The Reading School Committee (SC) of Reading Public Schools (RPS)  is meeting on  August 10, 2023. The meeting is being held at 7pm at the Reading Memorial High School (RMHS) library and will be broadcast by RCTV and will be accessible via zoom. Links to watch are listed below. Where indicated, I have included some key packet images for reference.
The agenda and packet are posted in pdf form below. It is a lengthy packet, but much of it is related to the appointment of an SC member to the charter review committee, and thus the packet includes extensive backup information related to the charter review committee, including information on the past charter review committee, changes made, the charter itself, etc. This all comprises pages 59-151 of the packet.  Many of the other packet pages include marked up policies and past minutes.
Main things to know for tonight’s meeting:
—         The agenda is heavy on the policy discussions and votes, along with appointments of liaisons, appointments of the charter review member from the SC, and a few other topics. The meeting will end with an executive session related to collective bargaining agreements.
Investigating History Grant
–         NOTICE OF NEW “INVESTIGATING HISTORY” IMPLEMENTATION GRANT (packet p. 12) – The state dept. of elementary and secondary education (DESE) awarded Reading a $29,525 grant to implement (including teacher training)a new “investigating History” curriculum in gr. 5-7 next year (this grant is being shared with Wakefield, Watertown, and Manchester-Essex, with whom Reading partnered to get the grant). It appears that there will be a group of RPS teachers who will “field test” this curriculum, prior to the district doing a social studies curriculum review in a few years.   More information about the curriculum program associated with this grant can be found here (see https://www.doe.mass.edu/investigatinghistory/ ). DESE describes “Investigating History,” as “an accurate, culturally responsive, and inclusive” open-source curriculum that was already piloted in 66 schools during the past year.
Charter Review Committee
–          CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT (packet p. 59-151). Every 10 years, the town of Reading performs a charter review. The charter, found here (see https://www.readingma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2240/Reading-Home-Rule-Charter-PDF?bidId= ), is the document that defines Reading’s format of government and how it runs). The charter review can include modifications and/or updates to the charter. The last charter review was in 2013, so we are now due. The charter review committee includes the town Moderator, one (1) member or designee of the Board of Selectmen, one (1) member or designee of the School Committee, one (1) member or designee of the Board of Library Trustees, one (1) member or designee, of the Municipal Light Board of Commissioners, one (1) member of the Bylaw Committee and three (3) Town Meeting members to be appointed by the Moderator. Thus, the school committee needs to appoint a member or designee to the charter review committee, and that task Is on the agenda for this evening.  The packet also includes significant background information on charter review and what the charter review committee did the last time around.
SEEM Collaborative Appointment
—         SEEM COLLABORATIVE APPOINTMENT (packet p. 16) – This is routine appointment that happens every year, wherein the SC appoints a representative (usually the superintendent) to the Board of Directors for the educational collaboratives (SEEM Collaborative and Northshore Education Consortium) of which Reading is a member. The SEEM collaborative is a group of 11 public school districts that provide day services, typically for students on IEPs (approx. 375 student), and members districts work together to provide the services. Similarly, the Northshore Education Consortium is a -large provider of special education programs for children with emotional, behavioral, and developmental disabilities.
Superintendent Review Timeline
–          SUPERINTENDENT REVIEW TIMELINE (packet p. 17) – the SC will discuss and vote on one of two options for next superintendent review: either a one-year review cycle or a two-year review cycle.
Policy Updates
–         POLICY UPDATES (packet p. 19-53) The SC will review and vote on amendments to these policies. The memo on p . 19 (from June 8, 2023) summarizes the changes, and in the interest of brevity, I am not going to repeat what is said there:
a. GCJ – Professional Teacher Status
b. DGA – Authorized Signatures
c. DH – Bonded Employees and Officers
d. DI – Fiscal Accounting and Reporting
e. DIE – Audits
f. DJ – Purchasing
g. DJA – Purchasing Authority
h. DK – Payment Procedures
Special Education Reserve Fund
–         SPECIAL EDUCATION RESERVE FUND POLICY (p. 54-56 of packet). The SC will have a first reading of a change to this new policy to go with the special education reserve fund that town meeting voted to create this past spring. The Special Education Reserve Fund is being created to help fund unanticipated/unbudgeted costs of special education, recovery high school programs, out of district tuition, and/or out of district transportation. This fund is allowed to be funded from the school budget, up to a maximum each year and a maximum total in the fund, and it had been mentioned that surplus in the budget, at the end of the school year, is a possible source of funding. The policy has a minor change in how money from the funds can be expended wherein it is proposed the director of finance and operations will work with town accountant and town treasurer to directly charge the fund for appropriate expenses, etc., instead of just working with town treasurer.
Liaison Appointments
–         LIAISON APPOINTMENTS (packet p. 57). The SC will do its annual assignment of liaisons to other boards and committees.
HOW TO WATCH THIS MEETING
The RCTV YouTube live stream link to watch the meeting is here:
You can also watch via Xfinity channel 99 or Verizon channel 32.
In addition, you can join the meeting (or watch) via the Zoom link here:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/83657021146
Meeting ID: 836 5702 1146
