Thread by @TracyNovick

leaving off for a second...Billerica is up now

Lewis asks what state can be doing to support teachers and others
Superintendent Piwowar: appreciate saying it's like a first year teacher or administrator
"there's been the conversation about MCAS and accountability and all the pieces that go with that"

"very anxiety provoking for teachers"
"if it's given, we should say loudly and clearly that we're using it for diagnostic" not for comparing
"context varies widely"
"ramp down the accountability place and say that loudly and clearly and widely"
#MAEdu

Springfield superintendent Dan Warwick (backlit)

Note that Springfield, the third largest district in the state, is fully remote
#MAedu

have 57 schools; three that were built in the 1800's
industrial hygienist coming back with report to committee on Thursday
have 8 positive cases with staff, even as they are working remotely

looking at report and levels of virus in making decisions on moving forward
about 50% of parents did not want kids back in buildings
over 50% of parents of high needs students did not want them to come back in
work to concentrate on remote learning being done effectively
#MAEdu

have paid for ComCast essentials for all of our families or provided hotspots
one to one program implemented

days before school opened very helpful; work on staff collaboration for remote students
staff reached out to every family and go over program with every family
#MAEdu

"not against the MCAS, but" don't think this year it's advisable

staffing okay, due to remote; will have staff on health leave once back in buildings

full day program for all students; combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning
taking attendance and grading

Siobhan Conz, principal, White Street School: important to maintain instruction
Many parents are essential workers; needed to have school do the work for them on education

pleased with model of remote learning; full direct instruction for full day with appropriate breaks from technology

time to learn technology tools, pacing guides with PD before school started
focused with staff on who, what, how on remote learning

Kaitlin Hogue, teacher: seeing where students place on standards that previous year required
follow model of regular school day which she's not reviewing

distribution of learning materials to students: hands on learning with distribution of materials to families
"we've provided all the materials families need for their students to learn at home"

students have done an amazing job of adapting to the technology

Peisch says this answers her first question

Peisch: what do you find of attention span?
Hogue: similar to what it is in the classroom
have been very creative in what we've done in delivering instruction
work varies from day to day
do think technology lends itself to switching it up more than you would in the classroom

"a lot of movement and brain breaks over the day, getting them up and moving around"

Peisch: students whose parents are not able to be there? Childcare?
Conz: various agencies supporting families; have two staff that can work with families on these needs
constantly visiting classrooms online to evaluate needs

Lewis: interesting to share your thoughts with us
"sounds like the kind of teaching and learning in the Springfield Public Schools is light years ahead of where we were in the spring"

truggling with "a lot of testimony" heard earlier today that there's no replacement for in-person
speak more about decision; what is your thinking relative to what other districts are doing

Warwick: as a district, goals is to bring kids back in
concerns about ventilation systems; school committee voted to go remote

Note that building conditions and ventilation were not mentioned at all by the Commissioner or Secretary. #MAEdu

Lewis: very impressed by what you're accomplishing in the Springfield public schools

Hadley: Annie McKenzie, superintendent
"the town of Hadley may have more cows than kids"
met frequently over the summer to create reopening plan
cohorts, transition over time
#MAEdu

only 50% of students came back for start
80% of elementary in-person five days a week
35% of middle and high in person five days a week; they're not a fan of the cohort model

"one big ask today: I would characterize it as a 'beg'"
statewide surveillance testing strategy in K-12 schools:
"the key to equitable educational outcomes is prevention"

Paul Phifer, Hadley School Committee
children in Hadley and in Amherst school districts
shoutout to your work and that of the administration

have experienced "contentious school committee meetings"
"all well intentioned"
difficult conversations; "I don't welcome a return to those conversations, but I think they're necessary"
that will be difficult

one is full day remote, one has started back part day
"we heard a lot of effects of the students, but I hear a lot of the parents"
"easy to quantify the effects of the disease, but we certainly can't quantify the effects of not being in school"

Lewis: how were you able to get students back, considering space and buses
McKenzie: were concerned about virus transmission, so we cohorted everybody
upper grades are doing remote learning in schools

"spacing is not as difficult when you don't have 25,000 students"

transportation: families were willing to help us
"this also speaks to the disparate impact of the pandemic" as not every district has families that can do that

(TRUE!) #MAEdu

Peisch: internet access?
McKenzie: issue of access in western Mass "cannot be understated"
not nearly an issue for the Route 9 corridor, but it is for the hill towns and Hampshire County
Peisch: sense to which families have struggling issue?
McKenzie: still an significant issue

"certainly was a great deal of help from the state...but that is just an equity issue that I don't think is resolved to anyone's satisfaction"

Tracy Fuller, YMCA of the North Shore; academic learning pods
YMCAs have been meeting weekly on how best to serve families in the communities
sustained support for families

students learning remotely in cohorts on different schedules for lunch and snack
students as young as five online for hours
prioritizing a liaison with schools and Y's

Lewis thinks its remarkable how Y's have stepped up

"I've been a little frustrated that school districts haven't been stepping forward to fund" some of the services that are being provided by Y's

(thus my "I'm sorry what" reaction)

Fuller: Salem has to an extent
"we understand" school districts are dealing with unanticipated costs
Much more funding is going to be needed

Closing remarks:

Lewis: clearly understand need for more funding

While there have been additional dollars for pandemic relief, "I want to be clear that we do not see that as a substitute for the Student Opportunity Act"

do welcome written testimony from any education stakeholders

Peisch: urge submission of written testimony from educators

remain very supportive about implementing the Student Opportunity Act 'as much as is possible'

thought we would have seen federal aid by now

(me, too!)

.@RepAlicePeisch "very encouraged today by those in the field who are doing extraordinary work"
very optimistic
doing "just an incredible job of dealing with this unprecedented situation"
"we'll be doing all we can to support you"

#maedu /fin

And as they both said: send in written testimony to the co-chairs at [e-mail] and [e-mail]

#MAEdu