8.13.2025 FRPS Instructional Subcommittee

Calling um the instructional subcommittee to order today, Wednesday, August August the uh 13th, 2025. Uh Deb, can I please get a roll?

Mr. Bailey.

Yes.

Mr. D here.

M here. I'll salute to the flag, please.

I pledge 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 everybody.

Next is open meeting law. Uh 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 no such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible.

Um citizen input dead is there any thank you we will move on to 31 just a discussion on the desi guidelines for the competency determination.

Um so um yep I'm going to take that. So, um, as everybody knows, last year, um, MCCAST was removed as, um, a means for competency determination in Massachusetts.

And so, all districts in Massachusetts were charged at that point with determining um, how we would um, measure like what the competency determination would be for the class of 2025. And we like most other districts determined that it would be through successful completion of coursework. There were specific identifiable um courses. We applied that to um class of 25 2025 as well as prior classes um for students

who had not passed MCCAST and um we had some people who actually earned um their diplomas um from you know as far back as early 2000s. Um so really um that was not very labor intensive. Um we actually did not get a lot of guidance around it. Everybody passed their local um pol policies. Moving forward beginning with the class of 2026. Um the department of ed has been uh more structured um and has offered more

guidance in terms of um what we need to do and basically by December 31st at this point 31st. It was originally um an October deadline has been extended to December 31st. We have to determine how the fallover public schools will um you know what measures we will adopt for competency determination. So we're in the process of doing that right now. Um basically we need to there are two

elements of it. One is around um showing mastery. One is around course completion which we do um and actually in our local graduation requirements we capture um the minimum requirements for the state and beyond. So that piece of it is not um problematic for us. The second piece is really around um identifying ways that students will show mastery and you can do that through end of course um assessments for particular

courses, you can do it through portfolios or you can do it through other means, capstone projects, things like that. Um we actually don't have any of those measures currently in place. So we don't have end of course exams in you know really in in many or any courses. Uh we don't do portfolios across the board.

The capstone projects aren't required of all students. And so we have to decide how well that what that will look like moving forward. Our biggest obstacle um is for the classes of 26, 27, and 28 um because all three of those classes um they've already taken the the c some of the courses. So for instance, algebra 1, um students have to show mastery in algebra 1, completing the course and

then also showing mastery. If they didn't take a a course ending exam that they passed, you know, with some measure um that that was predetermined.

Then what will we you know so we have current seniors, juniors, sophomores.

How do we expect them to show mastery for a course that they took when they were freshmen?

And what is it, you know, what can we do for seniors who we need to determine their eligibility for graduation um for June? What are they going to do this year to show mastery of algebra 1 content, geometry content, grade nine and 10 ELA and so on and so on. So, we're in the process of doing that now.

We're consulting with other districts um both urban and suburban to see where they're landing. Um but as I said, class of you know, for our starting with our current freshman, we could determine that we would use a course ending exam or that we're going to have students develop portfolios, but for our current seniors, juniors, and sophomores, um it's a little bit more challenging. And so that's what we're

working on right now.

Questions?

No.

Um and so this is just basically is the first take and this is going to come back I'm assuming.

Yeah. Just wanted to um make everyone aware that we are in the process. Um we are exploring this. We are um meeting about this. There is a sense of urgency certainly for the class of 2026. Um and it's very likely that what we whatever we do there um you know we could likely apply it to 2027 even 2028. but also with the expectation that we would be coming back um you know setting some

kind of standard now so class of 2028 knows what's going to be required by the time they graduate and that might be different than what we expect from 26 um 27 28 so from your presentation I'm getting the picture that um for the so we no longer have MCCAST so the vision I guess is of the district is to maybe include like different tests for different courses to graduate and like make that sort of like the

Yeah, it could be. I'll tell you this is I'm not um I'm speaking for myself here.

it's not on behalf of the team or where anyone stands like um the testing piece is a little bit problematic for me because I think you know the state of Massachusetts agreed that there were um and I was a fan of MCCAST so this is like it's a but I I can take the stance that if if MCCAST wasn't something that was widely acceptable people got behind this this movement to not use MCCAST I'm challenged

When I think about then what is the local assessment that we'll create as a district that is going to meet the needs of all students that we're go that is not going to um disproportionately put at you know disadvantage our students with disabilities our English learners like what is it that we are going to do that was somehow better than tens of millions of dollars in research and development um through for MCCAST.

Sure. So, I I'm a little bit challenged by that, but I do believe that there there will be um many districts in the Commonwealth who will lean into course ending exams that most of their kids pass or whatever it is. They might set a lower threshold for mastery. Maybe you don't have to get an A or a V. Maybe if you pass, they'll consider that mastery.

I'm not really sure.

Right. I guess um I just speaking for myself philosophically I'm opposed to like stand many standardized tests for every single um different course I think we should look more into maybe project based um paper based um yeah the challenge for us at um in Fall River is the number of graduates right upwards of you know say 600 students for whom um there is there is this very big additional kind of

monitoring that we have to do beginning in ninth grade so that students can show mastery of multiple courses um in a way that we've never done before and it really is going to be dependent on our ability to um build a system. So, and that's why I say it might look very different for the class of 2029 than it does for the class of 2026 because you can't build something

right now and think that we're going to be able to give students the opportunities that they'll need to um show competency to show mastery of standards between now and June.

Missain, um is there any I'm sure you can feed back into this for like um maybe Stone or any other other special education classes in the district. Is there something you're looking at for like an alternative to testing if that's the way?

So again, working collaboratively with the office of instruction, with the superintendent, with all the schools to come up with, um, what can be the expectation that meets the needs of all of our students. So again, students that are in alternative programming that have other, you know, um, stressors or situations going on that aren't test necessarily wouldn't show. Right. So in

here it mentions FAPE as it pertains to uh special education. What what it has to be provided. So what what is FAPE their right to a public education?

Is that what it is? What is faith?

Yeah. Free and appropriate public education.

There you go. Yeah.

Yeah. So just their rights under faith meaning that they have the right to access grade level. I mean the courses that they want to all of those um precautions.

you um I just I mean I just I just now received this obviously I'm filling in um for for Miss Pera. Um I thought this was like guidance from Desi on how to kind of deal with this. So um it's not Yeah, I know. not a lot of guidance and it's there's a lot there's this element of no you guys you guys get to decide kind of thing and then I'll judge later if you

so they ding ding ding ding ding it's uh so they part of the reason they extended the deadline is because um a little I think they were getting some feedback from districts saying like but we're going to have to get this approved locally and so how do we get it approved because originally it was October it's like we're just getting back into the swing of how do we develop something,

get it approved by school committee and then submit it to the state. Um what they have done is they've been really clear about the requirements and um and there's even you know there's a template that you can that you can fill out for like mastery piece the um and and you know course requirements and then how we're attending to students with disabilities, how we're attending to English learners, how we're

interpreting um ESL course work and whether or not that's going to whether or not students are getting credit for ELA and things like that. and also um an appeal process.

Yeah.

And things like that. So, which is probably going to happen because Yeah. It's a it is it's a big lift. So, I think what we are trying to be cognizant of is like we're not submitting something to the state. We're going to try to get done earlier, right?

But we have until December 31st. We can't wait until December 31st because whatever that we have to be able to give students notice and then offer students an opportunity to appeal. It's like how do you do all that? can't give anything in May and say get this done right.

Yeah. So um just a heavy lift and um working on it.

Thank you. On to 32 discussion and a vote to refer. Oh, I do have to mention that Mr. Bailey is here for Shelley. Um she's had an engagement as something came up. So thank you Mr. Bailey for stepping in. So a discussion and vote uh to and for you aspire who was taking this.

