and I believe um Mr. Larry may have brought it up a little bit before.

So if we're we have a grandfather clause in this in this as well. So every student all students going that receive transportation with their same address and whatnot um going into next year they're going to receive it again. So we but we're still anticipating an additional 750,000 to transport new students. So there must be some data or something to back that. Seeing that I'm assuming the

district is assuming that we're going to see an influx of new students. No, the $750,000 is if we don't if we don't change the language the then the existing language that says a student lives one or more miles from school, it will be one or more walking distance miles. Yes. And that's more that will capture more students. Um than as the crow flies. Could you explain a little bit of as the crow flies did that little

backyard, you know, it's just basically like the linear distance between two points instead of doing, you know, instead of doing this. Yeah. So any So if I if this is my school and I live here, I this might be a mile. I don't get a ride. But if I have to actually use city blocks, it's going to be more than a mile. So we would c if we are using that one mile language, we're

actually going to capture more students and more students will qualify for transportation than what we transport right now. That's where the $750,000 comes in. Dr. Brian Hart, if um the school committee votes to approve this policy, um are you going to need um additional resources to continue your efforts?

Would you anticipate you spoke a little bit how that they might change the work of what you're doing. You might have to I can't anticipate resources in the moment sitting here specifically. Um but I think as we need resources, one thing this community is really good about is meeting our needs.

Um and so through our community partnerships, through networks identifying before care, after school care opportunities that we know are also here in the district, um I feel as though we will be able to again work with every individual family and do what we need to do to meet their needs, connect them with other families that also might be transporting their kids, um particularly through the winter

months. We leverage our attendance cars on an asneeded basis for kids that need rides, particularly if it's an inclement weather situation. Um, and so I think we will continue to be gritty as we are and identify the barriers and then work with families to overcome those barriers. You know, we would also be able to move students to different schools if those become some of the ways with which we

can meet families needs. I think we would need to be creative and families will need to be flexible with us as we work through this. Um, but I do think it it is something that we can continue to make progress with attendance through.

Okay. Well, just going back to general purp. If we approve this policy, less students are going to be eligible for short transportation. That's a fact.

I I I don't know. I mean, the students who are eligible now will continue to be eligible. And and if we approve this, less less students would be up. We're we're increasing the mileage for K through five from 1.5 from 1 to 1.5 and 6 through eight from 1.5 to 2.0. So, going to be less students eligible and the the issue I had with that again the city pays for transportation and we're working through

it to get more money either through unfunded mandates which we approve however we as school committee members should be advocating for our students to receive transportation and not putting limits on them I certainly I I I understand your point Mr. Das um uh again I I think that it was clearly explained in that when you go into, you know, cut radiuses and stuff like that instead of straight

angles. I think this is actually more advantageous and would would bring in actually a lot more, you know, it's going to affect a lot more kids than than was understanding at this point right now. Otherwise, I don't believe that they would draft a policy to re, you know, go back into a revisionist thing. I don't think that they'd want to make the policy worse instead of better.

I think this actually makes the policy better and would be more proactive to our attendance. I really do because I can tell you that um even where one of my family lives, all right, there are kids cutting through the yard there, all right, getting to school. Whereas opposed uh this 1.5 instead of And this one and a half as opposed to two means that the kid can actually walk down the

the city block and then over half a block which is actually 1.5 and still you know be picked up by this policy. So I think that this policy actually is is a good change positive change not make a motion to uh send draft policy revision for walkers and writers to the full committee.

Take a vote. Mr. Das. No. Miss Larry. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Okay.

Uh, next item. Subject 32. Discussion.

vote to refer draft work from home policy. Work from home policy.

I think I am. So this um I will say that this truly is a a draft policy. Um and I think um I'd like I'm really looking forward to some discussion around this.

um we are trying to um really accommodate I would say um circumstances when for some reason um and I'll say for some reason someone is not able to come into the office um or into a school for a work day but could work remotely from home or somewhere else um and still perform the duties of the position. So it's really a policy that is meant to um it doesn't offer opportunity for all positions in the

district because there are some positions um like a classroom teacher, like a paraprofessional um like a a groundskeeper, you know, whatever it is where you you have to be on site and you have to be, you know, in front of students or on the premises to do to um perform job um duties. So, but if there are some positions where on a short-term basis, we certainly could if someone was otherwise not able to get into the

office, we could have them work from home. Um, what like what I what was captured here is, you know, injury or illness that compro compromises an individual's ability to work in person.

