The Thursday, Jan. 21 virtual meeting of the Halifax Planning Board began with four members present but was adjourned two hours into it due to two of the four members leaving the Zoom call without notice.  At the onset of the meeting Chair Alan Dias was present as were Gordon R. Andrews, Rick Merry, and Amy Troupe. During a discussion on Cled’s Tree Service, Town Administrator Charlie Seelig interjected alerting Dias that both Andrews and Troupe had left the meeting and the Board no longer had quorum and would be unable to take any further action as a Board that night.

Cled’s Tree Service was being discussed due to non-compliance with the site plan. Andrews recused himself from the discussion. Cled’s Tree Service was previously discussed during the Planning Board’s January 7 meeting. A meeting that was largely contentious with several of the Board members engaging in heated debate about a number of topics including Cled’s. During that meeting, Dias said of Cled’s, “We need to kind of figure out where we’re going to go; we have a situation where we’ve got electricity there, we’ve got an office trailer that’s unpermitted, we have employees, we have no toilet facilities, and it just goes on and on so at this point we’re going to have to figure out how to bring it into compliance. I mean the other businesses in town comply with site plans and this particular site has no compliance that I see.”

Dias told the Board that there were emails certifying that the plans that had been submitted were “fraudulent.” Dias said, “I think, and I’m looking for some guidance from the Board, that based on the fact that we have plans that aren’t accurate that the action that this Board should take is that we should revoke the existing site plan which he’s not in compliance with… but I think we need to allow Mr. Cled the opportunity to bring the property into compliance.”

Troupe asked Dias for further clarification regarding the ways in which Cled’s was not in compliance. “We have emails that establish that the plans that were submitted were not prepared by the engineer that stamped them,” Dias said.

He also told the Board that there was an email from an engineer stating that he was not the one who did the plan. According to Dias, there is also email evidence that the plans had been altered. When pressed further, Dias said, “I really don’t want to get into much more detail… those are the facts that we have.”

Dias also said that he was unaware who marked up the plans and said that it was a legal issue and not one to be dealt with by the Planning Board. Regarding the plans, Dias said, “There is nothing at the site right now, the way it is on the ground, that represents those plans. Nothing.” Dias said that the Zoning Enforcement Officer could be sent out but suggested that it wasn’t necessary as they already knew Cled’s was not in compliance. “We just need to help him get the place in compliance,” he reiterated.

Cled’s had been asked to bring their lot into compliance with the fire code within 90 days of having been notified by the Fire Department. There was a fire on the lot and more than 5,000 yards of wood chips on the property. Those 90 days will expire at the end of February/beginning of March. Dias said that it was his understanding that Bracken Engineering would be drawing up new site plans for Cled’s.

Dias recommended to the Board that they ask Cled’s to be in compliance within the same timeframe given by the Fire Department. Merry agreed with Dias’ assessment and action plan. Troupe suggested letting the Fire Department handle the concerns.

The owner of Cled’s was in attendance during Thursday’s meeting where he insisted that they were making significant progress toward making their lot in compliance with the fire code. Dias said, “Our predicament is that you’re not in compliance with the site plan.”

Resident Chris Winiewicz, who lives on Circuit St., asked to speak complaining of a loud piece of equipment that proves disruptive to his family including his children who are learning remotely. According to Winiewicz there had been a previous agreement that stated that the piece of equipment would either be moved or a barricade would be put up around it. Winiewicz said that to date neither of those things had happened. It was during this discussion that Seelig notified Dias that the Board no longer had quorum and couldn’t discuss the matter as a Board nor could they vote on whether to revoke Cled’s existing site plan. The meeting was therefore adjourned at the two-hour mark.

Prior to the discussion on Cled’s and a few other ongoing projects, Town Counsel Larry Mayo opened the meeting by giving a general overview of General Law, Chapter 30A, Section 20 regarding the State’s open meeting law. He was asked to do so in response to some “disruptive behavior” that had occurred among the Board during their January 7 meeting.

“I’m just here to give you my interpretation of my outlook on how Chapter 30A may apply here,” Mayo began. He continued, “You have to take into consideration Section 20, subpar G in the context of the Chairman is the presiding officer at the meeting, at the Planning Board meeting, or at any other meeting of a public body in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He presides and regulates over the meeting, he decides all questions of order, and he makes declaration of all votes. Most importantly, I think in this particular context is that nobody should speak or address the meeting without first having leave of the moderator.”

Mayo went onto explain that after fair warning, a Chair may authorize a constable or other officer to remove the disruptive person from the meeting. He noted that in the context of a Zoom meeting, the Chair could ask the host to mute the disruptive member. During the January 7 meeting, a heated argument resulted in Dias requesting that Seelig mute Troupe. Mayo said, “The genesis of all of this or the purpose, again, is just to remember… the Chair is in control, you elected the Chair. The floor is his unless he recognizes another to speak and a civil discourse is what is intended to take place at the meetings.”

Andrews asked to make several inquiries regarding Mayo’s assertion. He first asked for confirmation that the Chair has the right to shut a member off during a meeting. Mayo said that the Chair could, in fact, do that assuming they, using sound judgment, found the member to be disruptive.

Andrews then asked for further clarification as to what constituted disruptive behavior. Andrews said, “We have civil rights to say our piece; that’s why we’re elected to the Board.” He continued, “Chairman doesn’t have the right to speak over anyone else either; once he recognizes someone, they have the right to speak their piece, their whole piece and he doesn’t have the right to shut them off.” Dias asked that members wait to be recognized before speaking, moving forward before proceeding with the rest of the evening’s meeting.

Much of the Plympton Elementary School Committee meeting on Monday, Jan. 25, was spent discussing the viability of adding more in-person learning time to the current hybrid model at the Dennett Elementary School. The meeting which was held virtually had nearly 50 participants with many staff and parents in attendance. The larger than usual attendance was due to the recent discussions at the middle school and high school level regarding the potential for in-person learning on Wednesdays.

Currently, Wednesdays are a remote day across the district for all but some of the highest needs learners in Cohort D. Teachers and staff have used Wednesday mornings for planning as well as professional development.

The plan proposed during the most recent Silver Lake Regional School Committee meeting would have students in Cohorts A and B attending school in-person on alternating Wednesdays. While most on the regional committee were in favor of the plan and asked the administration to work on the logistics, there were some members who voiced concern for the complications such a plan might pose for both families and staff. Scheduling and childcare could become complicated for families with students spread out across the district, particularly if the elementary schools chose not to adopt the same plan as the middle and high schools. Additionally, teachers will be losing valuable planning time.

With regard to greater in-person learning time, Chair of the Plympton School Committee Jon Wilhelmsen said, “As a school committee and as an administration this is something that we are thinking about all the time.” He acknowledged that the current learning models necessitated by the pandemic are not ideal particularly for the youngest learners. “Unfortunately, some of our largest grades are our youngest grades which poses an additional stress,” Wilhelmsen explained.

While there have only been a small handful of positive COVID cases at the Dennett and no evidence of in-school transmission, Wilhelmsen explained that the greater issue has been with close contacts needing to quarantine. He said that he would be concerned that were the school to reduce the physical distancing requirement from six to three feet the number of close contacts needing to quarantine would increase causing even greater disruption. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends six feet of distancing while the state requires just three. Wilhelmsen said the Committee is steadfast in maintaining the full six feet of distancing.

