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Date: 9/7/2021
AMHERST – The Amherst School Committee met to discuss a variety of agenda items including a possible move for sixth graders to Amherst Regional Middle School, staff COVID-19 mandates and more on Aug. 31.
In 2018, the district requested funds to complete a study exploring multiple grade level shifts at the Regional Level. The study showed that Amherst’s sixth grade students could fit within the middle school building due to declining enrollment in the district. This possibility is now being discussed by the Superintendent and School Committee for as soon as next year.
According to a slideshow presentation shown during the meeting, a vast majority of middle schools in Massachusetts and the United States are grades 6 through 8.
Superintendent Michael Morris said that if the School Committee votes to move sixth grade to Amherst Regional Middle School, the district will “work with stakeholders for the remainder of the school year to view 6 through 8 models, consult with experts in the field and develop and share the proposed model in advance of implementation.”
“I am confident that the educators and community in Amherst can develop an engaging model for our early adolescent students,” said Morris.
Morris said that there are currently space issues within Amherst elementary schools due to health, safety and COVID-19 changes.
“It’s really tight and, particularly during COVID-19, that’s a concern,” he said.
With COVID-19 spacing restrictions, Morris said that there has been a loss of cafeteria space for student lunches, loss of instructional spaces for some specials teachers and it has been challenging to find spaces for pull-out English Language Learners, Special Education and reading/math intervention services.
Cora Fernandez Anderson is a mother of two children in the Amherst School District, with one being in fifth grade. During the meeting, she expressed her concern that the shift is being rushed.
“My concern is that this is being a little bit rushed. My kid is now in fifth grade and we still don’t know if this is her last elementary school year, will she be there next year … It is a little bit too rushed to prepare a strong pedagogical program for next year. I understand the need for moving it, for having the new buildings and I support that, but why does it have to be next year?” she said.
Morris responded that the timeline will certainly be taken into consideration, but that he doesn’t recommend waiting for too long.
“I would encourage the committee to not think about four or five years down the road because those space issues aren’t going to go away and, particularly at Fort River, I think they’re going to continue to be challenging,” said Morris.
Allison McDonald, chair of the School Committee, reassured Fernandez Anderson that timeline would be discussed by the committee.
“The decision that’s in front of the School Committee is whether to move sixth grade to the middle school as well as the timing for that, so part of the proposal is to have it for 2022 given the space constraints, but that absolutely is part of our decision process that’s in front of us,” she said.
There will be another School Committee meeting on Sept. 21 that will allow for further public comment and discussion. Morris said that a feedback tool on this topic will also be emailed to families and staff next week.
The Amherst School Committee will officially vote on the move on Oct. 5 and there will be a potential vote from the Regional School Committee on Oct. 12.
Members of the public who would like to submit public comments to the Amherst School Committee are encouraged to send an email to McdonaldA@arps.org or leave a voicemail at 345-2949.
The School Committee also discussed a possible COVID-19 vaccination mandate for staff. Morris said that there could be an official vote on this at the next meeting. Committee members were able to give their thoughts and opinions on the mandate.
“I believe it’s important. Vaccines are a very important way of protecting students, staff, folks who don’t have the option of getting the vaccine… And right now vaccines are so widely available that I can’t really see a good reason why not to move forward with this,” said School Committee member Kerry Spitzer.
School Committee member Heather Lord brought up the subject of religious or medical exemptions from the vaccine. She proposed the idea of allowing COVID-19 testing once or twice a week for these individuals.
“I don’t know if we can think about making space for certain people that will either qualify for the religious exemption or really feel strongly they need to take the vaccine exemption through testing,” said Lord. “I’m still sort of wrestling with rights and liberty and safety and all of that.”
Morris agreed and said that he wants to think of a way to support staff members who might be hesitant. He said there is still a lot for him and the School Committee to think about at this time.
Morris also gave an update on ESSER II funds that the district has. He said that these funds will be going toward a variety of school improvements such as hiring additional staff at elementary schools to cover lunches, replacing HEPA filter units, preschool outreach, additional tables, benches and chairs, replacing library looks lost during remote learning time, mentors and counselors for employees and social-emotional training for staff.
The Amherst School Committee also voted to keep their meetings remote until further notice.
Those interested in viewing the Amherst School Committee meeting in its entirety are encouraged to visit the Amherst Media YouTube page.