Um and then there's an other extenduating extenduating circumstances um approved by the superintendent. Um and it's worded that way I would say because sometimes if you list out every single thing um it takes on you know it offers the it doesn't offer enough um and you forget to leave something off the list. But I think in addition to some kind of illness or or something like that um you know I of someone who

potentially can't um you know who can't come in you know who's who's going to be working at a desk all day um and can actually do that work from home and and there are circumstances whether it be illness whether it be um I think I don't want to say too many things out loud there might be some things that it's really it's an early try to think through some additional things that we could put in

here so that it's not just like if you're looking for permission ask the superintendent or let's let's not do it that way. I would because I what I think is important is that we do bullet out some things that at least offer people the the spirit of what we're trying to do. Um so that if it is um I don't know I think about silly things like if I had

you know like hives all over my body or whatever um I can certainly work but do I want to come into work to do that? No.

Um if I have a job that I can from home.

I'd like the opportunity to still um work from home. I think there's an element too of um of necessity. Like sometimes we we think through this thing we're like, I really need you to get this done. I need you to be working all day on this grant or this report or this special project. It's not going to wait for, you know, hives to clear up, but I need you to work on it. Can you work on

it from home? Like, I know you can't come in, but can you work on it from home? Um, I think where there's a a district need for that person to be working, I think that could be um something that contributes to saying giving someone a nod and saying, "Yeah, I'd like to give you permission to do this." M.

So, one question. Has anybody researched any other policies to see what other districts do, uh, nonprofits, any other stay-at-home?

Yeah, we have. I think, you know what's interesting?

um in terms of some places that maybe aren't schools is that they are um there's a lot more there are a lot more positions a lot more work that can be done from home because like the primary purpose isn't direct service to students or or something like that. So I think that looks a little different. Um and it's certainly something where we could um you know we could have some of the discussion you know within the

context of some other policies as well.

I think um and we can um offer up some um comparisons for I I think when you're you're I think you have to be clear that's my advice that's my opinion. You have to be very very clear on what the extenduating circumstances and who's approving them. Like is it a direct supervisor? Is it an assistant superintendent? Is it the superintendent at all times? Like the the verbiage has to be clear because I mean I think you

guys know that. But um the the conversations I mean I think I would like to I don't know if you guys want to come back if you want to. I don't know how long you you've been looking at this. if you want to come back to the subcommittee and then bring to the full committee but I don't I mean I don't know after reading it I think it's very

um wide open okay my opinion I mean I've seen a few stay from I mean work from home I mean I've seen f phone policies must answer your phone at all times I mean I've seen um different versions of work at home from people with direct care to children. So, if that makes any sense, like some just like a district, some do work direct care with children and some that work do not have uh direct

contact with the kids and can work from home. So, I've seen policies for both.

So, so are you I like in my mind I think like this isn't about classroom teacher working from home. No, no, I know that.

No, no, no. I know that. I know that.

It's when you have both. Well, right.

Yeah. And that's what I'm saying. I think you have both. Honestly, I for some reason um we had somebody who was from our HR office say who was completely laid up for whatever reason.

Really is isn't mobile. Not really.

Those people are at they their computers all day for you know the entire time that they're here. And they are doing things on the computer. They are you know writing letters. they're emailing it is it is just all day and we need them to be doing that. So in the event that one or more of them couldn't be here for two, three, five days in a row after a surgery after or whatever.

If that person says like I I could actually do this work from home, I go please do it.

I% mid July and we are hiring and we really need that paperwork. So um so that's kind of No, I don't disagree with that. I I just think you have to be clear in stating it and who are the people that are going to approve. I think that's the um Okay. You know, Mr.