Thank you and thank you for having me to highlight um our partnership with US Fire and um kind of highlight a few of the key things in the partnership previous school year. So as you know we've had a strong partnership with US Fire for many years um over 10 years but for the edification of the public USI is a national nonprofit that improves the economic mobility of underrepresented

students. That's their goal by creating financial solutions to diverse post-secondary pathways. So here in Fall River, we have a college affordability advisor on site in Fall River to support our students across schools um applying for financial aid, whether that be scholarships, whether that be FASA, MASPA, or other uh decisions related um uh to college affordability.

Um so just some highlights of uh the previous uh school year. Um, US fire supports us in two ways. They have the afford program which is for our grade 12 students um who are entering postsecary for the first time. Um, USPire connected uh with 404 uh students at Derpy High School and 13 students at RPA as part of this program.

And that really captured almost 100% of students who are interested in uh higher education right out of high school. We have about 30% of our student body who goes straight into the workforce. So of the students uh who are interested in higher education, you aspire to uh connecting with almost all of them which is you know um a huge asset to us. Um you can see see some of the numbers in

the backup of the one-on-one advising uh sessions which you know are great. Um but one of uh the other um you know really cool things about US virus is they have built this um textbased infrastructure where they can text students. They built this secure um encrypted uh network so financial uh data can be shared in a safe way and they can give guidance to students and parents you know um via text in addition

to inerson meetings. So that's been highly successful um with us uh as well.

Um the other program um uh that US Aspire partners uh with us for and this is something that we've expanded drastically uh over the last two or three years or so is the succeed program. And our students now have access to USPIR support for six years post high school. So it's no longer just that one-on-one support or textbased support their senior year filling out the FAFSA. You know, we know u financial

situations change as students get older.

Um um so now um we have the support and you can see the numbers from the class of 2024. Um there was 359 students from the class of 2024 who have received support from us aspire this year in addition uh to the seniors who were with us last year.

Um so um that that's just some highlights of our partnership with US fire. Um happy to answer any questions that anyone may have. Um, I just want to put it out there and I'm going to speak extremely biased when I say this. Uh, and I I've been extremely candid when I say this. I'm I'm a huge fan of US Fire.

Obviously, I was the first adviser um for US Fire when US Fire came to the city. I don't think you could quantify the impact that US Fire has on students whether they're going to college or not.

some of the relationships I got to build with students, whether they metriculated and decided to go to BCC, local schools, whatever the case may be, if they took time off, students always came back.

When I wasn't an adviser, I still had students reaching out to me. Um, I think it's just an extra layer of support for the guidance team. Um, I also think it's an extra layer of support just for our students um and families and families as well. Um, I got to meet with a bunch of students that, you know, guidance may have may have never met with. Um, I got to track down some

students and build relationships that might have not been comfortable sharing their financial situations. You do have to realize when we talk about US fire, although people have their guidance counselors, not everyone's comfortable talking about finances. Um, so I just want to put that out there. um when we discuss I will debate with anyone and go back and forth when it comes to US fire

is one of the best programs that I've ever worked for. Um when it comes to training and technical support they do whatever to make sure that their adviserss are equipped to work with students. Um and with that I will yield.

Do you have anything?

Yeah. Um the only so good presentation and um I'm happy we have um people on the committee that have firsthand knowledge of this this program. The only thing um going through the memorandum unless I missed it included basically everything except the price tag. Do we have a have a number on that?

So the price tag is uh $55,000 um for the year and that's been the same amount uh for several years.

Um and uh it cost a lot more uh to run to have a US fire adviser and all the technical support um than the 55,000. So in Fall River specifically um we get support or US buyer gets support uh from the Manton Foundation, United Way of Fall River Bank 5 in Bristol County savings um to help fund uh US buyer college affordability advisor and our partnership.

Does that price come from like a certain number of seats per student? Um so 300 student and that's like divided like I'm assuming most goes to Derpy and some the RPA. Are we paying per student or is it I don't believe we're paying per student. um a lot of the cost is for the full-time person who is in that role um that you aspire um provides but also the coaching. Okay,

if I can answer on that, as a as an adviser, you're as an adviser, you're expected to meet with 100% of students.

Um so your office is always busy. You're trucking, you're meeting with students.

Um you have your initial meetings with students. Um you're meeting with students to find out what their safety schools are. Um you're consistently going. So, I don't really think there's a hey, I need you to meet with x amount of students. The the goal is to meet with every single student and get through the process, right? I guess my only not not a concern with with this specific contract, but

just going so far public schools, we have again not one not two schools that h that offer 9 through 12.

We have three and we only have two on here. Um, and what would there be an extra cost to add stone to this? I believe they should also be represented and I think um and as a committee well knows it I think it would just it's important that we offer this equal services equally across the board and whoever is able and willing to take the services can I think just not including

stone within this u memorandum within this contract I think is an issue. So um just like to hear some feedback on that.

Yeah. So, uh, students at Stone do in fact have access to US Aspire. Um, so if it's not in the contract, that must be, you know, a typo. Um, they Stone has a small graduating class. So, there was four seniors, um, this past school year at Stone. Um, one of them was interested in, um, attending higher education out of the four um, and did have, um, a connection with US Fire. That, uh,

individual was ending up going to Bristol and ended up connecting with Bristol financial aid. Um but um so the all students at Stone RPA and Derby do have access uh to US Fire and that's something that we're really purposeful about and we have been uh especially this this past year uh and we're looking to even uh you know uh expand and kind of market uh more in the future as well.

Sure. And and again this memorandum as well as your um presentation um I didn't see any numbers for stone either. I didn't know if that was just a typo or if um that could just be included for the full committee. I think it's important again legally and just morally that that's in there for my vote. But I yield. I'll make a there's no further point. I'll make a motion to refer to the full committee. Second,

Mr. Bailey.

Yes.

Mr. Bars. Yes.

Yes.

Next discussion to vote to refer a onegoal contract.

Got this drew as well.

So again, thank you for having me here today to highlight um the one goal um barber public schools partnership. Um as you know, one goal is an integral part of the early college program. Um we had an update uh this past February. Um but just to expand uh upon the one goal partnership from them and for the education of the public, one goal uh is a class during the school day for early

college students that meets opposite uh when the college courses are running. So the college course is Tuesday, Thursday.

Uh one goal meet Monday, Wednesday, Fridays, three days a week and then it's just the five days a week during the college uh uh inter sessions when college is uh in session. Um, one goal is a three-year program. In junior and senior year, students undergo a shared cohort experience, and it's really designed to create a community, build relationships, and have peer and adult supports as they navigate kind of

transitioning from high school to post-secary. Um, and then after senior year, they continue that relationship with their one goal uh teacher or adviser into their first year postsecary. And that's really important because it allows for students to have a con connection uh to someone that they have a relationship with as they're navigating college um for the first time on their own, right? We know there's a

lot of hurdles and we have a um um some persistent challenges uh are high in the first year of college, right? Students enrolling and then continuing on. Um so this model is really designed to to support students persisting in college.

In terms of the curriculum itself, just very quickly, year one and junior, uh it's really centered around I define me where students are um exploring their personal identity and their aspirations.

Uh they're researching career and post-secary opportunities. Um they're building their academic skills really to increase their GPA and their grades so that they can be accepted to schools that they want to go to. And by the end of the year, they're also working on their personal statements for college essays. Year two is very technical um around applications and really applying to the right school that's a good high

quality fit for that student. Um and there's lots of curriculum around weighing school options based on professional aspirations, their values of course and also about how their identity and their vision is going to impact their post-secary experience.

