October 6, 2020 by Carol Britton Meyer
The School Committee approved a 14-page Memorandum of Agreement with the Hingham Education Association Unit A regarding the reopening of schools and the 2020-2021 school year last night. The HEA had ratified the MOA earlier.
While there was no public discussion about the MOA, Salary and Negotiations Subcommittee Chair Liza O'Reilly -- calling the document "quite lengthy" -- shared some of the details. The MOA is posted on the Hingham Public Schools website.
The MOA involves teachers, counselors, media specialists, school nurses, and other school personnel.
The agreement includes a section on the HPS remote, hybrid, and in-person learning models and how they will be implemented; details about Personal Protection Equipment; building facilities, and building operations information; health and safety protocols for staff and students; sick time provisions; staff accommodations; professional development details, and more.
The MOA has been a work in progress since August 4 and is necessary because of a change in working conditions related to COVID-19. In all there were 11 negotiating sessions that amounted to about 32 hours.
"This is a supplement to the collective bargaining agreement between the HEA and the School Committee and builds off of two MOAs reached last Spring with the HEA when there was a similar [COVID-19-related] situation, O'Reilly said, thanking everyone involved in the process.
"We had the mutual goal of outlining quality education procedures while acknowledging the unprecedented challenges when faced with COVID-19- related safety and health protocols and school operations," she said.
Part of the reason the negotiations stretched over such a long timeframe is scheduling conflicts when trying to set up dates for the school committee and the HEA to meet, Reilly explained.
Anyone with questions is asked to reach out to Supt. of Schools Paul Austin, School Committee Chair Kerry Ni, or O'Reilly.
"We came to a good agreement," Ni said.
In related business:
* Austin reported that heading into the second week of hybrid learning, "things are going well. We're fine-tuning the plan every day." He also put out a reminder to students to follow safety protocols, face mask requirements, and social distancing. "We've heard from people who are concerned when that doesn't happen.
It's important to follow the guidelines so we can continue our in-person learning and help prevent the spread of COVID-19," he said. "I appreciate the efforts of students, teachers, and our families [in helping make this happen]."
* The HPS have about 30 paraprofessional openings. Anyone interested in one of these positions or in substitute teaching is asked to contact the administration office.
* There are 369 fewer HPS students this year over last year at this time. "We expected the loss of students along the way," Austin said, due to COVID-19-related concerns. In addition, about 10 percent of HPS students are participating in remote learning only. The number of students who are being homeschooled increased by 19 students recently, on top of 55 recently-approved homeschooling applications.
* COVID-19 metrics will be posted on the HPS website, including the number of Hingham positive cases, and will be updated weekly. "We obviously want to be no [worse] than 'yellow'," which is the moderate-risk zone, Austin said.
* There is a focus on the youngest learners -- the K-1 school population. Concerns have been expressed about hybrid and remote learning in this age category. More information will be available soon, Austin said.
* A parent who had asked a similar question at a recent School Committee meeting asked again, If there's an asymptomatic child in a household with symptomatic a family member(s) who is waiting for COVID-19 test results, are school officials expecting that the parents would send their child to school?
In that case, Austin responded, "I would hope the child would participate in remote learning."
The parent asked why such information wasn't included in the school COVID-19 guidance even if it can't be enforced and asked that if there are any more cases, the information that is sent to the HPS community be provided within some context and not just in a form letter.
Austin said he would bring the issue up again at the next Covid Response Team meeting, with input from the school physician and the board of health.
* A new HPS cultural calendar is now an add-on to the regular school calendar, so teachers and families are aware of, and can plan around, special cultural or religious events in which some students participate but that might not have been widely recognized before.
* School Committee member Michelle Ayer acknowledged that Monday was World Teachers' Day, expressing appreciation for "the fantastic teaching staff in the HPS. "They are not only gracious and compassionate, but smart people doing well by our students. They are extremely courageous going in the school buildings every day to teach our students -- something that's not asked of many people in our society -- being in close quarters every day with so many other people."
* Finance subcommittee member Nes Correnti reported that the additional cost of reopening the HPS during the pandemic could reach $3 million; that school administrators are looking for additional short-term space; no additional buses were need to supply transportation to METCO students; and that food services, Kids in Action, and full-day kindergarten revenues are all down. She also noted that there will likely be an impact on HPS state funding due to the decrease in the number of students during this challenging year.