Guys, thank you. Um overall, I um I support like the language overall. Just a just a few questions. Um one I just thought of now just as you were speaking something we should um consult with legal counsel about. So you just made the you just gave the example of um someone sick. However, they you want them to work from home. Just that was just an example you gave. Um I don't

know if they would need some sort of medical note. I guess what I'm worried about is um situation where we force someone to work and then that individual sues the district when they weren't medically clear. Yeah, we I I want to be really clear and that you're probably right. I think that that is language that we would have to say like people who are medically If it's because of illness, people have

to be medically cleared to do it without a doubt. Um, and it looks like we're going to table this. So, two suggestions that I just wanted to um bring up that aren't in here is um one other extenduating circumstances. I think that is very broad and um and just so we're clear, I haven't seen any issues like under like your administration. However, I've heard it prior admin there's been

issues in the past. So I think um the school committee has oversight responsibilities and oversight over the superintendent whoever that superintendent is. So I like to see language like other extenduating circumstances approved by the superintendent upon notification of the school committee. And um the second is well what if um the superintendent whoever they are wanted to use the work

from home policy. I I think that's something that would have to be approved by the school committee as we oversee the superintendent just like like five years, 10 years down the road when we have this policy. So, that's just some thoughts I wanted to throw in there. Other than that, I think makes sense overall and I'm happy it's being brought forward by the administration.

Can you um just clarify the um if that language remained other extenduating circumstances approved by the superintendent, it was it upon notification of the school committee. So you would um approve it and notify the school that somebody was working from home. Yes. With um extenduating not the illness just if there was extenduating circumstances because I understand we in the past allowed individuals to work in

Portugal which I don't think was okay.

So I think it's important. I want to be really clear that nobody was allowed to work in it wasn't like we didn't have a current employee who was working in Portugal. We contracted with a person who lived in Portugal to do some work for us. That's the story. And I think that's something the school committee should be notified about. That's part of I So I disagree with Mr. Das. Um we have

nothing to do with personnel. If a superintendent approves somebody from working somebody uh an employee to work from home, she will use her best judgement and and make that call as well. the assistant superintendent. The school committee should not be notified if anybody any personnel is working from home.

um regular check-ins and what I mean by the the language on this um for instance when I was reading it over the super uh supervisor will set performance expectation and conduct regular check-ins like we know you're not going to the houses but for example emails must be responded to uh whatever uh FaceTime whatever however the language you want to put out I think a few more examples so it's just a little

Um, and when I said the phones, uh, Dr.

Kulie, employees must be available and responsive during work hours. And that's one of them. Like answer your phone, return emails as examples. That's all I think. Just giving some examples and and being very clear as to what you are recommending. Uh, I think we'll be we'll be okay. Okay. I chair just respond.

Yes. Go ahead. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, just to clarify my remarks, um, we're not suggesting that we hire or fire anyone. That would be personnel. So, this has nothing to do with personnel.

What was suggested would just be verifying whoever the superintendent is.

Again, I think a policy, you'll have to keep clarifying that. Thank you.

Um, just verifying the superintendent's actions. Just making sure because the school committee has ability to over with oversight and over the actions of superintendent. That's important to me.

I'm not suggesting you did this, Miss Larby. However, I think as a we use this, we say the word personnel a lot as a buzzword when things it has absolutely nothing to do with personnel decisions.

So, I think we need to get clear guidance on that because I don't think this has anything to do with personnel whatsoever. It has to do with oversight, which the school committee can legally do. I just want to clarify my my surely.

Surely. So, I'm going to respond to that. So, we have every right if Dr.

Curley sends us an email at 6:00 a.m.

and says so and something just happened.

Um, I have to stay at my house for whatever reason, that is our decision.

All right. He she will probably report to her assistant, speak to the mayor, some however that happens, that probably has to be in there as well. I don't ever see a superintendent working from home, but let's put it in there because that's our oversight. We oversee the superintendent, not personnel. I yield.

Yeah. So, as far as my weighin is concerned, um this is this is an overriding trend again all over the country and um what I learned from a couple of my uh friends who are still in the field um and some people that are working in private industry, it's u it's it's just makes sense. And I could see your point, Madam Superintendent, where you you know that it will increase productivity in extenduating

circumstances to some some of our personnel. We don't have a right to govern our personnel at all or our HR director. We have a right to, you know, answer your questions legitimately and to support them or not. Uh with that, uh do you see people abusing this uh stayathome um and and working or or is this is this on a on a a perm basis? Is it on a per week basis? Is it on a per

month basis? That's the kind of clarification I just need to try to understand this a little bit more. I know that if somebody's sick, that's fine. Uh somebody who's in a in a in an administrative position can like as you detailed before can get a lot of work done at home if they got a bad back and they can't and they can't walk or they have a a broken hip and they can't walk

or something like that. I absolutely support this policy for those means.

