Board of Education Gives Updates ahead of School Start; “They’re so ready for kids” says Superintendent
Board of Education Chair Candice Savin and Westport Public Schools Superintendent Thomas ScariceTonight’s Board of Education meeting covered six agenda items spanning from health and COVID-19 information to updates from the policy committee, with conversations with project managers for upcoming roof projects and a captain of the police department over officer patrols of the schools.
Administrator’s Report
“There is a palpable energy” Superintendent Thomas Scarice said as he described his feeling while walking through schools this week ahead of their opening tomorrow. “They’re so ready for kids” he continued as he spoke about the excitement staff members have for students' returning into the buildings. Although disappointed that the District could not hold the traditional in-person convocation ceremony, Scarice was able to visit each school. “We took a step towards normalcy, but not a complete step” he said when discussing the difference in this year’s visit to educators and their schoolhouses.
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Health Update
“Nationally, cases are very high, up 153% in the past month” started off Sue Levasseur, Director of Health Services, who then added that the rise in cases are primarily due to an influx in cases in the South. Levasseur said that Westport will be starting school at a higher level of cases than when they began schools last September, adding that they aren’t seeing any spikes and that local cases have seemingly plateaued in the past two weeks.
Local data showed that the average age of positive cases came from those in their 20s and 30s, and that 4 school aged cases were reported this week - with 1 fully vaccinated person reported as COVID-19 positive in each of the weeks so far.
“The good news: our vaccination rates.” She exclaimed, stating that 94.6% of children ages 12-17 were vaccinated at least with one dose, and that 86% are fully vaccinated. “I learned that vaccinations are to prevent hospitalizations and deaths, not to prevent testing positive” Scarice said when discussing the numbers. Levasseur spoke to the current progress with the Pfizer vaccine, which, she says, is moving towards the FDA for approval, adding “we could see vaccination for children optimistically in late fall, early winter - as early as November.”
Masks will continue to be mandated in the buildings through September 30th, while any visitor to the school must provide proof of vaccination - including all parent volunteers. Cover staff members (those who work in the buildings) must provide proof of at least one dose of the vaccination by September 27th, or face weekly testing.
The Department of Health has offered free weekly testing to public schools in the State, added Levasseur, although Scarice commented that they have yet to release any sort of plan yet.
Students who are fully vaccinated will not have to partake in quarantines this year, which are expected to be less frequent due to a now 3 foot radius and other mitigating measures - specifically at the elementary school levels where students are unable to be vaccinated. Cafeteria spaces were given special consideration - with many kids in the same space, unmasked, and talking and eating - large tents have been brought to the buildings to support a less congested indoor space and an option for outdoor eating based on a rotating schedule of classes.
Any students who do require isolation and quarantine will be better served this year, said Scarice, due to the addition of eight tutors - who will be available to support those who miss classroom time. The tutors are former teachers and were secured by Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning Anthony Buono and Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources & General Administration John Bayers, according to Scarice, who applauded their work in the endeavor to better serve students who are sent home.
The State did not provide any legal provision for remote learning for this school year, Scarice said. Any child who is not in school will be counted absent, with no virtual options counted towards the school’s 180 day/900 hour State requirement that was reinstated for this school year.
Any student who has a verifiable medical ailment which would require them to go through the Homeward Bound process, as has been done in previous non-COVID years. The State does have a Remote Learning Standard being created for the 2022/2023 school year that would allow certain instances of remote learning in younger age level settings to be counted as school days; “that seems silly” commented Board of Education Chairperson Candice Savin, saying “hopefully we won’t need it [then]”.
Back to school night: virtual this year. More information will be released, according to Scarice, however live and pre-recorded options are both on the table.
With the State allowing vaccinated teachers to remove their mask to lecture masked students in their classrooms, Scarice said “We are not doing that.” “There was an audible groan from our staff members when I told them” he added.
Staples High School Roof Project
With a price tag of about five million dollars, the Staples High School roof replacement is up against several deadlines for State grant applications and a volatile pandemic construction market. “We’ve never seen anything like this” said Charles Warrington, a project manager with Colliers Project Leaders, as he said that project bids around the region are all subject to change with material costs on the rise.