It's all designed around not just students enrolling in college but graduating college, right? And that's the goal of the early college program too, especially focused on underrepresented populations. We want to get students into the door of postsecary, but we also want to help them build the skills to persist and graduate um so they can, you know, lead uh choice field lives. Uh so one goal

has uh partners with us, but um they they have partnerships around the state.

uh really built a researchbased evidence-based curriculum that a lot of schools are now taking advantage of and utilizing in early college programming uh for students. In addition to high school partners, they have partnerships with higher ed. And this is really important uh for our students. They have partnerships with all of our uh um major higher ed partners that u many of our students metriculate to. And these

partnerships can mean different things with different colleges, but u for example at Bentley University, our students have guaranteed admissions and Bentley um will meet 100% of u financial need for our students who are in the one goal u program which is huge. Other schools have special scholarships, advising, dedicated advisors and different supports that they'll build in uh just for one goal fellow. So that's

an extra support as students are metriculating all centered around persisting and graduating from that college. So just very quickly some outcomes uh from the past year in junior year something to highlight is all the students go through uh the best fit quality enrollment framework as part of the curriculum and it's really taking students through steps uh designed to select uh 8 to 10 schools uh that are

quality enrollment schools for them based on their dreams based on their academic background based on their career interest etc. you can see um about 88% of students uh hit that target in the one goal uh program. Seven were within reach and only 3% were off track and really one goal sees this as one of the key data points of whether a student is actually going to persist and enroll

in college. Uh for senior year just just some outcomes to share. Um so 714 post-secondary applications were submitted um and 62 of the% of those were accepted. Something that um we're really proud of and this is is uh a support of us aspire. This is support of one goal support of the uh early college staff. We have a 87% fast completion uh rate for our class of 2025. The state

average for the class of 2025 is 51% for all high schools including the suburban uh schools. So 87% we're really proud of u as well. 89% of the one goal early college students from the class of 2025 plan to immediately enroll uh in postsecary. And when we look at class of 2024, that persistence data, we know that 87% of those students immediately enrolled in college and that 100% of

them persisted from first semester to second semester, which is a huge win um for us.

Mhm.

Just going back to some of the um post-secondary partnerships, our students uh were awarded $10,575 of specific scholarships and grants um for one bowl students. Uh that was distributed through 20 grants uh for Derby High School students.

Um and our top schools, we have students uh I'm metriculating to Bristol Community College, UMass Dartmouth, Bridgewater State. those are our early college partner. Um, a lot of our students um are enrolling off of UMass Boston um as well as UMass, Amherst, University of New Hampshire and other uh schools.

So again, uh one goal is a critical piece uh to our early college infrastructure has been a great partner since about 2018 with us.

Um all this is great. Um, and I think so they kind of work hand in hand. Um, just a question, you don't have to have this for me. Um, I would just really like to see it cuz I'm always it's always spinning. Um, is there any type of um data on uh what what students are picking as majors um when they're going to schools or where they're where they're enrolling. I

would really like to see that. Um just because um you know if we're really being intentional about what kids are graduating and what they're coming out of school and and and if kids are being filtered in certain um you know degrees uh programs um what that what that looks like. Um I just I would like to see that for myself. You don't have to share that to committee. They probably want to see

it now cuz I asked for I probably should have asked to off. But um I I do really want to see that cuz I'm eager to see what that looks like and especially with the amount of students that we graduate that are coming through the city. Um because when I'm looking across um the board at community colleges and I'm looking at programs and I'm looking at the future and the way things are

running, I'll be setting our kids up for success. Um also with USI, we did a lot of work with making sure kids pick safety schools. Kids graduate from BCC now they're gone. if they never have that help in their junior year and they pick a major and they decide to stay with that, are they building loans um you know that they can pay back and are they even going into the fields? Um so I

do think those things are important.

Um but I I would just like to really look at that um I'll be down and help you if you if you need me to, but I think that's important.

Yeah, we can we can easily get that part of the u quality enrollment framework that one goal takes students from. is one of the factors and financial affordability is another factor. Um so there's several factors but we can get you um you know the uh the career pathways or the majors that students are are metriculating into now that how the one goal frameworks kind of guide students.

Yeah. No, this is great. I mean all of this is is great and I do think we're setting our students up for success. But I I really would like to see uh my students not only go to college, I would like to see them walk out, you know, with with something they're going to use. And um with that, I Yes.

Thank you. Um same similar questions to last time. Um is this something that partnership with or do we see any enrollment in this from RPA?

We haven't this previous years, but that's one of our goals and you'll see a little a little bit later in the program of studies discussion. um really with RPA in stone is really to give students more options and really creating these two-way opportunities where students who want to transition um back to Dery or students who are very interested in a specific area have the opportunity to do

that and you know we've started that with CTE after dark uh at Dery as as an opportunity for students across the district um but we're also opening up opportunities during the normal school day and as we get to uh the program of studies at RPA for next year you can see that the opportunity unities are going to increase um you know across the board right right but I guess I'm trying to

understand can a student from RPA sign up for this currently is it being offered if it's not if it's not being offered to students at those schools then again I again I see this as something that is just benefiting one school and not all three and that's something again I think puts the district in liability and also and if we are going to also offer this eventually if we are to students at RPA. I mean,

why even why are they even RPA? Why can't we just make RPA a satellite campus? I think that's a conversation we need to have down the future, but just keeping it just to this. What can we see as a committee going forward to make sure going into this school year that students from those schools can enroll?

Well, we'll get to that in the program of study because part of the program of study for RPA is about creating those back and forth opportunities and to identify readiness for kids to be ready to transition back to Dery and to be ready to enter into college courses. We also want to be setting our kids up for success. Um the the one goal program is in partnership with the college courses.

It's not a standalone program the way that you Aspire is, right? A kid could go into you Aspire at RPA and then go directly to BCC. there's no additional coursework that would require them to participate in this particular program.

It's a linkage between the college courses and the students and so and so our goal is to be creating opportunities for and the way that we're planning to set the master schedule up at RPA is so that the afternoon time opens up that opportunity for kids to go to Derpy and enroll in the college courses which would expose them to one goal. If that makes sense.

Yes, that answer my question.

Okay. Anything else?

I'll take a motion to I'll make the motion.

Second.

Mr. Bailey.

Yes.

Mr. Das.

Yes.

Yes. 1 2 3 4. Vote to refer virtual pathway specialist job description from is

that.

Yeah, let's do this again.

I'm not taking right here.

I'm going to give people I'm not taking a look at that.

Well, just I just got everything five minutes. So, yeah, I'm I'm not sure if it would be helpful to do the program of study first and then speak about the position in case there are questions that way because this position is in response to the virtual pathway that is in the program of study specifically. Is that okay?

Do you need a motion take out of order or just want to go out of order?

No, we can just we can just go out of order.

All right. So, we're going to do the we're going to go to 35 discussion and vote to refer uh the Robert Elmaderas Resiliency Preparatory Academy program of studies otherwise known as perfect triage it. Yeah, we're going to do and do some introductions. Yeah, kind of introduce.

So, uh we have with us here tonight Dr.

Monette. She is the new principal at uh resiliency preparatory academy.

Hi everyone.

Hi glad here to meet everybody.

Can we get like a proper introduction while you're here? I mean I read about you a little bit but um you don't have to do anything crazy because they're probably going to make you do it when we go to the committee meeting Monday. But if we could just learn a little bit about you.

Okay. So I'm I'm sitting here listening to all this and I'm just going to give you a brief snippet because everybody apparently has read about me. I'm getting Okay. So, I I'm super excited. I just want to thank these two people.

