Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 10/4/2022
AMHERST – The Amherst Regional Public Schools (ARPS) School Committee convened for a lengthy meeting on Sept. 27. Updates throughout the region were shared and several pressing issues were discussed.
Superintendent Michael Morris began the meeting with a moment of silence for the late Anna Burns, a student at Amherst Regional High School (ARHS) who passed away on Sept. 13. This was the first regional School Committee meeting since their passing.
“It’s a tragedy. Our focus has shifted to ‘How do we support the family; how do we support classmates and staff members who knew Anna and had incredibly positive relationships with Anna?,” Morris said.
He thanked the community at large for pulling together and sending their goodwill throughout this difficult time.
General updates from the committee
Assistant Superintendent Doreen Cunningham was invited by Congressman Danny K. Davis and the Congressional Black Caucus to participate in the 51st Annual Legislative Conference, which ran from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2 in Washington DC. This year’s conference theme was “Advancing our purpose, elevating our power.” She was scheduled to speak about her work in ARPS around advancing a diverse faculty and staff in the region.
On Sept. 15, a series of small fires were set in Amherst Regional High School (ARHS) bathrooms by students lighting towel dispensers on fire, leading to the evacuation and early dismissal of students and cancellation of athletic events. Fortunately, no one was injured and the fires were put out quickly. It was a criminal offense, and the case is still open, so Morris could not say much on the matter, but did note that he and members of the Police, Fire and Community Responders for Equity, Safety & Service (CRESS) departments have “taken measures to make sure that scenario won’t repeat itself with the student or students involved.”
Morris thanked not only the first responders but also the bus drivers who showed up on short notice to bring students home early, and the students who witnessed the offence and told faculty promptly, aiding in the fires’ containment.
Several recent events were briefly recapped. On the afternoon of the meeting ARPS hosted a “well-attended” flu vaccine clinic. Sept. 22’s Amherst Regional Middle School (ARMS) open house was a success, with many parents reportedly happy to be back in-person. Sept. 23’s Puerto Rican Heritage Day celebration was similarly successful, with a performance from ARHS’s Conjunto de Bomba dance group highlighting Puerto Rican culture dazzling the crowd, in addition to performances from several local elementary schools.
Morris delivered a health and safety update regarding COVID-19 procedures and trends. Masks and face coverings are still highly recommended indoors but not required. They are only required when inside the nurse’s office, where they are provided free of charge. Strict social distancing is no longer enforced, but large gatherings of students are still avoided. Virtual meetings are hosted whenever possible.
Anyone experiencing cold or flu symptoms is advised no to come to school. Morris himself had chosen to work from home on the day of the meeting because of a head cold; and said by staying home, he decreased the risk of spreading it to others. If one does test positive for COVID-19, they are mandated to at least five days of out-of-school isolation. On days six through 10 they may return to school under the condition of wearing a face mask at all times except when eating or drinking.
Rapid tests are available free of charge for symptomatic persons upon completion of a consent form. Asymptomatic persons can still get rapid tested at pharmacies with insurance.
The district dashboard is still being maintained to monitor trends in spikes or drops in caseloads. There have not been any “wild” surges recently, but new cases still emerge every day. Morris pointed out that in the 14 days preceding the meeting there was a roughly 40 percent increase in cases statewide compared to the 14-day period before that. This could be attributed to the start of school. There is some concern that with winter coming soon, these numbers could increase even further.
Morris also noted that upon attending a conference recently he was privy to embargo data that he could not speak on in depth for confidentiality purposes. However, he did say that there has been a “shocking” increase in chronically absent students across the state over the past year. Chronic absence refers to students absent for more than 10 percent of the school year. When cross referenced with MCAS results, which were released after press time, Morris said this trend has “deeply concerning implications for learning.”
Transportation concerns
One issue brought up during the meeting is the inconsistency for transportation for students riding the bus from Leverett and Shutebury leading to students not arriving on time at the middle school and high school. The regional agreement states that ARPS must provide transport for elementary school students from all member towns, even though those schools are technically not under ARPS jurisdiction. The extra distance to go from these elementary schools to ARHS and ARMS coupled with a variety of extenuating factors has led to repeated late arrivals for many Shutesbury and Leverett students.
