e e e e e e e e e e e e hi Carrie good evening hi Ursula waiting for Jose and Curtis hi Jose hi Christina Julia hello is running late should we begin should wait Carrie do you have an opinion how late is he running five minutes yeah we should probably begin then what's that I think we should probably start okay okay Steve did you have your hand up yeah I was gonna just say we could stop by you know beginning the call to order reading the mission statements starting to hear public comments and then that should give Curtis time great okay I would like to call the Mount Greylock Regional School District school committee to order it is Wednesday May 22nd 8:01 p.m. we are meeting remotely via Zoom this will be televised on wiet TV um and it will the recording will be available on Mount Greylock Regional School District YouTube channel within 24 hours and also on Willet TV um if we could please um call the roll alphabetically by a last name Owen Bowen here here Constantine here green here Malloy here Miller here thank you it will be the mission at Mount Greylock Regional School District our mission is to create a community of Learners working together in a safe and challenging learning environment that encourages restorative based processes respect inclusive diversity courtesy integrity and responsibility through high expectations and cooperation resulting in lifelong learning and personal growth we have public agenda on um or sorry public comment on the agenda I have one person signed up digitally um so I will call on that person first and then if anyone else would like to make public comment if you could raise your hand I would call on you um in the order that I see on the screen if that's fair if you could state your name the agenda topic to which you are speaking and then everyone has three minutes to speak okay so the first person who signed up for public comment is Ralph Hammond can you hear me yes okay yeah I am very deeply saddened to hear of Dr mccandless's resignation I know Jake to be a sincerely kind and caring person as well as a true educator whose honesty is really Beyond reproach in my 35 years as a teacher I've worked with many superintendant and other such leaders and I can say with some Authority but utmost sincerity that you will not have found a more compassionate man Than Jake he he really is an intimidatingly good person it's true that we've disagreed on some issues particularly my opposition to Dei strategies but our discussions have included argumentation in the very best In classical sense of that word and they've been entered into with thoughtfulness and respect I am sorry that our debates will come to an untimely end Jake and I'm sorry that our children will not experience your humanity and humility Mount grock was lucky to get you Jake but I don't think you've been very lucky to get this District particularly my town Williamstown I believe you've been unfairly attacked for trying to do the work especially that referred to as Dei the work that has been asked of you and without having spoken to you or knowing of your reasons for leaving it seems clear to me and many many other people that it's a certain viciousness of intolerant and hypocritical and ironically Dei driven people who have rushed to judgment in search of a scapegoat if you and your Administration have been guilty of anything it's a being nice it's a virtue but not always a workable one when dealing with certain miscreant whether they be young and in need of discipline or old enough to know better um I also extend my my sympathy to Cindy shiu who it would seem is also under assult and who has been loved by many kids at West but I came here primarily to speak to Jake of Jake whom I regard as a friend I'm so sorry that you're leaving I'm disgusted with those that I believe have precipitated this whoever follows you had best wear armor and carry a big stick and finally Jake in your emails you've always wished us and our families well that's been meaningful I hope that you find Solace with your wonderful family that you've nurtured and in the good books that you can look forward to reading and yes I do a film for you so on behalf of the many who really truly grieve your departure I I thank you for what truly has been service in your best effort thank you that's all thank you Ral Stephanie I see your hand up Christina just a point of order um I know we welcome all public comment but I think um personally I'd just like to see us refrain from [Music] from attacking not not just individuals but groups of individuals if we could just keep it all civil and that would be um that would be helpful thank you thank you car do you want me to go now yes Stephanie hi I apologize the camera on my computer is not working so um I don't have any video but I I just want to say that I've been very impressed with the work of the administration and the school committee and I want to take a moment to thank Jake and Cindy who are leaving us for their service to our community I I know you know around the world and in Williamstown we are struggling these days with you know sympathy for those involved with Wars um with racial issues and I really think this is a moment for our whole Community to come together and to figure out how to live and work together and I I know we can do that so I have such great faith in in you as a committee in the administration and the teachers in the school and all the parents and the kids that I see every day in Williamstown um and so I look forward to working with you as we move on to the next steps thank you so much for your service thank you stepanie would anyone else like public comment before we move on I don't currently see any hands up okay um moving on to the next agenda item superintendent and Williamstown Elementary School principal resignations if the committee is amendable I'd like to read a statement that I prepared dear Mount Greylock School Community I share your disappointment with the news that Dr mckenas will be leaving our district at the end of this school year over the last four years our district has benefited greatly from his wisdom unabashed honesty kindness and experience Dr mckenas steered our team through our covid reopening and began the difficult Community conversation about bias in our district he invested time in and mentored new leaders and built