I've never met anybody who has a brain like Drew. So, um just in my like two weeks of being here, it's amazing. Um I'm coming from a heavy special ed background, middle school 26 years. And the draw to this position, and I just want to say this before we get to the program space, is I was that teacher, I was that principal, I was that assistant principal, that when they leave 8th

grade, they just fall off. And my frustration was they didn't get into the local vocational schools because they just didn't have the grades, the discipline, they didn't meet the rubric, you know. So that has been my frustration for years. So I haven't even shared this with you guys, but like going through this program of studies, the options that these kids are going, this is my dream. Like it's my absolute

dream to get everybody to the finish line. So that's a little bit about little snippet. Um I just feel like every kid needs a choice and I just keep saying these are non-traditional students, which is what I've worked with. It's my draw. So, I'm super excited.

Thank you.

You're welcome. Thank you for asking because I wanted to share that. So, thank you.

You're welcome.

Thank Dr. Monette mentioned, she's been here for two weeks. Um, and just about two weeks and so, you know, a week and a half, right? Um, and so Drew and I uh will take the lead on presenting the program of study. Um, as folks I think know, um, we have really been working hard with the staff at RPA through the second half of last school year, uh, when we came before the

committee, um, to launch a virtual pathway at RPA to begin looking at alternative opportunities, uh, following along with the alternative guidance set by the Department of Education, but also to begin really looking at what are the needs of our kids and how do we meet the needs of our kids and build alternative options. um to recognize that not every student is going to fall under the

traditional schedules um and recognizing that we just need to be looking at individual and personalized pathways to be able to meet the needs of a broader range of students both of kids that are at RPA and other students across the Fall River area as we know. Um and so some of the um changes we've created an executive summary to outline the changes for you. Um, and so we'll speak a little

bit about, you know, about these changes that are in the program of study and just embedding components into the program of study that were added as addendums last school year. And so with that, I'm going to have Drew take the lead on the first couple.

Sure. Um, so again, thank you. This is this is exciting uh to launch uh a new year with RPA um increased choice and you'll see that as a theme as we kind of go through the executive summary. Um but before we get to the uh organizing principle and we just wanted to update on uh graduation requirement change that we're proposing. It kind of aligns with uh some of the core organizing

principles and that's the change uh the uh the requirement of one final performing arts course and also add the option for a student to take a career in technical course. So they could fulfill that requirement for either taking an art a performing arts course or career and technical course. Um we're prop proposing to expanding options um both in the arts courses and also in the career and technical um options. Um so

our organizing principle one is to expand CTE and workforce development opportunities uh through a variety of different ways. It's going to start, you know, at the beginning of the school year, uh, with counselors and other support staff meeting directly, uh, with the students at RPA and having an individualized postsecondary plan that's going to guide, uh, some of the opportunities that they're going to

have. Now, um, you know, um, within the school, um, we're proposing to add 60 CTE U courses through our egeneuity platform. And these um you can see in the program of studies uh on page uh 33 and 34 for the specific courses and they're grouped by career clusters.

Um so really um you know that's everything from u medical terminology and you know um the computer programming uh to careers in construction.

Um uh so pending what the students interest is um they're going to have opportunities to take course work. Um and some of the uh career clusters are business finance and marketing where they could take business law, keyboarding and apps, entrepreneurship, small uh technology and businesses, intro to banking uh services. Uh there's construction and manufacturing where they can take an intro to careers in construction.

Uh there's engineering and STEM courses.

There's health science and medical courses. Uh there's arts, media, and entertainment courses uh such as game design um etc. So there's a lot of different opportunities that we have and RPA is a small school. Uh so sometimes students um because of the small size don't get all the different opportunities to take different courses, but you utilizing the edge platform, they do. Um right, so that's one of one

of uh the major changes uh that we're proposing. Um and also um really uh looking to expand our our flex pathway and our career uh school to career program where we're connecting more students with internships and job opportunities which they can then uh use for elective credit. Um right so students can take their academic core classes in the morning and have lunch and then leave to internships or job or

their jobs um for the second half of the day um and then have um an opportunity to earn that elective credit that way versus the traditional you know sitting in a class and taking a course. Uh so that's organizing principle one. Mhm.

So, organizing principle three, I can jump in here, is really us now putting the personalized learning platform of the virtual pathway in the program of study. As we know, last December, we came before the committee to bring forth the virtual pathway. We worked with the RPA staff to try and make that transition at the half year last year and we really did find some success last year with the program. Um, as we know,

we've had a need for a virtual um, experience in the community. We've seen an increased number of students electing TEKA and some of these online schools here in the district. And as we looked, you know, in addition, 70% of the students who dropped out in 23 24 when we had done some research on the virtual school a year ago said they would have considered returning if it was in a

virtual pathway. Um and as I noted the Tekk when we ran the pilot last year uh 25 out of 30 students that were enrolled and it was a cohort. So once students enrolled in January it was not a fluid enrollment. We launched it as a cohort so we could really monitor and support the students that were in the pathway develop the systems and the routines that were necessary. Um and we knew we

couldn't support our teachers if kids were coming and going at that time right. Um and so as a result of that cohort, 83% of the kids increased their attendance and engaged in virtual learning. Um as compared to engaging in virtual learning, increased their attendance and engaged in the virtual learning. 69 academic courses were passed by kids in the virtual pathway.

Um and that was 61% overall. And what we also noticed when we compared in the students that were attending in school versus the virtual pathway is that of the students that were 16 plus approximately 50% less than that they had dropped out 16 the dropout rate for students in the virtual pathway 16 plus 50% less so 50% less yes drastically less than the inperson than kids that were in person um and so

as we look now we are going to formally We're looking to formally put the virtual pathway in the program of study.

We are looking to continue the virtual pathway at RPA again with an intention of going slow to be able to go fast. Um, as we've looked at other state guidance through DESIE, you know, they really highlight and recommend that really we're looking at like 1 to 2% of your population should be eligible and really, you know, in need of a virtual pathway. And so our goals will really be

intentional to monitor um who is going into the virtual pathway and making sure that we are exhausting efforts of our in-person schooling model because that is always going to be our priority. But in lie of students choosing to drop out of school and walk away completely from their education. We want to be able to meet them where they're at in the virtual pathway um and look to engage

them in different ways through that model. And so what you will see is, you know, on page 35 of the program of study is bringing it forth now as a stable component of the pathways available at RPA.

Question.

Go ahead, Bobby.

Um, so when we talk about the virtual pathway, and I know we've already been through through it, um, and I know you can answer this, Dr. on. What does it look like if a student was transitioning back into um Dery from RPA and they were in some type of virtual programming and they were comfortable with virtual programming now they transferred into Dery. Do they still remain?

We didn't have any students requesting to go back to Dery. Um that really isn't the student profile with which we were serving in the virtual pathway truthfully. Um we did have three students transition back to Dery last year. They were in the inerson model and we used a half day rotation model when that happened. Of those three, two decided to return back to RPA and one has metriculated at Dery and is

doing well. Um, the early college program and is now enrolling in the early college program which is really exciting. Um, but as it relates, you know, we really didn't see kids trying to get back to Derby. I think one of the pieces that was important for us and as we move forward for planning is that the virtual pathway schedule mirrors that of our PA's in-person schedule. Yeah. So if

students are not finding success, we can very easily and fluidly bring them back to the in-person schedule without m much disruption to their schedule. And in many cases, the teachers that were teaching in the virtual would have often been the teachers they would have when they came back into in person. So there was also that comfortability and relationship that was there. Um and so it's more of those

alignments that we had made to make sure that the return back becomes RPA and then if students are looking to go to Dery then we transition to Dery through another pathway.