President of the Teacher’s Association and fourth grade teacher Ann Walker spoke to the ways in which the staff is currently utilizing the remote Wednesdays. “These Wednesdays have been crucial for the success we have had over this time. We have taken this time and planned for every scenario possible… we have to make sure everything we do is both digitized and ready for students to work on in-person,” Walker explained. She also said that work has to be planned several weeks in advance and noted that teachers have even had to deliver materials to families that couldn’t make it to the school. Walker said the time has also proved valuable for learning the necessary technology to succeed in the hybrid model.

Dennett Elementary Principal Peter Veneto also spoke to the difficulties of bringing more students into the building more often for in-person learning. “The biggest obstacle that I foresee is lunch,” Veneto said. While the state allows for three feet of distancing, six feet is required while eating lunch thus reducing the seating capacity. The staff at the Dennett was also described as lean and cited as another potential obstacle to more in-person learning. Veneto also noted that bringing students into the building on alternating Wednesdays would likely only add an additional 9 days of in-person learning time to the school year.

Parent Danielle D’Angelo, who was quick to express gratitude to the teachers, administration, and staff, asked if the Committee and others had considered an out of the box approach to the lunch dilemma suggesting that other spaces such as the gym could perhaps be utilized. Veneto assured D’Angelo and other parents on the call that the space within the Dennett has been utilized in the best ways possible to ensure maximum capacity while still maintaining distancing. “I do think we’ve looked at this creatively and from a lot of different angles and have sought opinions from a lot of different people,” Veneto said.

D’Angelo also asked about the possibility of parent volunteers to help off set any staff shortages. While Veneto said that he was open to any suggestions, he noted that the school has had to cut down significantly on parent volunteering this year in an effort to reduce the number of people in the building and in turn help mitigate any potential spread or exposure.

D’Angelo stressed that many parents have growing concern over their children’s emotional and social wellbeing saying, “most of us feel okay in sending our children in at three feet with a mask.” Another parent spoke up saying she had heard that Sacred Heart Elementary School had reduced their distancing requirement from the CDC recommended six feet without many more positive cases than Dennett and without evidence of school spread. “I don’t think this Committee is interested in going below the six feet,” Wilhelmsen reiterated.

Wilhelmsen pointed out that as of the time of the meeting, Plympton had moved into the red risk designation. Communities with populations under 10,000, like Plympton, must have more than 25 cases in order to be considered red, or high risk. “There’s a lot that’s changing rapidly,” Wilhelmsen said referring to the new federal administration as well as the vaccine rollout. “Where we sit at the moment, I don’t see what we can do in the next two weeks,” he said.  “Our goal has always been to provide as much in-person learning as we can,” he assured those present. Wilhelmsen also said that he was hopeful that the eventual vaccination of teachers and staff in Phase Two would provide the school with greater flexibility.

Parent Angela Wilbur asked about the hurdle posed by limited capacities on buses. She said that she had noticed that the pickup and drop off line was significantly greater than in years’ past indicating that more and more parents had opted to drive their children to school rather than have them take the bus. Wilbur suggested to the committee that perhaps the bussing issue is less of a barrier than previously thought. Veneto noted the way in which Plympton families had stepped up to the plate to provide transportation for their children but said that he was still required to “make sure we have enough room for every child every single day.” It was also asked if it would be possible to provide a waiver for the busing requirement. Committee Vice Chair Jason Fraser said that that option had been explored as far back as last April but it was determined that it couldn’t be done without a change to Massachusetts’ general laws.

Some of the parents on the call expressed what they felt to be a lack of communication on the part of the school committee and administration regarding what kinds of plans were being explored to further in-person learning opportunities where and when feasible. Both Wilhelmsen and Fraser apologized if there was a perceived lack of communication. They noted that school committee meetings are held on a regular monthly basis in addition to meetings of the Health and Safety Advisory Committee. Parent Michelle Ruxton, who serves on the aforementioned committee, stressed to her fellow parents the level of thought and concern that goes into how decisions will affect not just the schools but the home lives of Dennett families as well. Wilhelmsen also offered to host more informal Zoom sessions that could be posted to the Friends of the Dennett Facebook page.

Playground Update

Director of Business Services Christine Healy provided an update on the new playground to be built at the Dennett. Healy said they are working with firm Beals + Thomas to oversee the construction of the playground. After coming out for an initial site visit, the firm came back on January 19 to do a topographical survey. Once the results of the survey are in, the project will begin moving forward. Fraser said that he was appreciative of funds being allocated to hire them to ensure that the playground is accessible, safe, and long-lasting.

Legislative Report

Fraser provided the legislative report saying that the pandemic had highlighted the need to reevaluate critical issues at the state level such as school start times and achievement gaps caused by summer vacations. Fraser said that research has shown that elementary age students should be beginning their days earlier and ending their days sooner whereas secondary students would be better off with later start times. Additionally, gaps in education caused by the pandemic have highlighted the need for summer school reform. Fraser said there is a push for summer school coursework to include social and emotional learning as well as enrichment opportunities in addition to the traditional academic courses. He also pointed to Australia where students attend school the full year. In lieu of summer vacations, students attend school the same number of days a year but have more frequent, shorter breaks with the shortest being just four weeks long. This prevents the regression that occurs over the summer. That lack of regression each year amounts to 2 to 2 and a half years’ worth of additional learning time for Australian students.

Fraser also told the Committee that the Governor would be coming out with the first version of the state budget this week. He said that sources told him the budget was not in as bad of shape as previously feared. Fraser said that he was also being told that schools would be held harmless for enrollment decline this year due to the circumstances posed by the pandemic.

Superintendent Jill Proulx spoke to that decline during her update saying that redshirting of kindergarten students this school year was not unique to Plympton as it was occurring throughout the state. Proulx also said that the number of students in Plympton being homeschooled this year had increased.

Principal’s Report

Principal Veneto gave a brief update on the state of affairs at the school. Math interventionist Maria Barlow replaced retiring fourth grade teacher Bea Reynolds. Recent Bridgewater State University graduate Paige Sylvia has been hired as the new math interventionist. He also said that they are in the process of hiring a new building-based substitute.

C.A.S.A. Update

Committee member Amy Hempel said that the Community and School Association (C.A.S.A.) will be moving forward with selling raffle tickets for gift baskets. The baskets will be available at the Mayflower Mercantile shop in Plympton toward the end of February. C.A.S.A. Chair Sarah Prario said tickets will be available for purchase through Facebook, Venmo, and email.

The possibility to add more in-person learning time to the current hybrid model was discussed during the remotely held Silver Lake Regional School Committee meeting on Thursday, Jan. 14. Silver Lake Regional Middle School Principal Jim Dupille and Silver Lake Regional High School Principal Michaela Gill both weighed in on possible configurations for an altered hybrid plan. Currently, Cohort A attends in-person on Mondays and Tuesdays and Cohort B attends in-person on Thursdays and Fridays. Cohort C consists of those students who have elected to be fully remote and Cohort D consists of the highest needs learners who are prioritized for the most in-person learning days; some of which already attend school in-person on Wednesdays. Up to this point, Wednesdays have largely been used for professional development and planning. The new plan being proposed would have students in Cohorts A and B alternating Wednesdays in-person.

School Committee member Leslie-Ann McGee confirmed that this would not be a change to the learning model but rather a change in the way that the district is executing the hybrid model. Gordon Andrews, who serves as Chair of the Halifax Elementary School Committee and as a Halifax selectman in addition to his role on the Silver Lake Regional School Committee, asked how they plan to coordinate the change with the elementary schools in the district. Superintendent Jill Proulx said that once a timeline and proposal were established, she would address it with each of the other school committees either at a meeting or in an email.

