ELEA Executive Board Meeting
January 17, 2024
PRESENT: Sara Scibelli, Bill Sears, Dawn Quercia, Hilary Coughlin, Patrick Morrissey, Tim Mullett, Rebecca Tidlund, Nancy Carver, Julie Elkhay, Erica Nissenbaum, Kris Nordin, Abby Steiner, Mark Bail
ABSENT: Paula Burke, Lisa Fitzpatrick
Treasurer Report. We’re current with our payments to the MTA. Our current balance is $34,292.09. Kris pointed out that there was $60 deposited for occupational therapists for computer damage insurance.
MOTION: Julie
SECOND: Rebecca
VOTE: Unanimous
Secretary’s minutes from December meeting.
MOTION: Erica
SECOND: Tim
VOTE: Unanimous
Follow up to Formal Letter of Complaint to Mr. Paige. Kris Nordin shared the letter with the executive board. There were some questions. Kris shared what happened after Mr. Paige received the letter. There was much discussion. Next steps were considered.
Social Media Policy at Mapleshade. The complaint was shared. A member delayed three months before reaching out to the ELEA. The Rainbow Club (an LGBTQ+ club) was included in all communications. Someone privy to the email screenshotted it and posted it on the Massachusetts Informed Parents site where it got a lot of attention. It went from there to the Libs of TikTok. There was identifying information about the students. The member was named. It came up in the Equity and Diversity Steering Committee.
Abby approached the educator about the issue when she heard about it. The Administrator response at a staff meeting was lackluster, basically excusing the behavior. Abby says the posting was potentially a violation of the social media policy, which the principal didn’t investigate. The superintendent never considered it either. Abby sat with the member who wanted Abby to address it with the principal. Abby met with him for an hour. There’s still tension between him and the member.
We want to represent this member. It was a violation of a social media policy.
MOTION: We send a formal letter to Conor Martin and Gordon Smith requesting an investigation into this incident.
Motion: Erica
Second: Hilary
Vote: Unanimous
Mapleshade : Updated Mold testing and Social Media Usage
There are specific instances of surface mold, but the air quality was better for mold than the air quality outside. Bill was approached by three different teachers about the mold. Principal Conor Martin will make the mold report available to staff. Abby was also approached by a member. There is a feeling that the staff doesn’t trust the word of the principal. The mold tester is approved by the MTA. He reportedly told the PAC that there would be no more testing this year. Patrick Morrissey said parents are talking about needing to address the mold at Mapleshade. Two teachers made a nondenominational Christmas video and Conor posted it to his personal Facebook account. They approached Conor and he was unresponsive. He has since removed it.
Negotiations Update
We’ve met three times virtually. Meeting next January 23 and the following week. They are looking through the materials from our listening meetings. Jason is researching area contracts via the MTA contract database. The negotiations team continues to talk to members. They are in the draft phase in terms of numbers and language. The priority, i.e. salary, is clear.
Other
Tim: There’s a student on their team who has set fires, brought knives to school, and smoked weed. The student has been suspended for 20 days. The teacher thought that the student’s bag would either be searched or kept in the office. There is a safety plan, but it hasn’t been followed by the administration. No one has seen the safety plan. The teacher feels like her classroom is no longer safe. The student has done something major every year.
MOTION: Dawn
SECOND: Patrick
VOTE: Unanimous