That that pretty much answers your question because I definitely think we should keep that in mind in case if it ever happened. Y um but just to give them options at you.

So I have a question. So the who you mentioned the who. So who is going to be eligible for virtual at RPA?

I mean technically speaking at this point we will meet with any student to speak about their educational needs and what and and really I think inquire around why they would be looking to choose a virtual pathway um and how do you make that and how and how and we're going to work with families and students the way that we make most other decisions as it relates to where students land, right?

Um, we want to make sure that students understand the challenges of being in a virtual pathway because there are challenges that are different than if you're in the in-person pathway, right?

Um, but it's about meeting students where they're at, giving students an opportunity to be successful, but also an opportunity to fail. and that knowing we will be monitoring and supporting students and if it does not work, how are we very actively and swiftly bringing kids back in person um so that we can support them so that they are continuing to make progress towards graduation as our ultimate goal right um

but it isn't a hard criteria because the minute we stop putting criteria on things in a hard strict fast way the gray shows up and I think it's just really important that we are open and flexible to be working with kids and families but understanding what the requirements are as well, right? It's not virtual go home and don't don't you don't have to respond to people. We have a live teaching program through our

virtual program. It's not just egeneuity where they're working independently. We have live teachers and so students almost follow their bell schedule through the Google Meet process. So, they are expected to show up. They are expected to be seen every day. There are mandatory check-ins so we can ensure safety and wellness with students, right? Um, we also had an after-school tutoring lab built in to support kids

with an in-person touch point for students that were struggling strictly virtually. So, we'll look to extend and expand upon that offering. Um, also an opportunity for us to provide any additional services through their IEPs if that was not something that was able to be offered through the virtual pathway. Um, and so again, we've we've ran this program for six months. We did um do some staff surveying at the end of

the year and planning and preparing to plan forward for this school year. So, we've taken staff feedback and and really embedded that within our guide as we move forward. But there are no strict criteria at this point simply because we're only half of a year in and we really want to make this as open and available to as many to the to students who are in need of the option.

Right. And and to get a little deeper.

So, a student comes from CUS, right?

they they're having difficulties whatever they start or they ended eighth grade, they got sent to RPA, right? So now they're entering ninth grade at RPA and they want virtual and you think he'd probably succeed in person, but the family wants virtual. You know, it probably wouldn't best fit the student because we everybody thinks he would or she would um do well at RPA in person.

Who makes that final decision? Is it the parents? Is it the admin? Is it, you know, who would I I envision it I envision it being a collaborative conversation with almost like a a a for lack of a better term, a contract with checkpoints, right?

Because if we're not making progress, if students are not making academic gains, not showing up for the virtual meets, and some of those elements of the program are not happening, then we've got to reconvene that whole team because that is not the intention of our virtual background.

So, a student can't come in in nth grade and say, "Oh, no. I'm checking the box of virtual. I want virtual. There has to be some sort of collaboration saying, well, this probably isn't the best idea.

Which is exactly what we did in January.

So, even in January when we launched it, there were meetings with all students and families that were looking to step into the program. Once we outlined what the expectations were daily, students realize, oh, I actually have to physically show up in these meetings. I don't just get to do my own work and at my own pace and not ever have to check in with you.

I'd much rather just be in person.

Right? So I think once students understood the level of accountability that is also built into the virtual pathway especially because if the only experience students had with a virtual schooling was in COVID this is not what that looked like right and so once you get once we got into the details of what the expectations were both by the students and the families uh we did notice last year some people be like no

no no I'm just going to stay right in person and stick with my path right and I and I think when we um we approved it all And I if correct me if I'm wrong, it was mostly attend attendance uh led I should say the kids that would just stopped coming to school, stopped attending, had no interest. You guys went out there and brought them back.

So is that something that we're going to have to wait and to start virtual?

No, we're starting the goal is to start in September because we already have students from last year that were able to identify that.

But we're not starting a 12th grader that wasn't in virtual in virtual this year. I mean, unless they're a student that had the enormous amount of absences last year and made no progress.

So, it's still based on absences. It's a big it's a absences and academic progress to date and how far are you from graduation.

Okay.

It's really those three elements that really drive and socially and emotionally.

Right.

Right. There's are you are you capable of of managing those independent expectations?

Right. I think it's twofold when we when we when we talk about just not the absences but also like the comfortability of sitting in the classroom. Um whether they're a freshman or senior um we don't know right co was a trial in my opinion it was a trial for a lot of things with the structure changing I think that would scare kids away but there are kids who will thrive in that setting.

I can tell you uh personally going through my M's program at the point in my life that I was in it was easier to be virtual than if I had to go a classroom. So um you know I think we have to factor in all of those things and I think initially when this rolled out um you know that's what we are identifying but now I think things have

opened up a little bit and we need to really take a look at that. So yeah and our intention is to keep it small still um like I think Dr. B said it's really meant the research suggests 1 to 2% of your population it virtual is the right fit. Um so it wouldn't be something we would be looking you know to bring you know 80 90 students half of

our PA to virtual we're going to keep it small. Um this is strictly high school or middle it's not middle say that because circumstances might change household to household and then we can't turn kids away.

So I think it's important that we highlight we don't highlight the percentages on that because you can get a ton of kids tomorrow who this better fits their lifestyles. I might have to babysit while my mom's at work or certain things. That's why I wasn't showing up. And so I really wouldn't throw percentages out there when we say that just because of those scenarios and the type of kids that we

do deal with throughout the city.

Yeah. I mean, I think one of the things that we definitely struck us last year.

Um it was really the first year I was more heavily involved in the um you the numbers around school um you know taking a look at the numbers of students who go to TEKA and other like virtual schools and you know the difference there is um families it it does end up being you know a family decision right so people have people unenroll in the fall of public schools and they they take their

students elsewhere and it may or may not work out and we do see some students come back. Um, and this really th this is a way for us to offer that option to students right here in the fall public schools. We still stay very connected.

They still have an opportunity for a smoother transition back into the fall river public schools. Um, you know, and and you mentioned like some students they're meeting with success. Do they transition over to Dery? You know, if they've done credit recovery through this option, but now they do want to attend in person. Is there that opportunity? It just opens, it just keeps open that um communication

with families and their enrollment here in Fall River. And I think that it's just another way to offer options.

Um for students who are attending, you know, in a virtual pathway, the I don't know, it's one of these things where the building in which it's housed is is not as important, right? I mean, we could be kind of running this virtual school out of anywhere. I'm not sure where the building is that, you know, Tekk is running out of or something like that.

So, um, but it's a way to keep students connected certainly to the fall room public schools and that's just been a big a big push.

But I think we fall into that mindset of there has to be some type of structure where kids are going, right? And I'm not saying I'm not going against that. But when I say don't throw numbers out there, I'm not combating what you're saying. I'm saying if you say one to two percent and then in in June it's at five or six percent you know you're going to have push back why that we grow an extra

4% and now you're asking for another advisor now you're asking for this. So I think the first year we really take a look at what we're trying to do and build it out and just stay consistent on what we're doing. I just don't want to put you in a box. And I just want to share too, I think the reason why I'm putting the number out there is because the alternative to that is we are not

looking to use this as a dumping ground.

I know that.

So I want to say that publicly too, right? So when we look at going slow to go fast is this needs to be an enriched robust experience for kids.

And our ability to do that is to start small, figure out the parts that are not meeting our expectations and still be small enough to tweak them as we grow and develop. Like any program, right? We think about how early college started. It was a small program.