School Committee member Chris Eklund brought up the stress that changing the look of the hybrid model at the middle and high schools but not at the elementary level could have for families with students spread out across the district. Two of the three elementary school committee chairs were at the regional meeting with Andrews and Kingston Elementary School Chair Eric Crone both on the regional committee. Only Plympton Elementary School Committee Chair Jon Wilhelmsen wasn’t present. While Crone said that Kingston had previously discussed the possibility of adding in-person learning on Wednesdays for Cohorts A and B, Andrews and Proulx confirmed that neither Halifax nor Plympton had.

The possibility of holding a joint meeting between Silver Lake Regional and the three elementary school committees was discussed. Crone pointed out the need to move quickly as it took several weeks from the time a vote was taken in Kingston to implement certain members of Cohort D attending school in-person on Wednesdays.

There was some debate back and forth regarding the practicality of adding the additional in-person learning time. At her first meeting since being appointed to the Regional School Committee, Emily Davis, concerned for posing more of a hardship for teachers, asked if Wednesdays were the only planning time available for them. Gill confirmed that it was. Gill also said that some teachers had proposed the possibility of a half day return to in-person learning on Wednesdays.

The hope would be to make the change as early as possible in Semester 3. McGee made a motion to accept the new proposal and it was voted through unanimously. Andrews asked that the administration focus their attention on implementing the plan saying, “we accept that other things won’t be at our normal timeline… I just want to give them the flexibility to get what we’re telling them is the number one priority done.”

Proulx provided an overall district update saying that despite the towns of Halifax and Kingston remaining in the red risk zone, there has not been evidence of classroom spread so the schools continue to remain open. She did say that there had been evidence of team spread which necessitated the canceling of team practices for close contact sports for two weeks.

Both Dupille and Gill also provided updates on their schools. Dupille said that drama has been reinstated albeit virtually. They held their first remote meeting on Jan. 13 at 9 a.m. The students are preparing a virtual variety show which will consist of each student’s performance being pieced together for the audience to view. Speaking of the staff responsible, Dupille said, “What they’re doing to connect and engage our students during this difficult time is really wonderful.” Dupille also said that the virtual robotics club will be restarting for the spring session on February 8. As of Thursday’s meeting, 20 of the 30 spots had already been filled.

Gill told the Committee about a number of new elective offerings, most of which fell under the ELA umbrella. Courses include “the podcast studio,” “the happiness class: rhetoric and the good life,” “grammar for modern readers and writers,” “race, society, and Identity,” “film studies,” and “soapbox to social media: analyzing media through the times.” The Committee voted to approve the new course offerings for the 2021-2022 program of studies.

Gill also asked the Committee to waive some of the graduation requirements as they had done the previous year in light of the pandemic. The waivers would include the 40 hours of community service needed to graduate as well as flexibility on the 96-credit requirement. Gill said the credit waiver wouldn’t include core content classes but rather an elective here and there. The Committee voted to approve Gill’s request.

Gill also introduced School Resource Officer Richard Allen to present his proposal for a criminal justice internship program at the high school. Allen, who is a patrolman with the Kingston Police Department, said the internship would be designed for 12^th grade students with an interest in entering a criminal justice field. The goal would be to obtain an overview of a number of careers in the field and distinguish differences between roles such as police officer, parole officer, social worker, corrections officer, probation officer, and case manager.

The internship would include 8 hours of classroom time as well as 4-8 hours of field trips to places such as the Plymouth County Courthouse, Plymouth County Correctional Facility, Plymouth DCF, and the Kingston Police Department. Topics covered would include constitutional law, motor vehicle law, and the US court system. Allen said that the allied health program at the high school was his inspiration. Allen told the Committee, “My hope is that by them partaking in this internship program, they be able to make a more informed decision.”

Director of Business Services Christine Healy provided an update on the current year’s budget saying, “we’re still doing pretty well.” She said there were a few deficits including in the superintendent category due to conferences and travel that is mandated by her contract. There is also a deficit in homeless transportation at the middle school level though Healy said that will be balanced out by the surplus at the high school level. There is a deficit of about $1,100 for athletics as they haven’t been able to raise any revenues due to COVID restrictions. Finally, a deficit of $36,000 exists for unemployment as Healy said it was a difficult summer with many people collecting.

Proulx presented on the preliminary budget process for the coming year. She said that principals were asked to prepare a level service budget that would encapsulate only what it would take to maintain current staffing and programs. Proulx said that the preliminary budget does not include the costs for staffing the current hybrid model because it is assuming a return to full, in-person learning next year. It does reflect shared costs though it has not been adjusted for potential retirements. The increase in the preliminary budget from the current year is $714,168 or 2.67 percent. “Right out the gate, to see something under a three percent increase is surprising,” Chair Paula Hatch commented on the lower than usual percentage increase.

Proulx also gave an update on overall enrollment. At the secondary level, the total enrollment is down 21 students from last year. Homeschool enrollment has increased by 10 students in Grades 7-12 and students leaving the district through school choice has increased by 2 students. Proulx said she was waiting to hear if the state would hold the decrease in enrollment against the district given the circumstances surrounding the current school year.

President of the Silver Lake Education Association (SLEA) Jon Lay spoke briefly saying he was “very pleased that we were able to settle the teacher’s contract… I’m hoping that we can settle those things more expeditiously in the future.” He also spoke to what he called the “light at the end of the tunnel with the pandemic” saying that he would like to see the staff vaccinated quickly. The staff will be eligible during Phase 2 which is scheduled for February to March. Lay also said that he spoke with Proulx about having Silver Lake handle the vaccinations directly as employers with more than 200 employees are eligible to administer them directly.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on Thursday, Jan. 7, for one of their emergency meetings being held regularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. While participants were in-person, the public was able to attend the meeting virtually via Zoom.

Board of Health Agent Bob Valery led things off with an update on COVID-19 infections in Halifax. Valery told the selectmen that during the two-week period from Christmas Eve to January 6 there were 41 new cases reported in town. He pointed out that multiple cases were occurring in single family homes. He said that as of January 7 there were no hospitalizations and no deaths from the active cases. Reporting as of January 10 show that there have been a total of 270 coronavirus cases in Halifax, 220 of which have recovered, 44 of which are in isolation, and a total of 6 deaths.

Selectmen Chair Tom Millias pointed out that while the numbers have increased significantly, so has the testing. “This was the highest two-week total since the start of reporting,” Valery told the Express. “Yes, variables like increased testing come into play, but I believe the number shows that the Governor’s decision to keep the gathering limitations in place for an additional two weeks is statistically supported,” he continued.

Valery was referencing Governor Baker’s announcement of a two-week extension of his previous COVID restrictions. The restrictions, which were first announced December 22, were set to expire on January 10 but were extended to January 24. The restrictions include a maximum of 10 people indoors and

25 outdoors. Many businesses are limited to just 25 percent of their capacity.

Valery touched upon the various phases for vaccine distribution and who qualified for each. Phase One includes, in order of priority, healthcare workers doing direct COVID-facing care, those in various care facilities, first responders, those in congregate care settings, home-based healthcare workers, and healthcare workers doing non COVID-facing care. Top priority in Phase Two will be those with two or more comorbidities and those that are age 75 or older. Next to receive the vaccine in Phase Two will be a variety of workers including those working in early education, transit, grocery, utility, food and agriculture, sanitation, public works, and public health workers. Finally, adults that are age 65 plus and those with one comorbidity will also be eligible at the end of Phase Two. In Phase Three the vaccine will be available to the general public.

Millias asked Valery what kind of timeline is expected for the various stages. Phase One is already underway and according to Valery, Phase Two is likely to happen from February to April and Phase Three from April to June.

