www.mcsba.org February 2021 LegislativeMCSBA Committee to meet with lawmakers MCSBA districts will be represented by eight new lawmakers in Albany this year. Therefore, the MCSBA Legislative Committee is reaching out virtually to S 56. our new NYS Senate and Jeremy Cooney Assembly members (seen A 134. superimposed on a map of Josh Jensen A 136. our service area) to Sarah Clark introduce them to leaders of the school districts they represent, to acquaint them with the resources available through A 135. MCSBA, and to discuss Jennifer Lunsford education issues facing S 61. districts this year. Ed Rath A 137. Demond Meeks Some of these essential issues are stated in MCSBA’s recently updated positions on NYS support for education and mandate relief (see pages 9-11). S 55. Samra Brouk Meetings with veteran state A 131. Jeff Gallahan lawmakers also planned Zoom appointments are also being scheduled with our re-elected veteran legislators (seen at the left) for constituent meetings in February and March. District leaders are encouraged to register through MCSBA for meetings with lawmakers representing them in Albany. S 54. S 59. S 62. A 133. A 138. A 139. Pam Helming Patrick Gallivan Robert Ortt Marjorie Byrnes Harry Bronson Stephen Hawley February 2021 INDEX Legislative Committee to meet with new lawmakers 1 MONROE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION From our president 2 220 Idlewood Road, Rochester, NY 14618 [email protected] From our executive director 3 (585) 328-1972 www.mcsba.org Remembering John Heise President – Amy Jo Thomas, Pittsford CSD IE: Language Acquisition for ELLs 4 Vice President – Gary Bracken, Spencerport CSD ACT for Education Discussion: SEL during the pandemic 4 Past President – Kathleen Dillon, Monroe 2 – Orleans BOCES, Churchville-Chili CSD LR: Workforce availability 5 Treasurer – John Abbott, Monroe 2 – Orleans BOCES Opportunities to foster anti-racism in schools 6 Executive Director - Sherry Johnson, [email protected] Mission to Mars goes virtual 7 Program Director – Beckie Schultz, [email protected] MAG legislative update 8 MCSBA position on state aid 9 MCSBA position on mandates 11 From our president: Building Relationships in 2021 One of the MCSBA goals established for 2020/21 is to Build Relationships. Having this as a goal has forced me to examine how the process of developing relationships has influenced my life and decision-making. Transitioning through several relocations both domestically and internationally, I was awakened to the importance of building meaningful relationships both personally and professionally. In my experience, the people I met during these transitions served as the catalyst needed for me to adapt and thrive in unfamiliar environments. In the past year, we have most certainly found ourselves in unfamiliar environments where relationships of all types have been strained by the many challenges and divisions we are facing. But I believe now we are in a period of transition where we will become more united as a nation and in our communities. Our MCSBA goal is certainly one that could and should be applied in a larger way as we work on building bridges and Amy Thomas establishing healthy relationships beyond just our group. However, it will not be easy and it will take resolute commitment from all of us to better understand each other and our respective viewpoints while addressing the challenges and inequities that exist in our society. It will take a purposeful effort to engage in civil discourse to understand diversified views while reaching a peaceful resolution to issues. When it comes to relationships, the MCSBA has a strong reputation, known for our effective efforts to educate state/local legislators on the impact of proposed and/or existing legislation and the pressing issues facing public education. We need to leverage this core strength as we navigate 2021 with a new administration in the White House and newly elected state and local legislators. To this end, while we are unable to host our annual Legislative Breakfast this year, we can look forward to our Zoom Legislative Meeting scheduled on February 4 to meet and greet our newly elected officials. In addition, Sherry and Beckie have arranged smaller regional meetings with our veteran legislators to meet with BOE representatives from their constituent districts throughout February and March. These initial meetings are vital in establishing and maintaining relationships and laying the groundwork for our current advocacy efforts. Finally, the strength of our MCSBA relationships with each other has been a critical component of successfully dealing with the many crises we have faced. Superintendents and BOEs have worked together throughout COVID-19, dealing with the DOH and the Governor’s Executive Orders, sharing best practices on hybrid and remote learning models, figuring out ways to operate some sports, developing testing protocols, and now, looking for ways to get staffs vaccinated. This collaborative effort has proven to be a critical component to maneuvering this historical year and we must continue this collaborative approach to keep moving the chains in a positive direction. As expressed in the words of Vice President Harris on Inauguration Day: “The courage to see beyond crisis, to do what is hard, to do what is good, to unite, to believe in ourselves, believe in our country, believe in what we can do together.” Amy Jo Thomas Monroe County School Boards Association 2 News Scope February 2021 From our executive director: Looking Forward Dear Members, On January 6, when I witnessed the siege on our Capitol, I was unfortunately reminded of the themes of two books that most of us read in high school; George Orwell’s 1984 and William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Both books warned how the use of misinformation and manipulation of reality could create a “group think” mob with devastating effects. It was horrifying to see those images on television and to think that books I read by authors who published their novels in 1949 and 1954 respectively, had landed in reality in 2021. We have long prioritized teaching our students critical thinking skills, on providing environments of inclusivity and creating equity. From my election to a Board in 1998 to now, the work continues on about how to implement policy, best practices and professional development to reach these substantive goals for Sherry Johnson our students. The pandemic has laid bare the work that remains. The systemic racism and inequities in education, in testing, in evaluations, and in funding are just some of the barriers that we have fought hard to overcome. But our work has also been challenged by algorithms outside of education, where only the information that we “like” allows for a self-filling prophecy that keeps other information from being accessed and critically analyzed. Technology for all of its good has helped to perpetuate division and create new hurdles to the goals we must reach. But, I know that you won’t give up, that your vision, your mission and your resolve is to make sure that each and every student in your school districts have the necessary tools and supports to be successful in whatever endeavor they choose and become the future leaders we need. You continue to intentionally look at policy, at practice, at curriculum and instruction and you are determined to make the needed changes so that January 6, will be a moment that history will never find repeated. Amanda Gorman’s Inauguration poem was inspiration enough, so I will simply thank all of you for being brave enough to be the light on behalf of our children. Sherry Johnson Remembering John Heise John Heise, Vice President of the Holley Board of Education and member of the Monroe 2 – Orleans BOCES Board, died on December 23. After working 11 years in the Rochester City School District, he accepted a position as the Holley Elementary School principal. He later served as the Holley High School principal and the District Director of Special Education before retiring in 2002. He served 13 years on the Holley School Board and 12 years on the BOCES 2 Board. One of John's longest commitments was to the Holley Rotary Club and to Rotary International. He believed in the Rotary principle of "service above self". Many students from all around the globe spent a year in Holley due to John's work in the Rotary Youth Exchange program. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, there will not be a service at this time. Those wishing may make a contribution to the Holley Rotary Club, P.O. Box 224, Holley, NY 14470 in his memory. Monroe County School Boards Association 3 News Scope February 2021 Language Acquisition for ELLs On January 13, members of the Information Exchange Committee heard how the Rush-Henrietta District supports and monitors language acquisition by English language learners. Jamie Scripps, Teacher on Special Assignment, Student & Family Services Department for the district discussed issues faced and strategies used to assist students for whom English is not their first language. She noted that ABOVE LEFT: Presenter Jamie Scripps (RH); because of the pandemic, ELLs are functioning below their mainstream peers, but ABOVE RIGHT: Information Committee Co-Chair given time and services they are expected to perform as well as their peers again. Tammy Gurowski (Web). Among her other comments were descriptions of the following: * ELLs have had some positive experiences with remote learning, such as taking charge of their own learning and working at their own pace. Teachers more easily differentiate lessons and have increased opportunities to interact with students and their families. * Supports for staff and parents involved with ELL students do not center on a deficit model, but on factors that enhance the ability to meet students’ needs, such as ENL professional development for all staff, planning time for co-teaching, and processes for monitoring language acquisition versus content acquisition.