Board of Education

Link to the stream: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChiPubSchools/videos

Here is a look at some of the main parts of the agenda. The full PDF for today’s meeting can be found here: https://www.cpsboe.org/content/documents/december_15_2021_public_agenda_to_post.pdf https://t.co/St9AF7EYY8

The stream is now live, with the meeting starting promptly at 10:30 a.m.

All 6 members of the board Miguel del Valle, Luisiana Meléndez, Sendhil Revuluri, Lucino Sotelo, Elizabeth Todd-Breland, & Dwayne Truss are present at roll call.

President del Valle opens with expressing that this is the last board meeting of 2021 and wishing everyone a safe holiday break.

Today’s honoring excellence section is in recognition of CPS attendees of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Scotland. Mather HS student Ali K, teacher Peter Iselin and Al Raby HS teacher Jasmine Jones.

Mr. Iselin, Mather HS, is describing the school’s desire to install solar panels on Mather’s roof. He says the sustainability work the students at Mather have done is a stepping stone towards what CPS as a whole can accomplish.

“I have been talking about, since I arrived here, the need to go solar,” said del Valle. He says he realizes now that it isn’t that easy, he acknowledges that CPS is behind and that “we” need to take action.

“We have the forces to get the job done but it’s going to take all of us combining our energy and our resources.” -del Valle

“Let’s engage all students in this effort and let’s engage all schools, not just the high schools, and let’s move forward.” -del Valle

Swinney announces the Hellen Antonopoulos Memorial Fund in honor of a CPS colleague recently lost. The fund will support scholarships and mental health/wellness resources for CPS school communities.

More information about the fund donations is linked here https://cps.networkforgood.com/projects/148338-hellen-antonopoulos-memorial-fund

“If we had more people like here, who authentically practiced what they preached, and really cared about the students the way they claimed too, we would be in a much better place.” -Member Sotelo on Antonopoulos

We’re moving on to some updates in safety measures.

First, the announcement of the upcoming 2022 Local School Council (LSC) elections. CPS urges participation as a candidate, a voter or a paid judge (judges receive a $250 stipend).

Also, the next board meeting will be on Wednesday, January 26, 2022.

Alright, we are actually moving onto the public participation portion of the meeting.

Current @CTULocal1 president @SharkeyCTU1is is today’s first speaker. He is looking for answers to the questions he asked the board last month. He asks for more transparency in how the current safety measures are actually effective.

“Really what I’m asking you to do is to defend the interest of public education. We need to be clear.” - @SharkeyCTU1

Chris Baehrend, @ChiACTS Division Chair, is the next caller expressing concern for students of YCCS over the possibility of the school closing.

Stacia Scott, SEIU Local 73 Vice-President, is calling to speak on the struggle custodians face in burning out due to low staffing and not enough cleaning resources being distributed.

She asks the board to shadow a custodian to see the issues they are facing first hand.

Khamishah Griffin, Recruitment and Enrollment Specialist at North Lawndale College Prep asks the board to work with them in turning around their low enrollment issue.

A speaker from @CatalystMaria Charter school asks for a renewal of their charter.

Several speakers from @CatalystMaria request a 7-year charter renewal

Jodie Cantrell, Director of External Affairs at Illinois Network of Charter Schools talks about the importance of long-term charter renewals because it gives schools the ability to better plan how they will utilize those funds.

Parents and staff members ask for charter renewals for multiple Chicago schools including @PolarisCA.

I think it’s important to mention the visible Covid safety measures that are being taken at this meeting. Most of the seating is marked off to ensure that guests are 6 ft. apart. The podium and mic are also being sanitized in between each speaker.

The next speaker is calling out @ChiPubSchools‘s inefficient response to the nationwide bus shortage.

This issue should be addressed later on in this meeting so stay posted for what @ChiPubSchools has to say.

Kathy Powers, Northside Action for Justice, asks the board to provide online learning for two weeks after the holiday break bc people will still be traveling. She says contract tracing has not been working & wants answers for the transportation issues.

The next group of speakers is from @PCSEDU including IIT Math & Science Academy Principal TyNeisha Banks. They also ask for a renewal to their charter.

The next caller is a Clemente parent who says that the school has not been accurately sharing issues of Covid cases with the parents. She says the current CPS guidelines are negligent.

CPS parent calls in regards to the CPS high school selection process.

I believe this is specifically in regard to the selective enrollment high school application process. The caller cites the psychological damage it does to students who do not get into certain schools and feel like they are not enough.