a strong relationship with our classroom Educators he has stewarded our increasingly limited Financial Resources while maintaining the quality of Education our district delivers most notably was and is his unwavering commitment to the success of all of our district children they also share your disappointment with the news that principal sheiki at Williamstown Elementary School will be departing her depth of knowledge and experience genuine kindness infectious energy engagement with our community collaboration with staff and her concern for the welfare of each individual child is deep she too aely LED through the return to school after covid and the challenges that virtual learning created both Dr mckenas and principal sheii will be greatly missed and we their respective difficult decisions both personal and private to leave the district at this time I hope you can do the same I believe the school committee is committed to continuing the work that both principal sheii and Dr mandas have focused on for our district to be the caring community that ensures all students can Thrive while we will be working with new leaders our purpose will remain the same I am grateful for the many professionals who keep our district running smoothly in seen and unseen ways they will continue to ensure our students arrive safely at school learn effect effectively and have the supports to engage productively I have faith that the remaining leadership will ensure limited impact on students day-to-day experiences please don't hesitate to reach out to me at C conry mjhs.org with any thoughts or questions um and I welcome any comments from the committee see so I I'll just second what you said and then just to you know say it very concisely um you know as a famous question asks you know many years ago are you better off now than you were four years ago and in both buildings the answer is unquestionably yes thanks to the wonderful service of both individuals in very challenging times your best wishes they will be remembered and they have helped build something enduring here thank you Steve Julia all thank you Christina um I didn't prepare anything quite as um quite like you and I want to just say a few things as I listen to you um and know that I suspect all the others on the call have also been kind of reeling and thinking about um the sadness of this moment um or of the sadness of the last few weeks um but I'm you know hearing people around town um really sad I sharing the same sentiments that you shared and I'm hearing other you know perspectives of the people who want to see change I not necessarily in leadership but people who are looking for faster change in our district and I I think I I so appreciate what you wrote because um we are I I am so grateful for the leadership of both uh Cindy sheii and Jake and I know um it it you know the work is hard um change is not fast and it's um and I think they have both demonstrated such commitment to our students um I also want to name um how much I appreciate you encouraging people to keep their decisions honor their decisions um and you know we all have to make decisions for our own reasons and I just want to um underscore that as well I I love what you wrote um I guess what I want to also say is is there any way that um I don't know what your intention is for that letter if that's something that you plan to send out um I guess I want to ask our committee do we want to ask that it come from all of us or just you or how would we want to um I I would like to sign sign that too thank you I would as well I'm very grateful for Christina for drafting that and for for reading it tonight um I think she's captured the sentiments of the board um you know there's a lot of hard feelings around this and it's a very difficult um Crossroads that we've come to and uh I think we are a team that is committed to um moving forward in the best interests of the District of working with all families of working with Administration and supporting the administration um in trying to uh figure out the best path forward so um I would certainly sign that letter and and approve sending it out I don't know if you want a motion on that Christina but I'm happy to move um if you'd like I don't know if you want just consensus it's up to you yeah I mean we can vote or we can consensus whatever makes the most sense I mean I think probably consensus makes sense um and I can circulate it to the group Steve are we allowed to vote on it I'm just looking at a procedural issue in terms of how things are written it says vote by next steps and so I guess if we count this as a Next Step yeah but that's tied to the other that's tied to the next agenda item hi ctis then if if that's the case we can't vote if it's not the agenda yeah I think it has to be consensus so I'd say consensus is fine I'm happy to share with the with the committee thank you arsela okay um Curtis Jose has his hand up Jose I didn't see it no sorry Christina I don't know uh are we you looking for affirmation from us or some sign that we are we sure agreement absolutely and and I had just a comment that I wanted to share but I'll wait till we um we move on you can share your comment I think I I saw thumbs up from Ursula and Curtis so I think that's everyone thanks Christina um apologies as I I pause to uh you know control a whole range of feelings that I have have uh also apologies that I I don't have prepared remarks and it and it's because I I really want to speak from the heart um I know that much of what I will say will be unpopular um I hope not upsetting but these are my truths as I as I see it I see them you know I've served this is my uh towards the end of my fourth year serving on this school committee and uh I was motivated you know four years ago to join the committee because of a whole range of experiences that I had learned our children uh were experiencing in our district um and I was eager to be a part of a process you know to be a part of of something that might help address those challenges those you know those harms um there have been times when I have been a lonely vote on the school committee uh because you know I I happen to see things differently with regards to our approach to supporting a diverse and inclusive you know School District uh but in spite of being a lonely vote it's important for