August 14th School Committee Meeting

Argentina Trip Modifications (Seniors-Only, Move To a Yearly Basis, and Allowing Host Families)

• Spanish teacher Joe Johnson updated the committee on Greylock's exchange program with St. Paul's School in Argentina. The trip has become a hallmark of Greylock's Spanish program, with students from St. Paul's visiting Greylock around the April break, and Greylock juniors and seniors visiting St. Paul's on alternating years.
• Johnson reported the program has been a massive success, with students connecting with both people and the language during their trips. So much so, that the Argentinian school is not able to support the number of students from Greylock that would be eligible for the ~2-week trip this coming year (about 60 from Greylock). As a solution, the Spanish department is proposing that the trip become seniors-only and move it to a yearly basis rather than once every two years.
• There were discussions regarding how to create a standardized system to allow Greylock students to stay with host families rather than in a hotel while maintaining a high level of confidence in student safety. There was also a discussion about whether or not to allow students to opt for staying at a hotel instead, which remained officially unresolved.

New Staff

• The committee released a list of new/transferring staff coming to Mount Greylock, Williamstown Elementary, and Lanesborough Elementary.

Superintendent Search

• The committee emphasized the importance of ensuring that as many members of the public as possible are aware of and engaged in the search for a new superintendent. Concerned that the summer months may leave some residents less connected to the committee’s work, they decided to postpone their vote to appoint the current interim superintendent, Joe Bergeron, from August to their September meeting.
• Read article on iBerkshires: https://www.iberkshires.com/story/80008/Mount-Greylock-School-Committee-Seeks-Input-on-Superintendent-Hiring.html

Student Behavior and Incident Response Work

• The committee continued its work of ensuring incorporation of restorative practices into the district's educational model, adding that the approach to social well-being and behavior should be just as methodical as that towards subjects like math and literacy.

Business Office Update

• All the entitlement funding to the district previously frozen by the federal government, amounting to about $50K, has been restored. The funding goes towards supporting unhoused students and funding professional development.