Emily Conklin

let's not just yell about how bad it is, let's solve it. (53/52)

We pass the consent agenda and adjourn.
As I'm finishing up the thread, Cullen and Bolan are speaking with Superintendent Jermain about the entrance to the high school issue and Jermain says what my main issue is with so many of our discussions here - (52/52)

This is where I found today's agenda but I feel like I always get there a different way: npsri.community.highbond.com/Portal/Meeti... It's true that this shouldn't be so hard. (51/52)

Says the agenda is very difficult to find on the website, which is true. The School Committee agendas are not, to my knowledge, on the City website which I think is super weird - people will go there even if a school website exists - and they should be more obvious on the school site. (50/?)

Fails unanimously.
Oh one thing I forgot is the student who testified twice said communication with parents in languages other than English is very important so they feel welcomed and included and part of the community. Cullen says this should include the agenda. (49/?)

Committee Members Cullen, Power and Bolan say this is basically putting the cart before the horse - we don't know what will happen with regionalization and any candidates will want to know what they're in for. They should plan ahead, but this will have to wait a bit. (48/?)

Anyway this passes unanimously. We pass two waivers, one for State of Emergency Snow Days and the other for Additional Instructional Days. The next item is an RFP for Consultant Services- Superintendent Search. (47/?)

Just...what, my guy
media.tenor.com/0Jp4HPzbYQ4A... (46/?)

Leary says basically the opposite of what this student stated about inclusion, saying in the service industry "everyone on the line is talking in their native language...they've forgotten English" and says basically they should speak English out and about and their language at home. (45/?)

The last testifier is the same Rogers student who spoke about the dress code, saying that we need to have more inclusion of all students and celebration of culture in the schools. She has been in Newport since third grade and it has been tough. (44/?)

We have a testifier who is a professor at Salve and an immigrant who speaks three languages. She shares all this and then says that this program will benefit all children, not just multi-language learners. (43/?)

The next testifier is former Councilor Angela Lima, who calls on the island heritage of many of our immigrant population and that we need to support what our multilingual learners need to have a positive outcome.
I am paraphrasing because I am behind and also I can't capture all testimony. (42/?)

that we have a lot of wealth here and we shouldn't be holding the teachers' feet to the fire to fund programs. "Tax the Rich!" People applaud at that last part and Dr Power says ooh, I didn't say that, to which the testifier says "no but I'm saying it". (41/?)

He also says this may help the attendance issue, as kids will be more excited to come to school. Says there is a lot of injustice here as it stands.
The next speaker says she came to speak in support of the SABE Act but since it is already supported, will raise Dr. Power's previous point...(40/?)

A graduate of Rogers, current freshman at Salve, who is a Spanish speaker talks about his own experience, raising a lot of great points about integrating Spanish or other speakers into the general high school population, which will help them belong and encourage them to speak English. (39/?)

We are talking about: RESOLUTION REGARDING THE SUPPORT AND ACCESS TO BILINGUAL EDUCATION (SABE) ACT npsri.community.highbond.com/document/88a...
Vice Chair Bolan says that all the committee members are in favor of this at this point but we know people are here to speak. (38/?)

Anyway this passes unanimously. I'm behind! (37/?)

Rebekah Gomez from Conexion Latina also speaks, saying that we became aware of a recent incident at the school because of filming on cell phones that also aren't supposed to be allowed either. So why are we focusing on pjs? Pjs aren't making anyone unsafe. (36/?)

A student at Rogers speaks, saying that people who are a danger can enter the school without a hat on and this is an issue that shouldn't be on student apparel. Calls this decision dumb 🤣 (35/?)

Surprise surprise, Leary fully supports this. Dr. Power says he doesn't want this to be another hill to die on and he will support what this paid person suggests, but this doesn't seem like a good or necessary decision. Especially says he doesn't agree that hats hinder identification of kids. (34/?)

Hats are due to a suggested safety issue, as kids wouldn't be able to be identified, and slippers/pajamas are not suitable class attire. Cullen applauds this, saying we are preparing kids for the "real world" where these wouldn't be acceptable attire for a job interview. (33/?)

The fifth item is an update to the disciplinary action on the dress code: npsri.community.highbond.com/document/eee...
Vice Chair Bolan explains this is an update to last year's dress code based on the assessment of a lawyer hired which suggests hats, slippers and pajamas should not be allowed. 32?

Anyway we move on from that. I'm sure this year's budget season will be fun.
We pass action items 1-4 concerning the RI student survey, drug and tobacco free workplace and student records & information, respectively. (31/?)

I think mostly because of the school builds and, yeah, there's never enough money for everything we want to do - but I'd like to live in a City that adequately funds our schools.
Dr. Flowers says that we talk about what's needed but really everything here is needed. (30/?)

We want the good services but don't want to pay for them? Vice Chair Bolan also says that we have the second lowest City contribution to the school department in the state. So it's our funding sources and it's our allocation from the City. This has become weirdly contentious recently... (29/?)

There are obviously other funding structures we can explore but I am grateful to Dr. Powers for raising the structural issues for the first time tonight. Bobby Leary thinks we're spending too much per pupil - don't we want each kid getting the support they need? (28/?)

...when it comes to funding. The amount we pay in taxes for the value of property we have is low so "and I hate to say it" - we need to pay more in taxes. YES - I will happily pay more in taxes to support our schools and infrastructure. Our taxes are so low. (27/?)

Forgot to say this but Chair Dring and Committee Member Winslow are absent tonight.
Dr. Power says the first thing I really agree with in this meeting which is that our school population matches up with Central Falls but our housing stock does not and there is a disconnect with our community (26/?)

This man wants to balance our budget on the backs of kids with learning disabilities. Why be on this Committee if you hate kids? (25/?)