The amount of detail it has taken public schools to safely open to hundreds of students, to educate and feed them, and find time and energy for professional development is staggering so it’s no wonder those attending the Rochester School Committee’s October 1 hybrid meeting either in person or via Zoom were brimming with optimism at a successful opening.
“The classroom community has really done a nice job adapting to what they’ve been seeing every day, and I really think that has a lot to do with why we’ve had such a great opening,” said Rochester Memorial School Principal Derek Medeiros. “I also think that the modeling piece has been huge. We opened up the recess, very basic, very simple, a walking track. They have an opportunity to go to two fresh-air stations, two areas that are no-brainers, easy for kids to follow things they’re used to.
“We did open the soccer game up again, but we did some modeling there before the games actually started. And then each recess, each day the kids have been in school, not only in the classroom but out at recess there’s actually been some modeling going on at different games.”
Member of the RMS staff attended a Playworks training session. “Our social workers and paraprofessionals that attended that have really done a nice job modeling some of those games and participating in those games in a safe way,” Medeiros, who added that modeling extends into the hallways with videos shown while students are in the cafeteria. September’s theme was cooperation, and October’s is assertiveness. Medeiros says RMS is building up its video pool.
“I couldn’t be more proud, great start,” he said of the return to school.
Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Dr. Jannell Pearson-Campbell organized professional development for RMS faculty with help from Dr. Christopher Clinton of UMass Dartmouth.
“Teachers know that we care by the professional development that we put together,” said Pearson-Campbell, who began keeping office hours to meet face to face with faculty at RMS with a plan to also be available at Old Hammondtown in Mattapoisett and Sippican School in Marion.
School Committee Chairperson Sharon Hartley asked Medeiros about progress with the new bus arrival and drop-off patterns.
“We definitely changed quite a bit back there,” said Medeiros, alluding to the internal practice administration got when school was shut down on March 13. He reported that parents have been patient and cooperative with the protocol to stay in the car and thanked the Rochester Police for their assistance.
“For sure, the two drop-off areas have been crucial,” he said. “We certainly have more parent vehicles than students on the bus, but our buses have been fantastic. Our bus drivers are smiling, greeting the kids every day, being that first face they see, being very cooperative with families, helping and assisting and answering questions. And, if they don’t have the answers, they’re certainly guiding them to us.”
Medeiros said Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Business Operations Howie Barber has gotten every single student on the waiting list onto the school bus. Medeiros said the buses have run a lot more smoothly with assigned seating.
“We are very fortunate to have a dedicated staff. I’ve talked a lot about being flexible problem solvers … I feel that our staff has really adopted that model,” said Old Rochester Regional School District Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson. “I have to say the students and the families have just truly been amazing (with the whole adjustment). … Most important, the kids are just truly resilient, in terms of compliance and being able to adjust on the fly.”
Nelson reported receiving support for the hybrid learning model from both the Rochester health agent and health nurse. He’s been putting together a dashboard that helps faculty structure how well the schools are faring with their learning model and what that might mean down the road. “We continue with metrics and data points on learning model … not trying to rush that conversation, but … important to let people know that conversation is taking place,” he said.
Last year nine children slated to attend Rochester Memorial School were home-schooled; that number is up to 27 this school year. There are 417 ORR district students in the hybrid learning model with 64 full-remote learners.
Medeiros reported that cohort sizes average around nine, reaching in one case up to 12 with several cohorts at 11 students. RMS’s 64 students in the full-remote learning model break down as follows: 2 in Project Grow (preschool), 11 in K-1, 24 in Grades 2-3, 23 in Grades 4-5, and five students in Grade 6.
RMS has divided its hybrid student body alphabetically according to last name, and it so works out that Cohort A (A-K) has 244 students and Cohort B (L-Z) has 246.
In Kindergarten, Cohort A is in three groups of 8, 6 and 7; Cohort B numbers 9, 10 and 8. In Grade 1, Cohort A has 9, 10 and 9 and Cohort B has 8, 8 and 9. In Grade 2, Cohort A has 9, 10 and 11 and Cohort B has 8, 8 and 8. In Grade 3, Cohort A has 7, 6, 6 and 7 and Cohort B has 9, 10, 11 and 9. In Grade 4, Cohort A has 9, 8 and 10 and Cohort B has 8, 8 and 9. In Grade 5, Cohort A has 12, 11 and 13 and Cohort B has 11, 11 and 11. In Grade 6, Cohort A has 11, 7 and 10, and Cohort B has 12, 11 and 11.
Nelson thanked school nurse Ellie Murphy for her leadership, expertise and professional approach. “Knock on wood, at this point Rochester Memorial does not have a positive COVID-19 (test) scenario with the students or staff members,” he said.
Mondays have been kept as similar as possible to a normal school day (approximating a traditional 8:40 am to 3:00 pm schedule) with check-ins by the teachers and synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities for students. Professional development opportunities occur from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Specialists are taking carts around campus.
The Rochester School Committee approved as an addendum to its Student Handbook several changes, including the ORR District’s Anti-Racism Resolution as approved by the Joint School Committee, facemask policies, information on remote learning including arrivals and dismissals, attendance in hybrid and full-remote models, lunch menus, COVID-19 health guidance, and the responsive classroom. The Student Handbook is entirely digital.
In his Financial Report, Barber reported that, of the entire $6,300,000 budget (90 percent of which is for academic instruction), $940,000 has yet to be encumbered.
Monday meal pickups are happening in the afternoon for full-remote students and hybrid-out students. The USDA is proposing free meals through December 2021. Free meals are set to expire in December, but Barber is hopeful that the program will be extended to the next school year (2021-22).
Chromebook distribution went well. ORR was hoping to have the iPads for Grades K-1 in September.
Barber said that Facilities Manager Gene Jones has been doing phenomenal work and that personal protective equipment needs have been coming in.
Barber also reported that three buses are operating at full capacity, usually 77 students but now 25 (32 percent of capacity). “I believe we still have a little bit of room (to add students),” said Barber, who hesitated to suggest Rochester Memorial School could add 20 students to its buses.
RMS has added two new substitute teachers.
In other business, the RMS School Committee voted to approve two donations, one for classwork supplies from the Rochester Lions including single-subject notebooks, student scissors, wooden rulers, pens, filler paper, and pencil cases, all to be used at the discretion of the school. The other donation is a bulk box of tissues from student parent Kelley Medeiros.
Nelson reported two staffing changes to Rochester School Committee.
Michael Forns is now in the building for six hours per day in a combined role as a lunch para and supporting bathroom breaks. “His energy is tremendous, his attitude is always positive, and he’s everywhere that you need him at the right time,” said Nelson.
Lisa Mazzuca, a paraprofessional involved in reading, has moved into a remote-learning teacher position.
Craig Davidson, ORR’s director of Student Services, reported on the district’s para-professionals taking a training course on the master-teacher e-learning platform. Davidson and Pearson-Campbell attended an October 1 meeting with 20 district leaders geared toward aspiring superintendents.
Nelson said he is participating in a statewide professional-development program with a mentor, a retired superintendent. The program is geared toward a superintendent’s first few years.
The committee went to Executive Session and only returned to adjourn. The next meeting of Rochester School Committee is scheduled for November 5. The next meeting of the Joint School Committee is scheduled for November 19.
Rochester School Committee
By Mick Colageo