It's now up to 300 kids, right? When we think about what CTE used to look like, it was small programming that is now mushroomed out. And so, I'll be real honest. What my vision for this is, and I've I've shared it with the team, is that by next year, we're coming forward with an application for a full-on virtual high school and that that virtual high school runs from 6 to 12, right? and really being

creative to meet the needs of our growing secondary population um to keep kids in district because those numbers have continued to d to go up in Tekk.

And we've looked at that and it was really astonishing between homeschool um and the homeschool numbers specifically were real and the virtual numbers as it relates to Fall River's enrollment in virtual. especially when we got that memo about voting whether or not we were going to go above the threshold. We were like, "Holy wow, how many kids are now choosing this as an option?"

Um, so I just want to kind of give that as feedback, too, because that, you know, that was where we were coming from is we don't want the committee to feel as though um we're opening this to just move away students that we're struggling with in person. That's not the intention.

And I think if you can just show share an update around like the October, November mark on what you're looking like because it's it's it's going to continue to change, right? Because it's growing. um both that you sorry thank you um so first on the on the virtual high school just to get a little bit of your vision is this something that's going to be a virtual high school part of RPA or

something all on its own that's autonomous from both Derpy and well the tricky part about this and what really stalled us dead in our tracks a year and a half ago is the fact that the the department requires a principal for the virtual school for a virtual for a virtual school. And so it just doesn't make sense to have a princip to me personally right now. This could change moving forward,

but it doesn't personally make sense to me to have a a principle for just the virtual school.

And I think also very transparently, it's very important to me that we begin in Fall River accepting alternative pathways as being something okay.

Unfortunately, we've we've made a reputation and a brand for alternative edge means bad. You mustn't fit the traditional mold. So, you mustn't be a good kid. Well, that's not the truth, right? That's not the truth. And so, as we think about this this p this pathway, I believe it will service the city of Fall River and it's rebranding the way that we look at alternative pathways.

And so the more traditional alter the more regular alternative pathways look in our district. Um and so yes, the short answer is we would look to put this under the arm of our PA simply because it is our growing flagship for alternative pathways, right? Um and it doesn't, as you noted earlier, you don't physic or maybe Dr. Curley had mentioned, we're not asking kids to physically show up at a building per se.

And so to put it under the alternative pathways branch of our offerings, it makes sense to me. It will help us in all of the things I just referenced.

I think overall when it comes to student outcomes, what so I guess what I'm trying to um and you mentioned that you you want to expand like these virtual pathways at RPA.

I guess what and with the path I think then Dr. Dr. Ron, I think did a great job putting this together and and full support and agreeance with the pathways.

The information that again I've received again since joining the the committee and going forward is that there used to be similar pathways and options at Derby High School that have been removed over the years. And so I'm just trying to understand and um Mr. Larvy asked a question about like who would be who would qualify for the virtual pathway. I'm trying to understand is why it's just not offered

at Derpy High School and those those students can't be Derpy students. And again, the reason I bring this up because you have a big high school for Derpy High School. You have RPA which is looks wise and and as we discussed some of the services wise isn't up to par in my opinion with Dery. So, I just don't understand as why we can't have some of these pathways, the virtualized pathways

in Derpy and we can't expand the alternative programs at Derpy High School. I I think that there is an element to when we're talking about a a virtual pathway.

If someone was enrolled at Derby High School, I I don't know what it would mean to be enrolled at Dery High School and never come to the building like the in and what the what the value is of having a virtual pathway at RPA and then a fully virtual pathway at Dery High School because I don't know what you gain at by doing that at Dery that you can't get the same thing.

I I think I can answer that. It says, "What? Why can't we expand an alternative path, an alternative program at Derby High School? Why does it have to be a separate autonomous high school?" Is my question. Does that make sense?

Do you mean for all of the virtual?

Yes.

So, literally a a ver that the virtual pathway lives at Dery and not at RPA.

So, RPA would have all of the other pathways, but not a virtual path.

Oh, no. I mean I apolog I mean every pathway I'm well physically I mean there is an element of um for all when we think about all of the pathways there there's potentially you know a physical space you'd have to we'd have to think through that we so we do have um the pathway the evolved pathway that's housed at Dery um so they have that and there are opportunities for um you know grade

recovery credit recovery and things like that in terms of it's not you know a full pathway but I'm I'm not sure sorry if I can just very quickly if it's a space issue is why we can't expand the alternative pathway specifically through Derpy why can't the the building be like we are always okay part of part of RPA we do know is we do have some students who are not um

we do have some students who have been dery students it hasn't been a good fit. They are at RPA. We also have students who choose not to be at Dery, you know, or another school and they're looking for a smaller environment. So, it's like we when we have students who choose to be in that smaller environment and don't want to be at Dery High School, there has to be that kind of opportunity as well. So to

say that we're going to like I don't know if you're proposing like we should close RPA and do all of those things at Dery. Well, what about the students who don't who want to physically show up to a school but they don't want it to be Derphy High School? They're looking for all the alternatives.

I I guess my response to that would be why the building on Rock Street would just be a satellite campus if they want a smaller environment and we would call it like Dery, right? I guess what I'm trying to say like I've noticed since joining the committee I don't believe um again RPA gets as much um recognition the students get as much recognition and I and I'm sure we're trying to work on that

however and there's different cost as well. I'm just trying to see why does it have to be a completely separate entity from Derby High School? Why can't we just expand an alternative program at Derby High School and may there be a satellite campus or not? And I think that would solve some of our issues too on the other on the the legal I'm not going to get into a lot on the legal issues. So

in ter in terms of offering equal services I and I think that's something I think other members of the committee brought up similar proposals or concerns but I think that in some ways I mean I really want to talk about the program of studies here because Dr. Bronard and the whole team really has worked very hard on this and is whatever um image you or other folks have around like RPA and how potentially

you know you might feel that it's less than we have students who choose to be there and all of the work that's being done right now is to make sure that that every student there has an opportunity um like that the program of studies is robust that there are multiple pathways that there's choic has built it. So that's what we're trying to do. I would say this, if this was a satellite campus

of Dery, it would not change the the the the physical plant. So we would still have students every single day who show up to this building right here. So regardless of the name of the building or what perceptions people have of the school or that that changes when we do this not by calling it Deryter Dery alternative school or Dery alternative campus or Dery I don't think that changes things. I think

the work that's being done right now changes things because it changes the student experience and will help change the perception and educate people about the actual work that's being done there.

Right. I I I understand where I guess there's a little I I understand where you're coming from. I guess I just um just have maybe a little bit of a disagreement. I guess the only thing I would um mention you mentioned how students who choose to go there and they can still choose to go to the alternative class and they can still keep the um the staffing. I'm not I'm not necessarily proposing that. Um I

just again I'm just trying to understand why is there a separate alternative high school or a separate brand that again I believe the district does not do a good enough job at promoting. So I think that's going to change this. I do I do want to say that I I do I do agree with that when we talk about perception of of the school um from a community standpoint. if you took

a poll across the community and that's not negating the fact that there's great work done there but when you look across the city and and I agree with Mr. das.

Um, and I'm not saying that there is or there isn't. That's not what I'm saying.

I'm not in the building, so I'm not going to do that. Um, but if you took a poll and went across the city, it seems like there's a lot of disparities over there. And the overall vision, um, from most people in the city think it's it's a troubled school. So, um, I do agree with that. So, we do need to work a little bit and, you know, massage that and and change that. Um,

but that's going to change with these action steps. I I that is going to change when kids get a different experience. That's going to change with strong leadership and a vision um that brings in community partners and leverages the resources of this great community. That's going to change when kids and families get a different experience at RPA. Yeah.

Um and unfortunately that just hasn't been where we've been. Um but that is where we're going.

