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The Sudbury Public Schools (SPS) School Committee has shifted gears, opting to conduct some of their meetings in-person, and without a hybrid option for remote attendees. Their latest meeting was not broadcast live on Sudbury TV, opting instead to make the recording available on-demand at a later date.
Municipalities have been expanding the use of hybrid and remote meetings, which have been credited with increasing public participation in local government, and ensuring equitable access for the public to participate. Last year the State passed legislation extending pandemic-era provisions allowing for virtual and hybrid meetings. At the time, the Massachusetts Municipal Association and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) lauded the move, with the then-MAPC interim community engagement director stating: “We’re excited to see this common-sense extension be approved – virtual access to public forums is a crucial component of ensuring broad and equitable community engagement…”
Debate and discussion continues at the State level on the topic of making hybrid public meetings optional or mandatory, in part because some municipalities have claimed that mandatory hybrid meetings could impose financial and logistical hardships. Many officials have also argued that they prefer in-person meetings, or meetings with an in-person option, for a variety of reasons, such as board/committee member rapport.
SPS School Committee Chair, Nicole Burnard, told Sudbury Weekly:
“The SPS School Committee convened in-person on April 8th to solidify the FY25 meeting calendar. Currently, the Committee is alternating between online and in-person meetings for the remainder of FY24 and will continue to do so for FY25 meetings to ensure flexibility and enhance engagement. Whether in-person or online, our business meetings are always open to the public. The Committee was thrilled when the new Fairbank Community Center opened its doors in January, allowing us the opportunity to begin planning for future in-person meetings. Due to construction project challenges, there have been some delays, especially with the installation of the new AV equipment. The Combined Facilities Director is diligently making every effort to outfit the space with AV technology. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Sudbury community for their unwavering support of the Fairbanks Community Center and welcome all to join us in celebrating our new space during future in-person meetings.”
— SPS School Committee Chair, Nicole Burnard
The Sudbury Select Board is another body that has begun alternating in-person and fully-remote meetings. The in-person Select Board meetings are fully hybrid, offer a remote Zoom option, while also broadcasting on Sudbury TV and streaming online.
The Select Board allocated $78,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to get the Town the equipment necessary to run hybrid meetings in multiple Town buildings. The Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee has frequently conducted hybrid meetings at the Flynn building when they meet in-person.
On Monday, the SPS School Committee hosted all of the school principals for presentations on accomplishments, initiatives and models (referred to as the AIM reports). The committee also finalized the annual evaluation of Superintendent Brad Crozier. (Page 68) Both agenda items are core to the primary roles and responsibilities of school committees in Massachusetts, as the SPS School Committee outlines on its website here.
The AIM presentations are among the few building-specific reports that SPS parents hear each year, with the principals discussing the results of building-specific initiatives, and laying out plans for the year ahead. That includes initiatives like math and literacy interventions at Loring Elementary School, student belonging initiatives at Nixon Elementary School, and interventions on executive function management at Curtis Middle School. Readers can access copies of those presentations here, and copies of the AIM reports here.
While many advocates of remote and hybrid meetings cite the benefits for public participation, the SPS School Committee actually received public comments in-person on Monday. One of the comments questioned the transparency of the committee and policy subcommittee. A change to SPS policies at a May meeting restricted which non-resident SPS and L-S employees could send their children to Sudbury Public Schools; limiting it to DESE-licensed positions.
According to two commenters, that effectively excludes the support staff, such as custodians, from accessing the benefit moving forward. The two commenters were SPS employees themselves, and they implored the committee to reconsider its decision, noting that it wasn’t even discussed at the May 6 meeting when the full committee voted on the proposed policy updates. (0:40)
The meeting the commenter referenced was added to the school committee schedule a few days prior to the meeting happening, and it was scheduled over the existing meeting they had posted for the committee to attend Annual Town Meeting that same evening. It was conducted in-person at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School on May 6, commencing about 60 minutes before the start of Annual Town Meeting. It also included an executive session on the nurses contract. Agenda here. School committee schedule here.
Here’s the policy edit that was referenced in this week’s public comments: