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Date: 5/28/2021
SOUTH HADLEY – The South Hadley School Committee discussed a SHEA update, a superintendent transition update and the face mask policy at their May 20 meeting.
SHEA Update
South Hadley Education Association (SHEA) representative and executive board member Amy Foley shared with the committee some of the viewpoints from teachers across the district have been sharing with her in regard to negotiations.
“I think it’s really important that we know how teachers are feeling,” Foley said. “In talking with teachers, one of the challenges that has come up with negotiations started with the budget process and that the School Committee decided to incorporate a two percent raise into next year’s budget.”
She continued, “That sounds great, but that two percent raise was based on our existing salaries and it didn’t factor in the negotiation that was happening at that time. I think teachers were put off by that. To be fair, I felt I needed to express the opinions of my colleagues around the budget and negotiations.” Foley noted she talked to people at all of the different schools and said those were the biggest touching points that came up.
In response Chairperson Allison Schlachter said, “Amy we appreciate your voice and we appreciate hearing what the members are feeling and thinking. I know it’s not easy to share some of these things, but we appreciate you doing it.”
Face Mask Policy
The committee made a motion to accept the amendments to School Committee face mask policy that includes allowing children to have recess outdoors unmasked, PE classes outdoors unmasked and any other teacher-led outdoor learning activity outdoors unmasked.
Superintendent Transition Update
Schlachter announced that Interim Superintendent Dr. Diana Bonneville and Dr. Jahmal Mosley will tour all four schools together. Bonneville will continue being the acting Superintendent until June 30 although she’ll be taking vacation time starting June 11 to the 30, while Mosley will be spending time in the district the last three weeks of June transitioning.
“We’re working on a seamless plan where Dr. Bonneville will continue to be the Superintendent of Schools until June 11,” Schlachter replied. “We also want Dr, Mosley to come to South Hadley and come to the schools and start to be more present here the last couple of weeks in June.”