me to acknowledge publicly that I am proud to have served over these past four years with each and every one of you and that is because I know that even if we disagree we all want the best for all of our children we may disagree on how to get there but I know that to be the truth in addition you know the leadership that our Administration has provided us from Jake to Cindy to NL you name it all across the board you know we have Ellie on and several representatives from our our district are are on the call with us um I have disagreed with the pace of change I've disagreed with our approach to issues of transparency issues of addressing bias and discrimination and racial harm but I have treasured every minute of leadership that we have been provided by Jake and and Cindy I truly believe as we've heard in this call already that those two administrators both of them cared about each of our kids every single one of our children that said what we heard last week from our families All That Remains true our kids do experience all kinds of harm in our district we have a responsibility not just as a district but as a community and as communities to be brave enough to call these challenges out to recognize where they stem from they don't stem from the district they stem from the very fabric of our communities and Until We are brave enough to address these challenges I'm worried that around and around will go we will never make the real progress that that's needed and as we start a journey for looking for new leadership I honestly there's no other verb I can come up with at the moment other than pray hope that we can come together as communities to be brave enough to address the challenges the real challenges we face every single one of them together and support in in support of leadership that will help instigate meaningful lasting change to protect our kids and to celebrate our wonderful communities thanks thank you Jose okay um any other thoughts from the committee on that agenda item Julia um first of all if that if Jose hadn't prep you know well I I shudder to think of what he could prepare um those that was eloquent both from Jose and KY on the spot and I so appreciate the words you shared as well um I don't know if this is the place to talk about this um but and I think this work will be ongoing but I hope that we as a committee can also say um it's challenging because I the decisions were quite private but what can we do differently or better um to ensure that our leaders um have the support we have the knowledge and we can you know know when these things are bubbling in a way that is more supportive for the district and I I just want to name that because I I hold right now certainly questions for of what could I have done differently or better um and I oh sorry that's a zoom thing for me that I don't understand um I and so I I want to just name that and I don't think there's necessarily any answers tonight but I just ask that others maybe join me in thinking about that um going forward thank you Julia okay moving on to agenda number five next steps regarding superintendent position inter term and permanent hiring process um the like the committee to know that I um reached out to NC and I reached out to Legal councel just to start trying to figure out what the next steps are for us as a committee in this process um uh masc was very clear that this is not a great time to be looking for either an interm superintendent or a superintendent the season of that is closing um or has essentially closed um so there isn't a great pool of candidates right now um if we were could you just name what masc stands for oh sure the Terri you should because you are are the president of our division okay if the Massachusetts Association of school committees and they work with districts across the state in superintendent searches they're not the only um organization that does this work but they are the organization that we have worked with most often in in doing this work thank you for pointing out that I was using acronyms which I despise personally um so um in trying to figure out next steps um I did reach out to Joe so I will um um I did reach out to Joe as our assistant superintendent to determine his comfort level and in being um an interm superintendent while we start a very careful um and deliberate search for a replacement superintendent um and Joe I don't know if you want to share your thoughts on that uh sure um I see so many faces here honestly that's great um to see so many families and staff members uh even if your cameras aren't on I I can see you in your living rooms um the opportunity to serve students staff in a community is something that as a duty I feel I really need to do um doing that to bridge the gap between right now and when this committee is able to hire a permanent um is something that I'm certainly willing to do and a offer all of the stability and support and also push continue to push forward in areas where I know that we that we can and should um you know this will be if the committee is willing uh temporary of course until a permanent search uh search for a permanent superintendent concludes um and I do want to say to any potential permanent superintendent out there um um I would love to work with you I would love to work with you on behalf of this entire District so please come please come I will very happily resume assistant superintendent duties and serve that to the best of my ability as soon as you arrive um so with that said I'll uh send it back to you Christina thank you Joe so um the thought process currently is if um we can get um Joe in as interm superintendent um and work with masc uh to maybe sit down this summer and um really outline what we want the search process to look like um identify you know the ideal um essentially the ideal scenario because there are different um there are different ways we can engage with masc in terms of a superintendent search so they could come out and have a discussion with us about what that could look like and we can make a choice around that essentially they said um that should start that superintendent search should start in September and they could potentially bring um start to bring candidates forward in November um but it may that that may not be the case they may not have candidates until um later so