“As we are aware, reports of 5-to-6-month lead times are currently in effect for roofing materials, specifically roof insulation, fasteners and adhesives.” he said in a report to the Board, continuing to say “There is extremely high demand nationally so your project will be in competition with other projects thus the need to advertise as early as possible.”
The current Saugatuck Elementary School roof replacement has fell victim to the current construction climate, with delays and possible cost increases all possible.
“The next step involves a review of the project to the Board Monday evening with an action item scheduled for the Board on September 8. Following Board action, the project will then proceed to the Board of Finance for two meetings in October, RTM Education and Finance Committees thereafter, before final approval of the full RTM on November 2. This timeline enables the Board to promptly begin the grant application process with the state Office of School Construction Grants and Review (OSCGR) to apply for any eligible reimbursements.” his report ended, with hope that a head start will also allow the District to obtain materials and begin construction on time - which would be as soon as school ends in June 2022.
Class Size Report
Class sizes were above budget for many of the District elementary schools reported John Bayers, with all schools experiencing a late summer push for new enrollments. “We’ve seen a huge migration from New York over the Summer” Bayers said, saying that many enrollments were received just in the past few weeks - giving a possible explanation that New York schools typically begin after Labor Day, giving parents the allusion of more time to enroll. “We’ll have parents walk in the day before school starts and we’ll get them settled” he said.
With more sections being added for some schools to account for the new student numbers, Westporter Robert Harrington asked the Board about if the buildings were able to handle the student numbers - and if academic support services could still be adequately administered to students, specifically for growing school communities such as Greens Farms School.
Reassignment of Westport Police Department Patrols to Westport
Westport Police Department Captain Ryan Paulsson was on hand to answer questions about the Department’s continued patrols of the schools with uniformed officers. Superintendent Scarice spoke to the opportunity that having officers in the school communities gives students, saying they would “build strong relationships” between the officers and student body - such as the popular School Resource Officer stationed at Staples High School. Paulsson said the officers assigned to the schools will be the same every day, allowing for consistency and continuity from day-to-day to support staff and administrators, adding in “a friendly face who’s always there.”
Board Member Lee Goldstein wasn’t convinced on the application of the officers in the schools, questioning Paulsson and Scarice on why the officers would be going into the buildings at all instead of remaining outside for their patrols. “Everyone in the school has a reason for being there. What is the police department’s reason for being there?” she asked. Goldstein referred to a Board of Education meeting held around three years ago, during which members of the public expressed concern about having uniformed officers in the buildings and interacting with children - with one public commenter tonight reminding the Board that a great concern came from the officer’s firearms being in the building.
The patrols have been a part of the Department’s sectors historically, explained Paulsson, however the designation of the same officer for the schools would allow them to better support the schools while adding no cost to the Police Department of Board of Education budgets through the realignment of priorities.
“Is this a unilateral decision? The Board of Finance and RTM did not want to fund officers in our schools. It feels a little un-transparent and manipulative” Goldstein ended.
“I’m taken aback that the officers were going into schools” said Chairperson Savin when she learned that officers had entered school buildings during the day. “Some clear guidelines on when they enter the schools, maybe at the request of staff or administrators, will be helpful.” Ultimately, “Police will be patrolling our schools” Savin concluded.
2021-2022 Board Goals
Board of Education member onboarding, budgetary items, and committees were the main focus of the Board’s goal discussion - while trying to figure out which items should be made goals, while others may already be covered by strategic planning already in place. Emphasis was put on an effective way to onboard new Board of Education members this upcoming Fall, however the way in which they were onboarded fell both on possible goals to be outlined and on current processes already taking place to assist in the transition to the Board positions.
Policy Committee Update
“This will affect our booster clubs” said Board member Karen Kleine as she shared that the Board’s policy on Gift Giving is being evaluated. “We’ll be asking for information on how often they give, how much they give - going back a few years pre-covid to see if any follow-up may be needed” she continued. “Not a formal audit, more an internal audit” the Board added.