Fire Chief Jason Viveiros said that the rollout of the vaccine to first responders would be starting the following week. Vaccinations were scheduled to begin on Tuesday, January 12 and Friday, January 15 and continue the following Tuesday. Viveiros said the first week would be a good indication of how smoothly the process will go.

Viveiros said that Halifax first responders are part of the Brockton Hospital group and will receive the Moderna vaccine. He said the plan was to pickup the vaccines on Tuesday morning for use later that day. The vaccines will need to defrost for two hours before being refrigerated. It can be refrigerated for up to 30 days though Viveiros said they plan to distribute the vaccines the same day they receive them. According to Viveiros, once punctured, a vial is only good for 6 hours. Individuals receiving the vaccine will be monitored for 15 minutes afterward for any adverse reaction. There will be 28 days between the first and second dose of the Moderna vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine requires 21 days between doses.

Valery said that a shortage of doses isn’t expected as the various phases rollout. Viveiros said that while his department is well setup for administration of the vaccine, he wasn’t sure if there would be a plan to utilize the Fire Department in wider distribution. Valery said that the school could potentially be used. He also said that large venues such as UMass Amherst and Gillette Stadium could be used for later phases. Stores/Pharmacies such as Shaws and Stop and Shop have already signed on to receive doses.

Town Administrator Charlie Seelig said that there have recently been issues arising regarding town employees and COVID protocols. Now that there have been a few recovered cases of COVID in town employees, the question is being asked as to whether they still need to quarantine following out of state travel. Seelig said he was assuming that the restrictions would still apply as there is still uncertainty about the extent of immunity in recovered individuals.

He also pointed out that even if an individual didn’t get sick themselves following an exposure, they could potentially spread the virus while asymptomatic. Valery verified Seelig’s assumptions saying, “absolutely.”

The Halifax Elementary School Committee held their first meeting of 2021 virtually on Monday, Jan. 4.  Superintendent Jill Proulx said that the town of Halifax has been in the red risk zone for COVID-19 for four consecutive weeks. Initial guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) stated that communities in the red should move to remote learning. It was later changed to state that communities in the red for three consecutive weeks should move to remote.

The most recent guidance issued in late October recommended that communities remain in either a hybrid or full in-person learning model regardless of risk designation provided there wasn’t evidence of in-school transmission.

Proulx said that there has not been any evidence of school spread and said that the school administration has been in contact with all necessary parties regarding Halifax’s numbers. She also said that the district’s nurse leader has increased the frequency of her communication with the Board of Health providing them with daily updates. School Committee Chair Gordon Andrews said, “I know that any decisions made are always made with the best interests of those in the community in mind.”

Proulx also provided an update on student learning time in the hybrid model. Per DESE’s standards, schools in the hybrid learning model must provide an average of 35 hours of live instruction over the course of two academic weeks. Proulx said that all Silver Lake and Union 31 schools have cleared the standard.

Halifax Elementary School principal Kayne Beaudry provided an update for the Committee. According to Beaudry, enrollment currently stands at 572 students. Cohorts A and B have a nearly even distribution of students. Enrollment in Cohort C, or the fully remote cohort, has been reduced from approximately 100 to 85. “Teachers are doing a great job adapting and being flexible,” Beaudry said.

Beaudry had high praise for the virtual winter concert organized by music teacher Brenda Lessard. A recording of the chorus’ performance was made available. “If you have not seen them, check it out, it was pretty amazing what she was able to pull off with the students,” Beaudry said of Lessard. Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch nodded vigorously in agreement.

Beaudry told the Committee that two esteemed members of the cafeteria department retired on December 23. Between the two of them, the retirees had over 50 years of experience working there. “We will miss them,” he said. He also gave a shoutout to everyone that contributes to the giving tree at the school which provides hats and mittens to the Plymouth Area Coalition for the Homeless.

Each of the standing committees that have had a meeting since the last School Committee meeting provided an update. Committee member Summer Schmaling read from an email from Halifax Youth and Recreation Director Richard Steele. Steele reported that the Halifax Elementary School gym has been used for the last two months for basketball practices only. As of the week beginning January 4, town basketball will also be held in the gym. Steele reported that the gym was one of the only ones open in the area. Schmaling expressed her gratitude for children being allowed to play sports in town. “Shoutout to Youth and Rec for making sure that happens because it’s really important to a lot of our families,” she said. The gym floor was also recently refinished.

The PTO last met on December 2. Due to cancelled field trips and other events the PTO has a surplus of money that they are looking to allocate. For this reason, Beaudry said that teachers should submit any wish list items to them. The PTO recently held a teacher appreciation luncheon. Participation in the recent book fair was down, but it was anticipated due to the unusual circumstances.

Proulx presented a first draft of the budget proposal for 2021 to 2022. The draft which was shared with members of the Committee represented a 3.41 percent increase in the regular day operating budget as well as a 5.13 percent increase overall. Principals were asked to prepare a level service budget as well as a capital plan that included input from staff. The budget presented by Proulx did not include Beaudry’s staffing requests nor did it include the current staffing for the hybrid model. Proulx said that shared costs were not yet included and said that she anticipated that the addition would increase the budget.

The budget includes an increase in custodial supplies as the need for continued increased cleaning is anticipated. It also includes $5,000 for a shed. The Special Education reimbursement program Circuit Breaker was factored in at 55 percent, a number that is likely conservative. Proulx also said that the budget accounted for five slots in the out of district vocational tuition line though there are currently four students enrolled, three of which will be graduating. The actual number remains to be seen.

The overall enrollment numbers are down while homeschool numbers have increased. Student enrollment at Halifax Elementary School is down by 17 from 2020 to 2021. Halifax student enrollment at the middle and high school levels is down 5 students.

Andrews requested that the school make regular videos to showcase the work being done by the students and teachers as a way to show the taxpayers where their money is going. “There is a great return on investment,” Andrews said. Andrews referenced the presentation to the Committee by the students in the Pathways program for 18-22-year-olds that included a video of their recent work. “It made me feel good and gave me a reason to want to be on the School Committee,” he explained.

Andrews told the Committee that he wanted to acknowledge the great work done by Facilities Manager Matthew Durkee, Head Custodian Bob Clancy, and Director of Building Maintenance Scott Materna in getting the backflow device at the school fixed after the recent snowstorm. Without the quick fix, the school would not have been able to open. Durkee, who was on the call, also acknowledged the assistance they received from various local companies including City Point Fire Protection, Inc., John Hoadley Plumbing & Heating, Inc., and FW Webb. “The group really pulled together and was able to accomplish this… kudos to all involved,” Durkee said. He also thanked Halifax Board of Health agent Bob Valery who he said was instrumental in getting things up and running. Andrews said that the Committee would be sending letters of thanks to those involved. “I know how long and hard you guys worked to try and get a solution into place,” he said.

The Halifax Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday, Dec. 22, for one of the special meetings they have been holding during the COVID period. Normally, Police Chief Joao Chaves, Fire Chief Jason Viveiros, and Board of Health Agent Bob Valery are all present but only Viveiros was in attendance for much of the meeting.

Viveiros provided a COVID update saying that while he didn’t have the accurate counts, the town was averaging between 2 and 5 new cases per day. Town Administrator Charlie Seelig jumped in to say that the town was “double red.” “If red is 25 cases over a 14-day period, we’re now at 53 or 54 cases,” he explained. Seelig also said that a colleague had reached out to others in surrounding communities who all confirmed that they were seeing similar jumps in the numbers. “It’s not unique to Halifax; there are very, very few cases where you can point to and say this is the cause,” he continued. He recommended that people go back to the basics of washing their hands, wearing masks, and reducing the number of contacts they have.