And I'm not saying we're not this not just because of you, but historically that's what it's that's what it's been.

if we call a spade a spade. Um that's what it's been the entire time. So if we can change that and this does it then um I'm happy to jump on board because it's a step in the direction. I think that's really important to be said.

Right.

You got to throw things. You got to have to throw things.

You know how it goes, right? You know, we'll be here next year looking for something potentially in addition to this. Um to be able to make sure that we're responding to kids needs, student voice driving the changes that are made um getting family families involved at those points as well. um and engaging with staff, right? We're building a culinary program down there. We're also

looking to even launch a sewing program.

Um so there will be some things that RPA can offer that Dery can't offer to students. Um and that's our collective goal, right? Absolutely.

Um I just I just want to share that. I wasn't trying to be pessimistic when I said that, but that's just a real Yeah. And as a for girl, you know, you know, I know and I hear it too out in the community all over. And um it's about having the right people in the seats to be able to really mobilize the work. And we're getting there. Um starting right there.

I'm trying not to say anything, but I'm like, "Yeah, I I love what you're all saying, but that's that's not who I am."

I I'll be honest. It's this is a pathway. This is getting kids who are non-traditional students. I've been very clear.

When my family is like, "Where are you working?" I'm like, "I leave out alternative." I'm like, "It's a it's a school for non-traditional students that need to love school again." Like that's the bottom line and we need to get them to the end to the end.

Well, I hope you got the same excitement in June cuz we need it.

We do. We do.

I'm up for the challenge. I hear all this and I feel like I am too.

This is that this is like our bible right here. Like this is what we need to give kids choices. And it it comes down to like in my experience I know the type of students who want to be a virtual pathway and for various different reasons and all of them have different choices and different reasons why there's not a lot of them that want to sit home and be on it but the ones that

want to do truly want to be virtual.

It's a pathway for them. Um I'm excited about this.

Yeah. No, I I just I throw it out there because I know Colin has been extremely outspoken when it comes to this and I know that he's passionate. I am as much as I'm not outspoken as Colin on certain situations since he's been on the committee. He has been talking about this and it's something that I'm passionate about. Um but I do think we we really need to change the narrative and what

that looks like and and I know how hard everyone works here. I'm not saying that. Um but I just I think we do.

I and I agree. I the one thing I I I want to add is I do think it's it's interesting. I do think it's important that when we have our, you know, documents, you know, these memorandum of agreements and things like that, just as important as it is because we've had the conversations like, no, we we have to make sure this year that we are including students from RPA in stone and

we have to make sure people know that we're doing that. It's equally as important that it shows up in a document that's in writing because it says a lot if if if we have the memo and for whatever reason it it doesn't include all of the schools. I I think it says a lot in that I think that attention to detail is something we really just have to be cognizant of moving forward. Um

but the you know the work is being done, the energy is there. I do think obviously it's important that it is sustained but I you know I I do appreciate the um the attention to that right that there is this element of like no that like that small thing's not going to get past us either. I think all of us have to adopt that kind of mindset because I think it's very small things

that send a very big message. So I'm we need to be attentive to that. I I agree.

Not to not to hammer it, but this I'm going to tell you this is my it's my last year of a forc on the committee.

This is the most that we've talked about that school as a collective body. Um yep, you know, so that's it's just it's just good. And that's not throwing shade to any past administrations or anything like that, but this is the most that we've we've talked about it. And so I just want to put that out there and do give you kudos for that as well. Um I'm down here. So I just want to uh just

quickly did just talk about 80 credits for RPA. Did we finish the All right, I'll go back to that. Let's go. Let's go back and then I'll ask my questions.

That's okay.

Okay. So we the 69 core academic courses drop.

Principal three.

Yeah. So if we go to the principal four principal three, sorry, number four. Principle three is um really this goal of building uh flex more flexibility for students. Um and so one of the ways we're proposing to do that is shifting um from semester only classes for like the electives and and um uh PE and health and some of those courses to um a term model um similar to what Turkey has because then students

can take more courses. They can also earn credits quicker. you know, it might be less credit, but they can see that growth as they're as they're on their pathway to graduation. And allows for students to transition between schools um more seamlessly um because they have the opportunity to start coursework when every other kid in that class is starting the coursework instead of shifting in um um you know, in the

middle of of a course for for the elective courses. Um um so that's really um you'll see through the program of studies in the different departments a lot of the elective courses that used to be a semester in length 2.5 credits has shifted to a term for 1.25 credits uh to give students uh more opportunities really quick.

Mhm.

Um I see like 7:45 the time I don't even know what time it is.

7:22. She does not like driving at night.

Okay. All right.

Okay. Um, but I'll make a motion to refer to full committee.

I'll second this.

I lost my questions that night. So, take the role.

Mr. Bailey.

Yes.

Mr. D.

Yes.

M.

Yes.

Uh, Stone School, I believe.

Oh, virtual pathway. Back to that.

Sorry.

That's okay.

Um, well, we kind of have a pretty good I think this one I think this one will be a little bit quick, too. Um, as we have we're evaluating um the budget at RPA and looking at all of the student support positions and also looking at the needs of the virtual pathway coming out of the pilot.

Um we are proposing to convert the community field coordinator position uh to that of a virtual pathway specialist.

Currently there is no one in that position. Um but financially it would be the same salary range. it would be an ESON position, but the goal of the virtual pathway specialist will be the prime go-to person um who will be doing all of the gatekeeping, monitoring, and follow through with the students as it relates to making sure they're showing up for their daily check-ins with the guidance counselors and showing up to

class and doing all of the outreach. We will have the staff of RPA also involved in the virtual pathway as we did, but knowing the students who are in person take a lot of attention from the folks that are in person. And so we just want to make sure that there is one person whose sole job will be monitoring, supporting, and as the gatekeeper um to ensure that no students fall through the

cracks and that all students continue to make progress. Um and working with the principal to ensure that she is up to speed. Um, and Stacy, I'm not sure if you want to add a little bit after even working the first couple of weeks with closing out summer school and the need for that.

Yeah. So, and actually when she brought this to me, I was the one that kind of started shaping this job description because um, the summer school, you know, I came in that first day and they were on it and they were like, "Nope, this one hasn't showed up." And I I compared to like tracking our kids during co like that's what I did as a principal. I was making house calls going we haven't laid

eyes on this kid. I think it's we need one person as a liaison to monitor all of this to say guidance or me letting us know what's going on because I feel like if there's too many people it's going to get muddy real quick. Um but I saw it and it was it was a welloiled machine during summer school. I was super impressed day one.

Mhm.

This the dice be very very quick and actually a lot happier is a converted position. Um yeah. So for the click because these um go with the pathways I see is just um none. So they're not working during the summer.

There's no um in the pathway. There's nothing conflicting with summer courses that this person might need need to be there for.

I would envision we would roll that into our summer school programming and summer school funding. Um for any students that maintain in the program during the summer, we would roll that need and coverage into the summer school planning.

Motion refer to full committee. Is that good?

Thank you guys. Thank you.

Okay.

Mr. Bailey.

Yes.

Yes.

Who's Marian?

We'll now move on to uh 36. vote to refer stone school program of studies.

Thank you for having me and I will keep it brief, I promise. Um, so the work that we did this year was with Drew. We have consistently since we started the high school program six years ago, we have always followed Derpy's lead in terms of credits um and in terms of how we expected students to meet their graduation requirements. We are just formalizing it at this point.