Could you just clarify a little bit more? Yeah, I mean I think that any I think that there are so many aspects of current policy, current contracts where people can um use, overuse, abuse, right?

We could say the same thing about sick days. You could ask me the exact same question. Do I think people will abuse?

Do I think like do I think there are some individuals? Sure. Do I think sometimes people call in sick and they're not sick? Yes. And is that you know misuse? It's you know some people call it abuse, some people call it um you know it's abuse, it's misuse. I don't know. But I think there's room for that in so many places. It there is room for that here right there. There's absolutely room for that. There's

there's there's this opportunity for someone to say, "My goodness, my car broke down. I can't get in, but you know, I have this big project to do. So, do you want me to work on it from home or do you want me to just watch TV all day?" And we be inclined to say, "My goodness, I need to work on that." And then think then home takes over.

That's a So that is more of a that is a That is a oneoff and that is like a as needed. Yeah. So would that would that person probably report back to work once their situation is rectified?

Right. Right. There are um and then there and I and I know because um people have you know made some you know I've had people make requests um where it's like hey um you know whether I'm whether it's I'm having surgery or something or I have a um you know, I'm going to be I have to be at I don't know wherever it is. I got to be at a relative's house to

make sure this is going up, but like I know I but I still want to be able to work and I have all this stuff that I could be doing. I hate to take sick days because I know sometimes I will tell you too like sometimes it's because people are homesick. They are taking their sick days because they have to and they're doing work for us. Yeah. Just because they feel a sense of responsibility to

get that done. Um, and you know, you want to be able to give a nod to that sometimes and say, I I don't want you taking sick time. I know you're actually working all day. I see the emails. I see the productivity. I don't want you to have to use a sick day and work for us all day. So, you know, trying to, you know, accommodate that situation on being proactive. It's been my

um I have been reluctant to allow people to do that without a policy because because I I think there is an opportunity I think people would take that as an opportunity to highlight that I' I've allowed people to do that like that would be a bad thing. I don't think it's a bad thing. I think it is giving a nod to people who are working even when they're not at their desks.

I'm going to refer back to uh two administrations ago uh when Dr. Malone was superintendent and uh co hit and then some people you know a lot of people uh especially the administrators were working from home but u I know that there were times where he probably wanted them to be here in the building but many were still reluctant. Now those were extenduating circumstances. It was during the pandemic and everybody was

flustered because of that. It was a mess. But but his concern over even um um uh irregular meetings here just to convene with people I thought was was kind of like fair on on his in his point of view. And so these are the concerns of a policy like this. But with this policy overall, I like the idea of this policy. I think this policy is going to increase our productivity and get more

things done for you like you need it done. We just need um we need something clarified. I I'd like to like you to really comb it and and feedback. And so I know um I think there was some mention of potentially not referring it to full committee right away. That's fine. I I mean, this is something that I'd like to, you know, get feedback from subcommittee and get feedback from other comm. I mean, have

people look at it um and offer some um you know, offer some feedback. We can make some tweaks and then bring it back um to subcommittee again or then, you know, I would I would I would absolutely like to bring it back again. Okay. And and just for because this is a draft.

Yeah, it's our first draft. Yeah, it's our first shot. So, let's let's tighten it up a bit, bring it back, and then we'll move it forward. Be happy to do that, Mr. Dice. Yeah. No, I I agree I agree with the chair. Um, just wanted to give my last thoughts on feedback. I think um both both sides should be willing to participate in this policy, both the district and the individual, because I

don't want a situation where someone says, "Hey, you have to work. We have this policy." And they're just not feeling up to their best. I don't want to run 100% agree. So, yep. Awesome. So, I'll make a motion to table. Okay.

Second, Mr. D. Yes. Mr. C. Yes. Yes.

Okay.

Okay. Next item on the agenda, item 41, new business. Is there any new business at this time that have not been yet received?

Motion to second. Yes. Wait, wait, hold on to Oh, okay. Go ahead. Go ahead.

Yes. yard.