Viveiros said they have been working on the vaccination rollout for first responders. “We’re working with our medical director Dr. Muse working through the hospital; he’s making a submission on behalf of twelve different departments, we’ll be one of those twelve departments,” he explained. Viveiros said that all vaccines will be shipped to Brockton Hospital so that they can store them at the required temperatures. He also said that once ready to begin vaccinating the Department can go and pick up the vaccines. The vaccine will most likely be the Moderna vaccine. They are hopeful that vaccinations will begin the second week of January. Viveiros said that they have not heard much regarding a widescale distribution plan for the vaccine.

Valery returned for the final minutes of the meeting following a conference call with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Valery told the Board that the flu shot deadline for students that had previously been set at Dec. 31 has now been extended until Feb. 28. “I just urge that people follow the guidelines that are on Mass.gov when it comes to your home gatherings,” Valery said. He told the Board that nearly half of all positive cases come from household spreads.

Seelig touched upon the new state restrictions effective December 26 including reduced capacity for office spaces, etc. to 25 percent of capacity with the exception of those performing essential functions including K-12 schools. Seelig said that the town hall and other municipal buildings have been considered essential. He also suggested that the Board consider asking departments to go to staggered shifts to try to reduce the possibility of transmission, particularly now that the laptops are available for individuals to work from home. “Thinking that everybody is an essential employee and I would leave it up to the individual departments to present a plan as to how they would like to move forward,” Selectman Chair Tom Millias said. Selectman Troy Garron said he was in agreement. “I think if the department head can handle their staff to get the job done, then that’s fine,” Selectman Gordon Andrews said. “I think that we need to keep the town hall open to allow residents to get their business done,” he added.

Seelig also said that indoor event venues are limited to 10 people though he noted he was unclear as to whether or not the Board of Selectman meetings would fall under that umbrella. He asked the Board what decision they would like to make regarding continuing to meet in person. Seelig pointed out that most boards and committees in town have been meeting virtually. They decided to remain in person for the short-term.

Seelig told the Board that during the Thursday, December 17 storm the backflow regulator at the Halifax Elementary School failed. The staff, including Facilities Director Matt Durkee, Bob Clancy, and Halifax Maintenance Director Scott Materna were able to put something together to allow the school to reopen on Friday. “The decision that we made to have Scott be able to work over at the school and direct functions there and also obviously take advantage of his expertise and being able to compensate him properly for his expertise made a big difference in terms of being able to open the school or not open the school,” Seelig said. Andrews, who also serves as Chair of the Halifax School Committee, said that he plans to invite both Durkee and Materna to the School Committee meeting in January to thank them for their extra time and efforts to ensure that the school could open.

A proposed new development project in Halifax known as 8 Hilda Lane has a history dating back to 2005. The property is in an area zoned residential and is owned by 8 Hilda Lane Realty Plus courtesy of Scott Burgess.

The construction planned would consist of 21 single family units spread across 5 buildings.

Burgess bought the property, which consists of 21 acres, back in July of 2019. The original subdivision was approved back in 2005 but was not built except for what appears to be 2 houses that share a common driveway that have their access from Hilda Lane.

Burgess as well as his civil engineer Don Bracken with Bracken Engineering appeared before the Planning Board during their Dec. 3 meeting. “The intent is to build a subdivision road and construct this multifamily development on this one large lot,” Bracken explained. The original application was for a special permit with two variances, however, it was discovered during the Planning Board meeting that two additional variances would be required. Bracken said that they did withdraw their request for site plan approval due to some of the concerns of the Planning Board. He said they plan on resubmitting.

The development is to be constructed in accordance with bylaws with the following exceptions advertised: 1. to allow a 53 ft front yard setback where a 75 ft setback is required and 2. to allow a 43 ft separation between buildings where a 100 ft separation is required.

The necessary changes that were brought to light during the Planning Board meeting include the relocation of a drainage basin which is currently within the riverfront area. Bracken said that the option not to make the change exists though it would require going before the Conservation Commission for approval. The second request is to install a water line. When the subdivision was initially approved in 2005, water was not available at the road but it has since been added. Bracken noted that getting approval on these changes should not be difficult as he would consider them both improvements. Another change includes altering the four driveway entrances that were part of the original plan to just two proposed entrances for the new project.

Bracken presented the project to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) during a scheduled public hearing via Zoom at their December 14 meeting. While the application had been amended to include the four variances as of the date of the meeting, only two variances had been advertised.

ZBA Chair Robert Gaynor said, “I’m concerned with the fact that right before us now… is for a special permit and two variances.” He confirmed with Bracken that correspondence had been sent to the Board stating that they would like to ask for additional variances. Town counsel Amy Kwesell was in attendance and told the Board that it would be their decision whether to move forward or not. Gaynor said, “It’s the intention then, as recommended to the Board, to the Zoning Board, I recommend that I don’t want to do this piecemeal… I want to do it all or nothing.”

Bracken, who was understanding of Gaynor’s position, said that he realizes that the process would likely take several meetings. He said he was hoping that his appearance at the meeting could serve as an opportunity to explain the project and possibly get any feedback prior to another hearing. A potential site walk was also mentioned.

Gaynor also mentioned to those present that Burgess came before the Zoning Board of Appeals in December of 2019 for a different version of the project. The applicant withdrew their application at that time and were not denied. Bracken said he knew little of the encounter.

Gaynor recommended that “we continue the hearing for this petition until it gets advertised correctly with all the variances that are necessary.” Kwesell had concerns, however, that they would be best served getting approval from the Planning Board before proceeding with the ZBA. Kwesell pointed out that the subdivision approval was granted 15 years ago and under the Planning Board regulations for subdivision control, a subdivision approval is only good for two years. She recommended to Bracken that they get approval from the Planning Board as to the modification of the roadway before again appearing before the ZBA.

Kwesell explained, “Right now, if they want to come before the Zoning Board of Appeals under the multifamily, they have to come under the 2005 approved roadway because that’s the only approved roadway that’s out there so they either need to get their modification to that roadway approved or the ZBA can only look at the 2005 approved roadway.” She said she believed it would behoove the client to attain approval for those modifications since they themselves described them merely as improvements. She told the ZBA, “Right now they don’t have an approved roadway that match the plans that are in front of you.”

ZBA member Peter Parcellin echoed the sentiment that the application before them was inaccurate saying, “It needs to catch up.” He went on to say, “I know that the neighborhood around here is very concerned about this project and I think that they deserve everything to be very clear as we’re voting on it.”

Gaynor agreed with Kwesell and Parcellin telling Bracken that they would need to work out the modifications with the Planning Board before even advertising for the special permit with the 4 variances with the ZBA.

“We have no problem continuing this for a couple of months and hopefully that will give us plenty of time to go through the Planning Board process and hopefully get those changes that we’re pretty confident that we should be able to get because they’re improvements,” Bracken said.

Gaynor asked Bracken if he would like to withdraw his petition from the ZBA. While initially Bracken said he would like to confer with his client first, Kwesell told him if they were unwilling to withdraw, the ZBA would need to deny the first project for the special permit with 2 variances resulting in them having to wait two years to present another due to the denied project. Bracken then agreed to withdraw without prejudice. The Board voted to accept the withdrawal.

Resident and abutter Kerri Butler was in attendance and requested to speak. She thanked the ZBA for their due diligence as she said she had noted that there were only 2 variances explicitly listed in the advertising. “We’ve been down this road before; the neighbors are all very concerned. We know that development is inevitable, however, there is reasonable development and then there is over the top development.”