She also argues that grades earned during a pandemic with online learning should not be weighted as normal.

The last speaker is a concerned CPS parent over the new open bathroom policy. He is very heated and is still speaking after his microphone has been cut.

Boardmember Todd-Breland publicly affirms all students on their gender identity and expression in light of the last speaker.

We’re moving on now to CPS’ resolution on the transportation issue due to the nationwide bus driver shortage.

CPS says the most vulnerable students will be served first.

1300 students have found their own way to get to school without CPS services.

Martinez says they are looking into asking some families if they would prefer financial compensation as opposed to bus service.

**to clarify, it is financial compensation to provide transportation to their children to and from school

The board is also voting today in a settlement for Black educators in regards to turnaround.

Todd-Breland says it is an opportunity to express CPS’ commitment to hiring and retaining Black teachers.

“From the very, very beginning this board [the current sitting members] has made diversity and equity a priority.” -del Valle

Time to vote on the public agenda items.

RS1: Resolution Authorizing the Extension of the Remedial Program for Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Participation in Construction Projects and Goods and Services Policies passes

RS2: Resolution to Authorize Appointment of Members to Local School Councils to Fill Vacancies passes

RS3: Resolution Regarding School Bus Transportation in Response to the National School Bus Driver Shortage passes

The board votes yes on the Permanent Debarment of German Diaz, David Harvey, Carl Johnson, Lynette Phillips and David Sheats.

All voteable items on today’s agenda pass.

They all pass unanimously.

We’re moving on to presentations now. Health and Safety Updates with Chief Health Officer Dr. Kenneth Fox is first.

Chicago faces an average of 929 daily Covid cases.

There are currently 38 CPS Contract Tracers and Fox says this number will extend to 43 by Jan. 3, 2022.

On any given day, 1-3% of CPS students are required to quarantine which accounts for thousands in a district of this size.

This slide shows the weekly number of students and staff required to quarantine since September. #CPS @ChiPubSchools https://t.co/sKUmUhuKG7

The amount for the week of 12/05, 8,654, is the highest of the year so far.

CPS recently launched the Test to Stay Pilot in once classroom in one school. More information to come further into testing.

Dr. Fox says CPS will not test anyone without expressed written consent and says that this is an important human right to recognize.

Here is some information on the 150,000 home screening test kits that will be sent home with students to use over the Winter Break. https://t.co/6aT0Al9gOA

He says results for these tests will be available through text, email or online.

CPS initially asked for 75,000 test kits but realized it wasn’t a sufficient amount and increased the amount to 150,000.

90% of CPS staff and almost 50% of CPS students 12+ are vaccinated.

Further information by age group: https://t.co/hgTkc7DYqL

CPS has initiated paid Covid response marketing in both English and Spanish, targeting mostly the South and West sides.

Martinez says that CPS is over-quarantining in preventative measures.

CPS says that parents to a child who tests positive for Covid-19 will be notified immediately. The quarantine begins immediately. It’s the larger communication that takes a little longer.

Member Todd-Breland asks that in this moment with a surge in cases, does CPS have enough contact tracers?

“Principals are deeply involved and there isn’t a universe in which they wouldn’t be.” -Dr. Fox, in response to the claims that principals have been tasked with a lot of the contract tracing work in their schools.

Dr. Fox says that just because a student uses a home kit does not mean they have consented to be tested at school.

Member Melendez asks Fox if we should anticipate another surge once school resumes after the winter break.

“This is a variant of concern.” -Dr. Fox

“We’re tired of Covid, but Covid’s not tired of us. That’s what it boils down to.” -Dr. Fox

We’re looking at a Facilities Update presentation. CPS is near staffing levels for Engineers and Building Managers and has strategies in place to reduce vacancies in custodial positions.

CPS will offer overtime night and weekend pay to custodians, will continue to hold hiring fairs and is looking into supplemental custodial resources. https://t.co/Ou7c85e1We

CPS currently has over 250 custodial vacancies.

Presentations are done.

We’re going back to the restroom issue that was brought up by a pubic speaker earlier. CEO Martinez says he wants to make sure parents know that CPS will balance the rights of all children with the law and overall safety.

Todd-Breland stresses that this initiative is in place to make students feel comfortable in their identity, and has nothing to do with what the earlier speaker was saying.

“When they see those signs it sends a message to them that we see you and we hear you and you mean something to us.”

Motion to adjourn. The meeting ends at 2:19 p.m. Checking out now, thanks for following along.