BERKSHIRE HILLS REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Great Barrington                     Stockbridge                  West Stockbridge

SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING

Teleconference Meeting

April 9, 2020 – 5:30pm

Present:

School Committee:                 S. Bannon, D. Weston, B. Fields, D. Singer, A. Potter, Anne Hutchinson

Administration:                       P. Dillon

Staff/Public:                             Eileen Mooney

Absent:                                     Sharon Harrison, R. Dohoney, M. Thomas, S. Stephen, J. St. Peter

RECORDER NOTE:  Meeting attended by recorder and minutes transcribed during the meeting and after the fact from live recording provided by CTSB.  Length of meeting:  hour, 7 minutes.

CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Steve Bannon called the meeting to order immediately at 5:30pm.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

The listing of agenda items are those reasonably anticipated by the chair, which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed, and other items not listed may be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law. This meeting is being recorded by CTSB, Committee Recorder, members of the public with prior Chair permission and will be broadcast at a later date. Minutes will be transcribed and made public, as well as added to our website, www.bhrsd.org once approved.

Superintendent’s Report:

  • Proposed Vote to Approve Working thru the April Break – P. Dillon – What I am asking for your support in doing is having the teachers and students respectfully teach and learn through the April break, April 21-24th, four days. The Commissioner gave districts permission to do this.  If we work those four days instead of ending on Thursday June 25th, we would end on Friday, June 19th.  The primary reason for doing this is we are starting to hit a little bit of a stride in remote learning and we don’t want to get it going and stop and get it going again.  Obviously, no one is going anywhere so it isn’t like someone is going to miss it because they are going to Florida.  We are here for the durable so we think it is a good idea.  Most of our surrounding district has done it but not all.  Richmond just voted on it; Lenox and Lee are both doing it and Southern Berkshire is going to vote.  North Adams voted to do it and Mt. Greylock as well.  The 45 kids at Hancock will be doing it as well.  I don’t know about Central Berkshire.  It is not usual that we do it; it is a common thing.  It will maintain some routine in a world that is upside down.  Bannon – it makes sense to do it, in my opinion.  We checked in with the teachers on this and there is almost unanimous support.  There are one or two folks who don’t want to but everybody else did.  It is nice that we do this in partnership with them.   MOTION TO APPROVE CONTINUED REMOTE LEARNING THROUGH APRIL BREAK, APRIL 21-25             D WESTON                   SECONDED B. FIELDS                 ACCEPTED:  UNANIMOUS WITH ROLL CALL  B. Fields – I am very impressed with the teachers and the whole district in this.  I like the way it was done.  There are a lot of things that are new to all and I think our district is ahead from what I have been reading from the state.  I have a daughter in Oregon and they are closed for the rest of the year.  They are still trying to figure out this remote learning and a lot of kids don’t have Chromebooks and it is a real mess.  I see in our districts and throughout the state and I think we are as good as can get.  I think the teachers and the staff and through administration and Peter kudos to them.  I would like the word to get out to them that we are appreciative to them in what we are doing.  A. Potter – absolutely.  I think places in Oregon, they are doing just fine.  P. Dillon – thank you Bill.  It is a pretty heavy lift.  I echo your comments and appreciate what all have done.  S. Bannon – if we try to plan this and do it, it probably would have taken us a year.

Business Operation:

Education News:

Old Business:

  • New Business:
    • Public Comment
    • Written Communication

MOTION TO ADJOURN – A. POTTER                SECONDED:  B. FIELDS                         ACCEPTED:  UNANIMOUS BY ROLL CALL

Meeting Adjourned at 5:37pm

Submitted by:

Christine M. Kelly, Recorder

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Christine M. Kelly, Recorder

 

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School Committee Secretary