The Halifax Board of Selectmen as well as Fire Chief Jason Viveiros, Police Chief Joao Chaves, and Board of Health agent Bob Valery met Thursday, Dec. 10, for what is being referred to as an extraordinary meeting during the COVID era.

Valery began by telling the selectmen that there have been 22 confirmed cases of COVID in town since their previous meeting. Valery said that the numbers from November 25 through December 8, which included Thanksgiving, showed 48 positive cases for a percent positivity rate in Halifax of 8 percent which was up from 5 percent. He said the town would be moving into the red along with approximately 150 other communities. Valery also expressed concern that there would be even more gatherings between Christmas and New Year’s, compared to Thanksgiving. “I would caution everybody to follow the guidance that has been set forth by the state no matter how difficult it is, during this upcoming holiday season. It’s going to be different than it has been in years’ past,” he explained.

Valery also said that updates to the Maven system including contact tracing information linking directly to it, have allowed him to see when and where clusters of cases develop. According to Valery the guidance from the CDC encourages remote work wherever possible or at least staggering shifts, if possible. He said it might be something that the Board of Selectmen may want to consider.

Chief Viveiros gave an update on the drive-through testing that had been held in Halifax the previous weekend. He said that cars began lining up around 6 in the morning and that there was a steady flow throughout the day. Just under 800 people were tested between the two days with 54 tests coming back positive. Not all those tested were residents of Halifax. Viveiros said that they learned a lot of lessons from the weekend testing that they can use should they choose to run another similar event. He also said that since holding the testing, he has received at least 7 phone calls from communities who were inquiring about holding their own. Hanson plans to do one partnering with the same company as Halifax.

Halifax plans to continue with their employee testing program as well. Additional dates are coming. Viveiros said that he plans to speak with Town Administrator Charlie Seelig about expanding the testing to include the senior population.

Viveiros also took a moment to publicly recognize Dr. Daniel Muse for everything that he has done in assisting with the testing. Muse, an emergency physician at Brockton Hospital, is the Medical Director for the Fire Department. He oversees all emergency services that run out of Brockton Hospital. Muse has already given written, standing orders to the Halifax Fire Department for vaccine distribution, should they be needed. “He has been extremely supportive with all of our COVID efforts,” Viveiros told the selectmen. Chief Chaves expressed his gratitude for Chief Viveiros in executing the drive up testing relatively seamlessly despite inclement weather.

Selectman Gordon Andrews asked if there was a plan to hold another testing event in Halifax, perhaps two weeks after Christmas. Viveiros said that it was certainly something that could be done but noted that the CARES Act funding will expire at the end of December.

Seelig said that decisions will have to be made to proceed with certain expenditures despite not immediately having the receipts/revenue to balance it all. He said that emergency situations sometimes necessitate having an article at the May special town meeting prior to the annual to appropriate money against free cash. “If it’s necessary it’s no different than a snowstorm and spending money beyond what you have in the snow budget. At some point you say we’ve got to do this, we know we have to pay that bill, but it’s worth doing,” Seelig explained.

Seelig asked Valery what the correct protocol for instances was where an employee tests positive but remains asymptomatic.  Seelig, who said he was fielding this question from town employees, asked if they would have to wait the full 14 days to return or if they could shorten the duration to 10 days. Valery answered, “It’s on a very individual basis level because first of all I have to make sure that they haven’t shown any symptoms so that, you know, comes down to integrity, whoever is giving me that information… they do find that if you follow the proper procedures that 10 days coming back and still monitoring yourself for any symptoms for the last four days, only shows about a 1 percent risk factor over the 14 day period.” Valery, who asked that employees are directed to him, noted that if he had any doubts, he would ask the employee to wait the full 14 days.

Chief Chaves asked the Board to extend an offer of employment to Michael Boncariewski as a permanent intermittent patrol officer. Boncariewski is a lifelong resident of Halifax who attended Silver Lake schools. He also previously worked as a special officer in both Hull and Halifax. “I believe he’s an asset to the department… he is well respected by his peers,” Chaves said. The Board voted to approve his hiring. Chaves explained that the department is moving toward state accreditation which will require each new hire to undergo a psych evaluation. Officer Boncariewski will be the first in the department to fulfill this requirement.

The Selectmen voted to sign an amended Host Community Agreement (HCA) with Bud’s Goods and Provisions.

The amended agreement added both indoor cultivation and manufacturing to the list of approved uses. Bud’s will still need to go to the Cannabis Control Commission for a revised provisional license to expand their uses. They will also need to come before the Planning Board for a site plan review and special permit.

The selectmen had an appointment with Green Earth Cannabis, who has proposed a retail marijuana store at 657 Monponsett St., during Thursday’s meeting. John Kudryk and his partners Matthew Collins and Robert Maker were in attendance.

Andrews recused himself from the discussion as he has family that owns adjoining property and therefore a potential conflict of interest.

Kudryk said that the zoning for the proposed location was changed from industrial to commercial. He also said that the location appears to be well within the guidelines that prohibit such an establishment from being within so many feet of a school or other area where children congregate.

Kudryk told the Board that they have had an engineer draw up some preliminary plans. He also said that they are anticipating needing 18 full time employees which he said would help to stimulate the local economy. The projected opening date is July 1, 2022.

Seelig brought up the proposed 21-unit multi-family project known as Hilda Lane. It is set to go before both the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Andrews said that he was directing people on social media to contact the appropriate department secretary regarding whether they are for or against the proposal. Seelig said that a letter was received from a resident opposing the project.

Town Administrator Elizabeth Dennehy announced during the Tuesday, December 8 meeting of the Plympton Board of Selectmen that the Townhouse would be reverting back to a remote model of business from Dec. 14 through January 11. The decision was made by the Emergency Management Team in conjunction with the Board of Health. Dennehy said that it was not a decision that was entered into lightly but noted the escalation of the virus in town, in the state, and even nationwide.

Dennehy said that all offices will be up and running remotely and noted that the public should still be able to proceed with most business. She also said that they are working on a plan to keep the Council on Aging (COA) pantry open, most likely by appointment. COA transportation services will also continue.   

The selectmen voted on a number of appointments in town including Madeleine Pompei as the senior clerk for Permitting and Planning. A number of appointments were made within the Police Department as well including Daniel Hoffman as acting sergeant, Stephanie Connolly as a special police officer, and James Cranshaw and Matthew Terenzi both as part-time police officers. The appointments are through the end of the fiscal year though language in the contract indicates that they do not need to keep being reappointed once they’ve been appointed for a year. There was also a ratification of two appointments made at the previous Selectmen’s meeting – Colleen Thompson as the Director of Elder Affairs and Carolyn DeCristofano as the alternate for the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Plympton Police Chief Matthew Clancy presented before the Board as part of an ongoing series of discussions with various department heads and other town officials. Chief Clancy began by saying that it had been a tough year for a number of reasons.

There were a number of long-term injuries among members of the Department that required them to be paid as well as those filling in for them. The pandemic also resulted in a number of officers having to quarantine. As with injuries, officers were paid while quarantining resulting in greater expenditures for the Department.

Regional responsibilities required the Department to send officers to protests throughout the region including in New Bedford and Brockton in the wake of the killing of George Floyd. Clancy also said that there was a five-day state-wide plan for dealing with possible fallout from the election. As a result, Plympton had some officers assigned to regional response teams and consequently there were costs also associated with the extra responsibilities.

