New Superintendent Ready for the First Day of School.  Private Elementary School Proposed for Amherst

Report on the Meeting of the Amherst School Committee, August 20, 2024

Present
Sarah Marshall (Chair), Irv Rhodes, Jennifer Shiao. Absent: Deborah Leonard and Bridget Hynes.

Staff: Dr. E. Xiomara Herman (Superintendent)

Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman reported that the Family Center and Amherst Police Department collaborated on a very successful backpack giveaway recently. The groups provided over 700 backpacks to students of all ages, and police officers checked car seat installations for residents. 

The district held a new teacher orientation on August 20 and will have a convocation for all staff at the Mullins Center on Friday, August 23. School begins on Monday, August 26. There will be a first day celebration at Kendrick Park from 4:30 to 6:30 on Sunday, August 25. Herman and school principals will be present, and students can try out a school bus and get some free ice cream. 

In her preparation for the new school year, Herman said she engaged her leadership team in a discussion about her expectations. She has updated the bullying reporting software to the BRIM system, to provide more transparency and a faster turnaround. The platform is currently being tested and will be available at the start of the school year. The bullying policy will clearly spell out the accountability and timeline for investigating and dealing with bullying incidents.

Herman is also planning an audit of the Human Resources Office. She had noted that it had two directors with no clear delineation of who was responsible for what, and has now reduced it to one director. Noting that a funding shortage is an important issue for the schools, she also plans an audit of the Business Office and the budget process. 

She also plans to closely review the schools’ mental health services and has already begun to review  the licenses of all staff, including staff who have been granted  waivers. This review might involve shifting some positions to better align with accreditation. In addition, she is working with the facilities director to deal with some deferred maintenance concerns. 

Free breakfast and lunch will again be available for all students, although the funding for Crocker Farm elementary school’s program has expired. (The district has applied for a Title 1 waiver.) Herman will ensure that the proper demographic data is filed so that all schools remain eligible for free meals in the future. 

Private Elementary School Proposed for Amherst
Amherst School Committee (ASC) Chair Sarah Marshall said that they received an inquiry from an organization called 80 Acres about establishing another private elementary school in town. She consulted with the schools’ attorney, who said that the School Committee can authorize a private school if it meets the same instructional standards as the public schools. Marshall said this guideline is vague, but noted that the detailed requirements for homeschooling students can be used to evaluate the program planned by the private school. She suggested that the superintendent review the proposed curriculum and make a recommendation to the ASC. 

ASC member Jennifer Shiao objected, saying, “The superintendent has enough to do without putting something on her plate that does not benefit our students at all. I don’t want her spending time doing this.” She suggested empowering the School Committee chair and vice chair to evaluate the curriculum. Marshall countered that she doesn’t think school committee members are qualified to make a determination about whether an educational program is sufficient. Irv Rhodes suggested that the superintendent and School Committee review it together. Herman thought that the School Committee should develop a policy for authorizing a private school and then present it to her for review. The ASC voted 3-0 to have Marshall and Deb Leonard develop a policy for evaluating applications for private elementary schools in town.

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