um uh that would be sort of that step one of the steps that we would have to agree on is working with Joe as interum agreeing to a retreat so we can we can establish the process going forward and then from there we would start the process um I essenti what happens is in September sort of that pool starts to open back up again um but people will start looking towards you know the middle of the school year for um potential new positions that are available any thoughts questions need for more explanation Christina I I think you would be helpful to know um you know how how we would manage the sort of educational leadership of the district um and and how I mean Joe has been respon Joe you've been responsible for um the business end of the district and have moved into some of the educational more you've moved more and more into the educational aspects of the district as well and you worked with Jake uh to support the Dei work and um you know you you know our staff and other and administrators as and our faculty and a lot of our kids um so I I fully support this um I would just like to know um a little bit more about how we'll be able to continue to support um our school principls and our our faculty um the curricular development and those things that Joe hasn't maybe had as much experience with um in terms of educational leadership sure I can offer up a little bit of detail there I I think we have um a real depth of experience and knowledge within the administrative group in that respect um and it it would not be fair at all for me to to speak to the steps that I would take specifically but but I would definitely seek to elevate people to take on various challenges and to and to view it as a team effort um in a number of areas including the ones that you just said so thank you Julia I first I'd just like to um thank Joe uh for being willing to to stand in um and express my um agreement that that is the kind of of how we can keep the greatest stability in our district uh over the course of the next year um and when I think about to of the ab absolutely the academic program always needs to be a focus and it's good Carrie for you to have asked Joe to speak to that um but I also think about um our efforts we know an effort is to um figure out how to move forward with such a huge um budget deficit uh because since we can't keep taking money from reserves and I think that's going to take a lot of leadership so it makes sense to me that um that's a key priority for the district and Joe will understand that work deeply um and his engagement over the last uh year in moving forward a number of initiatives in Dei and obviously that remains um and must be one of our key initiatives um so I I want to just express my support for Joe stepping into that role I also want to ask about the longer term process for hiring the next superintendent and again if this is a if this is for a retreat at a later Point um I don't know enough about the masc process um and I want to make sure that the process is very much informed by Our Community Voices I and uh I just I I wonder I when I hear something like send us candidates I just want to know all the steps we get we have to go through before that to make sure that um we can be assured the cand that we really have of we and by we I actually mean you know the community um has a say and what it is we think we really need uh and also in um you know crafting that job description and being clear about our priorities um so I I just want to name that and that might be for a later point but you know I'm not I'm not stepping into this saying I'm you know I think masc should be leading this process I don't know anything about their process yet so yep no I think that's all valid and um I think it is those questions that we bring to the retreat um definitely Steve so just to um follow up or answer some of the points that Julia brought up we've done it two different ways in the last two times we've had superintendent searches the last time we had the masc bring forward candidates which the committee as a whole then looked at and the time before that we formed a sub Committee of the transition committee uh because we were transitioning from three school districts to one which then prepared some materials and then we formed a superintendent search committee with representation from the school committee the teachers the administration students Town leaders and got input from various sources and then that committee Advanced two names to the full committee to deliberate on in the end so I just thought it might be useful to have some historical perspective of the two very different approaches we've taken in the past which will be I'm sure sure discussed at The Retreat thank you Steve for that history that's great Jose yeah I just wanted to to to speak um you into a feeling that many of us I'm sure are sharing you know this feeling of of probably of grieving that we're experiencing and a sense of loss um because of two really important uh leaders in our district and and you know hu a huge loss in in in Jake but I want to acknowledge the the role that that Joe has played um in our district um over the course of these past four years that I've been here Joe has been integral and uh and helping to move our district to do better and be better for all our kids and I want to uh this speak to the the and the gratitude that Julia just expressed and grateful Joe that you were willing to to to step into this new role um and I would ask and hope that you would ask us uh for anything that you might need to continue being successful in all the ways that you support our kids uh and I hope that we and I'm sure that we as a school committee would be willing to to help support you however you know we can as a as a committee thanks thank you Jose so Christina you have a vote on the agenda what kind of a vote are you looking for around this so um I think we need to vote well I don't know how this works I think we need to vote to um accept I don't know if it's an accept or appoint Joe as interim superintendent well then do we sorry but is it more than just accept is it then to enter into negotiations that's that would be the next agenda item yeah so the the item as it's written here is um next steps regarding superintendent position interim plus Su plus permanent hiring process vote