So what we did this year, I'm just going to point out our our course load is the same. So it's four English courses, four math, three lab sciences, three social science, two health, three fizzed, um at least one fine performing arts. And what I'm really excited about this year is we were able to add electives. And um many of those electives have been chosen by administrative staff, myself being one

of them, to do an elective with specific kids that rolls around our area of expertise. Um so for example, I'm going to do a writing elective because I teach college writing. So I feel like that would be something that um the kids could really benefit from. Um, the other thing that we did was to really Drew helped us really rein in our attention and really clarify our credit recovery

options. We've always offered students the options for credit recovery, but we weren't super clear ourselves. It was kind of a, okay, what does Tracy need?

What does Lori need? We're going to give them what they need, but we needed to make it I felt that we needed to make it much more clear so that students knew what their options were. Um, so we've had the 3 to five program for a few years, which started honestly as um a program that I just ran myself for some pregnant lambs that we had. Um, we had several students who had babies one

year. It was just kind of an odd year.

And then, um, I called when I had those students wanting to be a part saying, "Mrs. Shaw, we really want to graduate.

We don't have daycare um, for our kids."

I said, "Bring the babies." So, um, that's what they did. They brought their kiddos and then other students who had had to leave because of that issue called me and said is there any way that we can come back because most of them only had one one year of credit recovery to do. So I did it for a couple of years myself and then we went to the superintendent and asked if we could

make it a part of our program. So now we have a three-day a week, three to five program that is credit recovery that is designed specifically to meet whatever needs the student sitting in front of us has. We spent this summer writing a solid credit recovery curriculum that is based on the Massachusetts standards and that meets all of the requirements that we have set up for the rest of our kids.

Um, and we actually tried it out over the summer with a couple of students that came from Dery that don't belong to us, but that came to Dery just for credit recovery. Um, came to came to Stone because of their social emotional needs at that moment. They came to us and we were ex every student made all of their credits up over the summer. So, um, and that's consistent what we see

with the three to five program. So, it gave us the opportunity to um to quantify exactly what we were doing to be super clear about what our credit expectations were for our kids and to make sure that we had pathways that they could use to make up their credits. So, besides a 3 to 5, we have portfolios that we have some of our students will do. That was um became really necessary

when MCAST was around. I mean kids needed to get comp some a competency based portfolio. So we started doing that then um and we've just continued it. We also do credit recovery during elective classes. So if this is a student who's on track to graduate in terms of electives but not other areas we do credit recovery during that.

So we just kind of really um what's the word I'm looking for? uh we really memorialized it so that the kids would know, the parents would know that this is what um this is what we're offering.

The other thing heard that I'm really excited about is we are seeing a big uptick in kids who need to go to work, right? Families are struggling and they need to go to work. And I kept saying, well, why can't you? We got to be able to tap into that, right? That has to be something that we can give a kid credit for. And that is something that we added

as part of our as our elected credit recovery that students and we and I tr I trial it with a student who had a very unfortunate family situation just could not be in school. So, I put him on an afternoon track with me on um online for 3 days a week and then he worked 4 days, four afternoons a week and I would go see him at work, check with his boss,

get information about how he was doing and actually like roll through like a customer the drive up window just to see if he was really doing what he was supposed to do and it worked really well. So, I asked Drew, is this something that we can incorporate into our program of study? So, thank you so much. Drew was an amazing thought partner for us. He kept us on track,

which is kind of hard to do with us sometimes. Um, and uh, and got us through a process that I feel puts our kids in a very solid place when they leave us, which many of them do. I have three starting day one at Dery High School for two classes a day. Many of them go to Dery. want them to walk into Dery confident that they can meet the academic standards that Dery demands and

that's what Drew helped us to do.

You know, I have to sorry, just I'll be quick. I mean, I have to commend you.

The the extra care and extra support that you're giving those stone kids that, you know, you you a big pat on the back for that.

My kids are grown up.

I got to turn that maternal scene somewhere.

You know, the Thank you. I appreciate You know what I'm getting at, but I envy that dedication and I'm glad you're in our district, Bobby.

Um, I I commend you too for your energy at this hour cuz you seem happy and uh if I need a babysitter, I'll listen I am known as I was thinking about when you Excuse me. This is off topic. When you were talking about your baby not sleeping, I am known as the baby whisperer.

My wife is known as a satellite parent.

people brought their children to me to have them go to sleep. So, yeah, we'll talk offline, write my number.

Got to wait, you know, the conflict thing. But, um, no, I just had a question and this is kind of in line with what you were saying. We we took a look at the um the Desi um the uh guide before um looking at the competency determination and graduation requirements, will that change looking at some of the things that we just talking about?

It will. We will have to, as I said, we try to make sure that our kids are well positioned to go to Dery. Um, so we will change with Dery. Dery, um, Andrew, uh, Drew does, sorry, Drew does a really good job of keeping my guidance counselor, Kevin, in touch with what's going on. They spend, does he go over like once a month to meet with you? Um, and he'll keep we we will mirror their process.

Yeah. I just want to make sure it's it's advertised as that because if it goes in front of folks what what you see here um this is like the um overarching language. Yeah.

So this is this is stock language. I'll copy and paste. It's from the state.

This is like the bare bones. Hey, here's the framework for what you guys are going to have to do. And then the book the um that document that was shared earlier provides detail around all of the things we have to do aligned with this. But this is just to stop.

No, I figured it out. I just wanted you to change it before it goes in front of the committee. And and then now we're looking at two different items and the questions stop coming in and people we might just add some lang if we're going to keep this stock language. We will you know identify it as as such. Yep.

This dice very quickly. Um you um and same comments as my colleagues. I think you do a really good job. Um very to very quick question you mentioned earlier about credit recovery um in regards to students working independently like at a job site getting credit for that. Is there I mean I couldn't imagine what you know 16 or the 18year-old would be I mean I'm assuming it would be like the retail or something

along those lines. However is there like a limit or it could be any job like I'm just trying to think. Um I mean I I understand where you're coming from, but is there like a cap as well on um like how many hours they can recover?

Oh, absolutely. I mean we have to we have to work with them to get them a job permit and the employer has to attest to the fact that they are going to maintain the hours and I feel that part of our role and part of the reason this is a good addition to the program is that we can monitor that. you know, because sometimes we will hear that students that are not part of that program are

working way too many hours in a week for their age. And we're we know that because we're starting to see changes in their behavior, change, they're sleeping in class, things like that. And when we question them about it, we find out that they're working too many hours. But this avoids that because we're actually boots on the ground making sure that you're regulating it basically. Okay.

So, good. And of course like if there is any if we notice any issues with that we're reporting that like to um department of um DCF.

Absolutely.

Okay. Absolutely.

And I just I want to be really clear that when you look at the graduation requirements and those none of these courses the four ELA courses they're not working in retail and getting ELA credit.

No no that's not that. All of these are required and then those are credits that are earned in addition to all of these.

Very good. Motion to refer. Second.

Yes.

Mr. Dar.

Yes.

M.

Yes.

And can I just say one more thing?

No.

Thank you. Just quick. I want to thank the committee because you consistently over the last few years have always always kept Stone and RPA at the top of your thoughts because when we first started, let's we were an afterthought and we were just where they sent the kids.

Um but because of that kind of of mindset of you always asking the question, is Stone in RPA involved? That that's a blessing and I really do appreciate it. That's that's also leadership. You know, you got to give credit when credit's absolutely Tracy knows how because I'll tell you this district if I if we ask for something there's it's not qu you know if we ask for something they make more to say no to dery than

Can I get a motion to motion is that second?

Yeah.

Right. We all we referred every Are we getting a draft tonight?

Maybe. It depends on what time.

Okay.

I I like looking at the draft.

I yield.

Have you had dinner? Can you have dinner first?

Yeah, please.

Yes.

Mr. D.

Yes.

Inspiring.

Yes.

We are adjourned.