Clancy said that he doesn’t yet have a projection of the shortfall but is working on it and is keeping both Dennehy and the Finance Committee apprised of the situation. While there hasn’t been a lot of federal or state money targeted to law enforcement this year, Clancy said that he was able to procure a few grants. A DOJ Byrne Memorial Grant was awarded in the amount of $20,000 which will be used toward the purchase of protective vests for officers. The funds will also be used to acquire a solar powered, trailer-mounted signboard so the Department won’t need to continue to borrow them from nearby communities. The Department was also awarded a traffic enforcement grant of $11,000 to pay officers for their participation in various Department of Transportation (DOT) traffic campaigns.

The new fiber network is up and running and will be installed in all buildings by the end of this week. Clancy said they will then proceed to thoughtfully and methodically cut various systems in town into the network. The new phone system which will be one system across the entire town will hopefully be up and running in January.

Clancy also gave an update on the accreditation program. He said it is a goal of the Department to obtain state certification. Though the process has been somewhat delayed due to COVID, Clancy said they are close to complete with the revamping of their policies and procedures. The next step will be the state audit. Clancy said that accreditation will likely soon be mandatory so the department has a jump start.

The new Plympton Police Department website that has been in the works for several months, will likely go live in January. “It’s going to give residents a bunch of different opportunities to open up the lines of communication,” Clancy explained.

Clancy also told the selectmen that the Department’s relationship with Duxbury and the Regional Old Colony Communications Center (ROCCC) continues to be successful. The selectmen thanked him for the updates and Chair Mark Russo said, “We so appreciate your professionalism.”

Chair of both the Plympton School Committee and the Town Properties Committee Jon Wilhelmsen asked the Board if they would be willing to approve a letter of intent with Solect Energy for a solar power project at Dennett Elementary School. Wilhelmsen said that the opportunity to work with Solect Energy on a project only recently came about and noted that in order to obtain the higher rate for a tax credit, a letter of intent would have to be signed by Tuesday, Dec. 15. Wilhelmsen said that while he had discussed the idea with fellow School Committee member Jason Fraser as well as the Town Properties Committee, he had yet to discuss it with the entirety of the School Committee. All those conferred with were in favor of the idea.

Due to the less-than-ideal state of most of the Dennett roof, the project would entail rooftop solar panels on the blue metal portion of the Dennett roof only. A possible addition would be a canopy in the parking lot. One option involves cutting down what likely amounts to 12 pine trees while another possible option does not. While the taking down of the trees would need to be funded, Wilhelmsen noted that it would probably be just as well as they are within striking distance of the building itself.

Wilhelmsen said that placing panels on just the one small portion of the roof would be an opportunity to invest and learn and said that when the time comes to redo the Dennett roof, they could make sure that it could accommodate solar panels. He also noted that the technology keeps getting better and the cost lower. He described the Dennett as an ideal location in town for solar panels as it is somewhat tucked away.

Russo said, “I have actually felt a little challenged about the trees… also about this canopy thing in the parking lot just in terms of aesthetics.” He did, however, say that it was clear that as a society we need to be moving toward electricity and away from fossil fuels. Given that the letter of intent doesn’t lock the town into an agreement, Russo and the other selectmen agreed to move forward with it pending an approval from the School Committee during their meeting early next week.

Wilhelmsen also provided an update on the Townhouse entrance accessibility project. The Town Properties Committee is hoping to award the design services to the company BETA. Thanks to funds acquired through the efforts of Selectman John Traynor and Representative Kathy LaNatra the plan to add an elevator or lift has evolved into a more comprehensive redesign of the entrances to allow for easier access to the upper floor.

The selectmen also voted to move forward with a notice of intent to award the Highway Barn roof replacement project to the lowest bid. NEL Corporation came in with the lowest bid of $105,875 and according to Dennehy they meet all necessary requirements. The work will be required to be completed within 150 days from the notice to proceed.

Dennehy said that the town had received a $1,000 anonymous donation to benefit the Plympton Public Library. She said that a number of gift cards to be used by seniors for groceries were also donated.

She also updated the selectmen on the signage for the speed zones the Board voted to create in certain areas of town. While the signage is expected to be up this week, Dennehy said that further steps, such as painting markings onto the road, will be investigated in the spring. She called the signage a “step in the right direction.”

The Selectmen each had raves at the conclusion of the meeting, mostly for the volunteers in town. Christine Joy sang the praises of both the Bylaw Review Committee as well as the Town Properties Committee. She also thanked Wilhelmsen for his leadership on a number of committees – a sentiment that was shared by the other selectmen. Traynor said that while two members of the Library Trustees resigned, two more volunteers stepped up to take their place leaving only one opening to be filled. Russo said that while the current times are filled with frustration and challenges, he was heartened by the patience and heartfelt well wishes seen within the community.

The Nov. 23 Halifax School Committee meeting began with a request by committee member Summer Schmaling to hold further meetings in person. Schmaling said she found the virtual format distracting and voiced her opinion that certain participants could be in person while others could participate virtually. “It’s hard to communicate with each other… I just find it an ineffective way to do business,” she explained. Committee Chair Gordon Andrews said he understood that the format wasn’t ideal but explained some of the hurdles standing in the way of in person meetings. He said he would look into resolving the issues prior to the next meeting.

Discussion on Full In-Person Return

Superintendent Jill Proulx opened the discussion on the regulations from the state and their impact on the possibility of a full, in-person return to school. She referenced Governor Baker’s early November press conference where he urged schools, where feasible, to return to full, in-person learning. Proulx cited several issues with the state regulations including the need for social distancing on buses and at lunchtime. Funds and space must be available to meet those requirements.

Of the social distancing requirement Proulx said, “more students will mean less social distancing; six feet is still recommended by the state as well as the CDC and three feet is the minimum set by the state. At this time Halifax has been able to maintain 6 ft of social distancing.” Proulx said that she asked Principal Kayne Beaudry, Assistant Principal Brian DeSantes, and Director of Business Services Christine Healy to look into the feasibility of a full return.

Healy said that in order to provide transportation for all students with proper social distancing, five additional buses would be necessary which would be the equivalent of $800 a day. Healy also noted the likely difficulty in obtaining both the buses and drivers. Andrews said there was nothing in the budget that would allow them to come up with the $800 a day necessary.

DeSantes addressed the issues surrounding lunchtime saying that they can hold a maximum number of 44 students in the cafeteria with necessary distancing and the largest cohort they have is 43. He said that kindergarten and first grade are currently eating lunch at the same time though the kindergarten students are eating in the multi-purpose room. Cleaning and transition times must also be built into the lunch schedule. “So, unless there’s a change on the 6 ft requirement for taking their mask off when eating, that’s pretty tight there as well,” Andrews said.

A parent spoke up during the public participation portion of the meeting, asking why a full return isn’t being looked at more seriously. Proulx cited the difficulty that is posed by the state’s regulations. Andrews said, “I know we’re not giving people what they want and what our students need because of these regulations. We didn’t put these in place but we have to abide by them. I think the busing is the biggest hurdle that our school system has both at the elementary level and at Silver Lake… and then there’s the financial implications of that.” Schmaling angrily said that Governor Baker’s statement was irresponsible given the impossibilities that school committees and school districts are up against. She said that getting the kids back into school full-time is the Halifax School Committee’s ultimate goal, “I just want parents to know that we… as a committee… want that.”

President of the Halifax Teacher’s Association Stephen Ruisi spoke on behalf of the teachers saying that while they would love to see a return to full, in-person learning, it is “a balancing act of health and safety and the quality of education.” He continued, “Unanimously we feel as a union of teachers, 6 ft of social distance is a must and hybrid is the only path forward.”