so it s it sounds from the way the agenda is written that you're looking for support on what you had proposed which is to yep have an interim um we know we're talking about Joe um and then moving into a search process in the next year and I would move to support that um strategy for moving forward and again thank Joe for his willingness to um Step Up into this Ro I'll second the motion and the thanks okay Carrie moov Steve seconded any um further discussion on that okay all in favor r i hry i Elfen B ey green I Malloy I Miller I thank you motion passes thank you Joe thank you everyone for that thoughtful discussion so next up on the agenda would be the appointment of individual or subcommittee to negotiate with possible interm superintendent um I reached out to our legal council he recommended that um the chair be the negotiating person between the interum and U the committee so essentially if if you are comfortable with that um we can go forward with that method do you want a formal motion on that sure all right I move following advice of District Council that we appoint the chair to negotiate with the assistant superintendent to become the interim superintendent thank you do I have a second Curtis I discussion Julia I saw your hand up just a not having been in this position before um just curious what if the council provided any rationale for that approach um specifically I'm trying to think not really other than it's a it's a quicker it's a quicker way because if we have if we have to form a subcommittee and meet and do all that stuff it gets pretty tricky um so but it is it is the committee as a whole putting their trust in me to negotiate on your behalf which I am uh certainly fine to do that how what is so you negotiate and then you bring back uh an agreement for us to to there would be you know yeah we would work on that in executive session yeah Steve well I I don't necessarily know you know all of what legal council is thinking but we're talking about negotiations with someone who has served the district well for many years who knows us we know him so you know to me this is very different than if we had you know someone we didn't know and then it might be more valuable to have diverse voices on the negotiating committee I'm fine with this situation given the context okay thank you Steve any further discussion all in favor B and I conry I Constantine ey alen B ey green I Maloy I Miller I thank you that motion passes um I do not have any other items for discussion [Music] um Carrie did you yeah I I just you know we received an email from someone about um the availab or the availability of papers um for a school committee yes um so and that was just today or yesterday or something so it's like all right um there are seats that are coming up in the fall I think two in Williamstown and one in Lanesboro and I think that we had planned to put it on the agenda for June still will be agenda for folks who are currently serving to just kind of let the community know whether they're planning to continue to serve or or not um but those papers are available um at least uh they are available at the district um if anybody is interested in in taking them out including current school committee members um the deadline for turning them in is July 23d to the towns um so just wanted to put that date on people's radar since I had um sent that information out to the person who requested the information and we will we will um we will have that on the agenda um coup weeks thank you Steve um I wasn't going to bring this up but since Carrie has just brought up something from a member of the district um and I'm F either having the discussion now or having the discussion in June although it is somewhat times sensitive we did receive a petition about saving the ladin program as well as numerous emails and as the petition arrived with within 48 Hours it does technically fall in that category and so I don't know if the committee would be willing and comfortable discussing uh the Lain program now or if that needs to wait until the June meeting knowing that this would be after the Williamstown meeting tomorrow well I think um I think the plan Christina am I right is to put it on the June agenda yes um it has nothing to do with the timing of the you know town meeting or anything it's just that you know um in order for something to go on the agenda for a regular me I mean this regular no this a yeah so I would I personally would prefer whatever the timing issues are um to take this up at the regular June meeting yes thank you some something to note just so that we and members of the public are all are all um aware of it Dr MCAS is the superintendent until until there is some sort of transition structure agreement in place so that's you know this vote tonight did not change that at all and now there will be discussions about the the how's and the Ws of of M departing and an interim starting um and and I think that's that's a critical thing to not just so we don't have any confusion with with school committee or with staff or or with or with families around around what's happening there so I think it's just important to make sure that that is noted that that the next step is to actually figure out what that transition looks like in terms of the Ws in the house thank you Joe yeah thank you Joe and I I would ask that that be part of the discussion that takes place between you and the school committee chair um you know that we do need a transition plan we need to know at some point you know what that is going to look like and hopefully we can be informed um about that at the June meeting that would be really helpful thank you okay um any other agenda requests would someone like to make a motion to adjourn um before we do that could I just also say thank you to the administr who are on this call um and who are working in all of our buildings um you know our heart goes out to you um this is just a really challenging time and thank you thank you for all the work that you're doing for our kids and you know we're thinking about you thank you krie motion to adjourn so moved mov do I have a I will make it easier for the minute person Miller second all in favor oh and I hry ey Constantine ey elen Bine ey green ey Malloy I Miller I thank you it is 8:47 and this meeting is ajed night all night night