Amherst and Pelham elementaries have a drop off time of 8:10 a.m., while Shutesbury Elementary School (SES) and Leverett Elementary School (LES) drop off is 8:15 a.m. These are the earliest drop off times allowed under contract; several parties reported that buses sometimes arrive at SES and LES at 8:11, and students must simply sit on the idling buses until the clock strikes 8:15 a.m. before they may disembark. ARMS and ARPS start time is 9 a.m., but high- and middle-schoolers coming from Shutesbury and Leverett often arrive anywhere from five to 15 minutes late.
Jaeden Case of Shutesbury, a student at ARHS, spoke at the meeting to represent her classmates who were suffering from this dilemma. She said that although the schools usually do not mark students as late because of bus issues, those first minutes in the morning can be crucial for a successful day. By missing the start of first period, students may not be able to access their lockers. Athletes may not be able to drop off equipment, a common practice for most sports teams. Students may have a test first period; should they miss enough of it, they may be unable to finish, and be required to stay late after school to complete it potentially interfering with other commitments, or risk failing the test altogether.
Morris cleared the air, stating firmly that there is no tension between ARPS and Union 28, which represents the bus drivers of the routes in question, nor does he blame these drivers for the lateness personally. Instead, several underlying causes prevailed.
The committee agreed there is insufficient time in between the elementary school start and the middle and high school start times. Director of Facilities Rupert Roy Clark said that “in my perfect world, there would be a minimum of an hour in between,” as opposed to the current 45 minutes.
He also noted variability of weather conditions also plays a big role. Rain, snow, heavy winds, and other inclement weather delay safe driving, and the many dirt roads present in Leverett and Shutesbury exacerbate these delays.
Morris said several large construction projects on the main roads of these towns present blockages of the fastest routes. Detours may be several miles apart. The significant turnover rate among drivers has led to a proliferation of many new drivers who are unfamiliar with the routes and the areas in general. As such, they are unable to make quick judgement calls regarding the fastest alternative route when presented with detours, a dynamic which is only worsened by poor weather and dirt roads.
There have been some attempts at mitigation which have improved the situation somewhat, though not entirely. Routes are tailored annually based on the student population. The total number of stops on a given route has been shortened with the introduction of clustered neighborhood stops. A total of 68 Leverett and Shutesbury students (representing 48 stops) living in border zones have been added to routes that were formerly Amherst-only. Routes have also started to be refined during the school year based on actual ridership rather than just the bus list.
The committee is exploring a new model which would add a bus or van to specific stops, reducing the overall time of the route. The costs of such a measure, including the purchase or lease of a van and hiring a driver, run from around $60k to $70k per year, and would be split between the ARPS, LES and SES.
Any changes to start- or drop-off times or transportation responsibilities will require a lengthy process to be drafted and implemented. It would necessitate bargaining and contract negotiation with multiple unions as well as amending the regional agreement, written in the 1950s and unchanged since. As such, the committee could not reach a clear solution, and agreed to revisit the topic soon.
CRESS Updates
Amherst CRESS director Earl Miller joined the committee to discuss the current status and progress of drafting the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between CRESS, the town of Amherst, and ARPS, as well as CRESS’s involvement in schools since its inception.
ARHS Principal Talib Sadiq shared reports of working with Miller to brainstorm an alternative to suspension. They are considering an option which would allow students to perform community service on Saturdays to fulfill their disciplinary action. This would mean students would not have to miss class and would not be sitting at home with the potential to get into more trouble.
Sadiq added that although ARHS has not seen any conflicts between students erupt on social media yet this year, it has been known to occur, and should it occur from now on, CRESS members could perform home visits with all students involved. By visiting these students when the conflict first emerges in the afternoon or evening, the conflict could be diffused and mediated before students see each other in person at school the next morning.
Miller restated CRESS’s ethics of consensual engagement, anti-racism, refusal to engage in surveillance and its mission to peacefully resolve conflicts and connect individuals in need with the proper resources without punishment. When committee member Irv Rhodes voiced his confusion as to why CRESS would be involved with the school district, Miller responded by pointing out that CRESS is an all-purpose public safety organization seeking to protect and support the entire community however it can, and as such, it is natural that they would perform this same duty to the schools which are part of this community.