Reports of Standing Committees

Andrews reported on the negotiations subcommittee saying that they have reached an agreement with the teacher’s union. Ruisi said that the teacher’s union had voted to accept the contract but that they were just waiting on a rough copy of it.

The PTO reported that the virtual book fair was ongoing. They also said that they are still encouraging teachers to file wish list items. Additionally, they are always encouraging more parent participation.

Principal’s Report

Beaudry reported that enrollment was holding steady at 568 students. He said that there was a lot of positive parent feedback from the virtual conferences that were held in late October, citing the flexibility offered as one of the perks. Nearly 85 percent of families participated.

Beaudry also said that Ruisi was able to pull off the annual turkey trot at the school. The event was held over two days and included all cohorts, even those that are fully-remote. The food drive is another annual event that has been able to thrive in spite of the pandemic.

Beaudry said that families faced a decision to switch learning models or stay with their current model for Term 2. He said that requests to change from either full-remote to hybrid or hybrid to full-remote were minimal as were requests to change busing.

Beaudry also reviewed some important upcoming dates. December 10 marks the start of Term 2, Term 1 report cards are released on December 21, Holiday break begins December 24, and students and faculty return to school on January 4. He also said that as of right now, students should plan for MCAS in April/May of 2021.

Financial Report

Healy said, “There really isn’t much to report, we’re doing pretty well right now… I think you’ll see signs of cracks in the next few months.” According to Healy, one of those “cracks” could be rising utilities costs from open windows, air purifiers, and other electricity uses.

Cafeteria Changes

Food Service Director Megan Ahrenholz presented to the Committee saying that two out of the three-person cafeteria staff at Halifax Elementary would be retiring in the near future. One suggestion was to have Ahrenholz take over the administrative piece including the menu planning, the reporting to DESE, and the handling of the audits. “The School lunch world keeps getting more and more difficult with DESE and the Federal government getting involved,” she explained.

Benefits of having all of the Silver Lake towns under the same cafeteria management would include continuity of services across the district, shared costs for bids, and a single point of contact for parents of children in more than one district school.

Ahrenholz proposed the creation of a new nutrition manager at Halifax Elementary with set hours and days and a slightly higher pay scale than a normal aide. They would perform the normal functions of a lunch aide but would also be responsible for managerial type tasks including the day to day paperwork. The Committee agreed to discuss the proposed positions further in executive session so as to move quickly on the hiring.

Special Education Presentation

Administrator of Special Education Marie Grable gave her annual presentation regarding special education programming, the budget, the status of the grants and the direction of special education in the district. She defined special education as specially designed education, at no cost to families, to meet the unique needs of a student with a disability. She emphasized the difference between equality and equity saying that the goal was to have equal access to the same opportunities.

In FY21, 18.3 percent or 104 students in the Halifax district are in the special education program.  Grable said this number has stayed relatively steady over the last couple of years. The percentage is slightly higher than the state average and higher than the overall percentage for Silver Lake which stands at roughly 15 percent. The breakdown of those 140 students includes 87 at Halifax Elementary, 20 in the integrated preschool program, 14 in district sub separate programs, and 19 in out of district placement (ODP).

The cost for ODP is $1,857,409 and $473,800 for transportation. The State’s special education Circuit Breaker program provides reimbursement for a portion of costs above $48,000 per placement. Other incoming funds that help the district maintain their special education programming and services include the largest grant, Fund Code 240 which is for $174,642 for Halifax. The majority of these funds are used to offset the cost of the paraprofessionals working directly with the special education population. Grant 262 in the amount of $6,722 targets supports for preschool students ages 3 through 5. Grable also said that two grants that had disappeared in 2018 have returned. Those include Fund Code 274 in the amount of $7,722 and Fund Code 298 in the amount of $1,113.

Grable also gave an overview of the various programs. The Developmental Learning Center (DLC) and Pathways, the Structured Learning Center (SLC) or Therapeutic Learning Center (TLC), and the Language Based Learning Center (LBLC). The programs exist for ages 3 through 22 beginning with the integrated preschool and running through the relatively new Pathways program for young adults.

Grable also addressed the effects of COVID-19 saying, “all of our students have regressed; all of our students have struggled with the school closure from March.” She said compensatory services were being explored if needed due to the regression that occurred in the spring.

She continued, “The difference between the remote plan in the spring and the learning program in the fall is that we really need to ensure FAPE (a free, appropriate education for all of our students). She said the services that are outlined in a student’s IEP are expected to be implemented this fall as they are written in the IEP despite looking different.

Grable also reviewed some upcoming goals including opening another preschool classroom as the slots for students with disabilities are full. Her final slide of her presentation was a shoutout to the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) and Committee Chairs Heather Eddy and Michael Cecere.

Technology Presentation

Technology Director Steve Pellowe presented on the technology budget for Halifax for FY22. Pellowe broke the budget into four main areas/preliminary requests which were school management curriculum (software and subscriptions) at $30,080, technology management (software and subscriptions) at $30,520, supplies and repairs at $7,400, and technology hardware and assistive technology at $22,700. Pellowe said that included in those numbers are several items that are for remote learning and have not been there in the past.

Pellowe said that Silver Lake has agreed to fund a technology paraprofessional position through the end of the year for additional assistance as their department’s requests for help have tripled over this time last year. Andrews asked Pellowe if he had any specific requests should further CARES Act funding become available through the town and Pellowe said that he would fully support laptops for the teachers as was being done in other schools in the Silver Lake district.

Curriculum Coordinator Presentation

Title I Director and K-6 Curriculum Coordinator Melissa Farrell also presented to the Committee. Farrell showed a historical overview of the Title 1 grant showing the continuing decrease from 2018 to 2021. In FY18, Title I funding was $335,867 and in FY21 it was $156,013. Farrell commended Halifax for funding a needed math position in their budget and said that Halifax’s Title 1 money will be used to fund two reading interventionists positions. She said they were having difficulty filling the positions but noted that they would continue to be posted. She said that unlike previously thought, they will have the allocation available for summer programming this year.

Farrell said they are in the second year of a new math curriculum. Farrell also said they are implementing a pilot for the online program Lexia for Halifax grades K-5. Grade 6 is using a new ancient civilizations program. There is also a new anti-bullying, social and emotional curriculum for all grades across the district. Farrell also created a website called “Parent Academy” which highlights resources available to parents during this difficult time.

She then turned to budget considerations saying that the school is in their last year of the current ELA program which she called “outdated.” “Budget implications for ELA are all over the mark,” Farrell said. She continued saying that she has quotes as high as $500,000 for a 7-year district implementation of a literacy program. Of that $500,000, about $157,000 would come from Halifax which Farrell said she would try to split between two years’ budgets.

Vote on Continuation of CARES Act Positions

Proulx told the Committee they would need to take a vote on whether or not to continue funding several positions that were funded through the CARES Act. That funding will run out at the end of December. The Committee needed to decide whether to continue funding them through the end of the school year. Those positions include a long-term building substitute, three long term substitute classroom teachers, and a long-term substitute custodian. Andrews said that while the school budget wouldn’t support those positions, the Halifax Board of Selectmen (of which he is one) declared a state of emergency which allows them to deficit spend.

“If we didn’t make any changes at the special town meeting at the annual town meeting then we would deficit spend, but if we make an adjustment to the line at the special meeting then we should be able to add that amount of money or some amount of money necessary to cover those costs for this school year. So, there is a way to pay for that outside of the CARES funding,” Andrews explained. The Committee voted unanimously to fund those positions in the amount of $116,293 through the end of the school year.