Rhodes had several requests for provisions within the MOU that he deemed mandatory for successfully integrating CRESS into ARPS: He felt that the rules of engagement for CRESS members dealing with students should be laid out in detail, and then made available to students, faculty and parents. There must be clear guidelines as to how CRESS will be treated in the school ecosystem in terms of authority. Schools should not be charged whatsoever for CRESS services, and moreover, these services should only be available upon targeted request; CRESS should not be a regular, everyday presence on campus. The MOU must be reviewed by the town’s attorney, school’s attorney, assessed in terms of liability and authority, and the results of the review reported to the School Committee prior to the MOU being approved by Miller, Morris, and Town Manager Paul Bockelman. Rhodes stated that if these conditions could not be met, then CRESS should not be involved with ARPS.
Miller acknowledged Rhodes’ concerns and promised to address each point made. He said that he is currently working on roughly two dozen other MOUs with various public departments and entities.
“The last time we started a new public safety department in Amherst, there were horse and buggies in front of Town Hall,” Miller said.
Because of the unchartered territory and massive workload to be navigated, Miller asked for patience and understanding from the committee while CRESS figures out how to best serve the schools and the town. The committee was supportive of Miller’s mission and message. He said that he was aiming to have a revised draft of the MOU ready by late October.
Sixth grade transition to ARMS
A new survey gathering feedback to best accommodate the sixth grade transition to ARMS in fall 2023 is nearing completion and is almost ready for distribution. Morris said that the general consensus among community members was that the previous survey was “too open ended,” so the new survey has more focus questions to narrow down the best choices of action.
Committee members will be going to every fifth grade classroom in Amherst Public Schools to get student feedback. They will also consult the Middle School Student Council, middle school faculty and staff and the general public.
A new estimate states that there will be 139 incoming sixth graders to ARMS next fall. This is down from previous estimates of 150-160. Morris said that this downward trend is actually positive, as lower numbers means greater space and concentration of resources.
There has been strong feedback from parents regarding language curriculum for middle schoolers. Most parents feel that students should be able to “dig in” into one specific language throughout their middle school career rather than studying a different language every quarter.
Similarly strong is the sentiment among faculty and committee members that a designated teacher leader and general administrator is needed for the sixth grade department at ARMS. If the administrative duties for this grade are placed upon existing staff this will be a burden in addition to their already extensive workload. Designated sixth grade staff would also support the “school within a school” model that the sixth grade will embody.
Margaret Stancer, vice chair of the Pelham School Committee, asked, “where does the financial burden (of the sixth grade) fall if it is comprised of only Amherst Public Schools sixth graders but housed in an ARPS school?”
Morris answered the question by saying that certain staff will be brought in to help from Amherst Public Schools which will place a significant portion of the costs on Amherst’s shoulders, but that this was only a short term solution, and that a long term solution must be devised and codified within the regional agreement. Similar to the issue surrounding the Shutesbury and Leverett bus routes, this will be tricky due to the fact the red tape involved with amending the agreement, but in Morris’ opinion it is necessary: the agreement was drafted in the late 1950s and much has changed in the four towns since then.
Another survey will be presented to the community soon, this one asking for input regarding the use of the fiscal year 2023 (FY23) and the FY24 budgets. The goals of the survey are to understand what community members are satisfied (or dissatisfied) within ARPS currently, and what they would value in their schools to inform the development of the budget. The survey will most likely be sent out in a newsletter and also put on the town website. An exact release date is not yet available, however it will be coordinated with the sixth grade transition survey so as not to overwhelm the public.
During a discussion of goal prioritization, the top picks were the sixth grade transition, mental health, safety, inclusion, and the capital improvement budget.
At their next meeting, the ARPS committee will review superintendent salary, student cell phone policy, late-start survey results, the solar study from last spring, internal and external safety, enrollment updates and the fourth quarter budget update from last year. The date for the meeting has yet to be announced.