On a motion by Summer Schmaling, the Halifax School Committee voted unanimously to send elementary school students back to school five full days a week, beginning March 22, the first day of the school’s third term.

At their meeting Monday night, March 1, close to 200 parents, teachers, and more were logged in remotely to hear the plan that Principal Kayne Beaudry and his staff put together to bring students back.

Working from a survey for each student, Beaudry asked what parents wanted: full time back to school or hybrid (no change).    The response was 2 to 1 overwhelmingly in favor of bringing students back full time.  There were 88 who did not respond.

Beaudry presented the timeline for full return to school that he and his staff developed, beginning with mailing the survey to families from Feb. 19 to Feb. 26.  The week of March 15 will see teacher assignments, transportation and communication to families.  March 22 will return students to full time.

Beaudry told the board the response rate to his survey was 84%.  “Incredible!  Thank you to all who completed the survey.”  Of those who returned the survey, 69% preferred full in-person return, while 31% chose the hybrid, or no change.

Currently there are 567 students at Halifax Elementary School.  At this time, there are 290 students on the bus, and another 200 for drop-off and pickup.  There are 10 buses, and the routes will need to be revised. Beaudry said they will be working with the bus companies as quickly as possible to implement the changes.

The pickup will likely be staggered to avoid congestion.  Drop off seems to  flow a little quicker so it will remain the same.  The Holmes Library will continue to allow kindergarten students and siblings to use the library parking lot.

Schmaling, asked if Beaudry anticipated needing a police detail for the first few days.  He said a police detail, would be helpful in the beginning to get things going, “but I’m confident the staff can get it done pretty quickly.”

As for lunches, both the cafeteria and the all-purpose spaces will be used to seat students.  “We can easily accommodate 88 students at 6 feet distance in the cafeteria and the all purpose room,” he told the assembly.  Schmaling asked if he had enough seating for lunch and the answer was yes.  He said they might be looking for a number of desks to accommodate, but they have some tables that can also be used.  Dr. Proulx commented that if the remaining surveys come in, we might have to find another 45 extra desks.   There might be a minor cost to accommodate that.”

“One of the trickiest pieces we had to work with were specialists,” Beaudry continued.  He told the board that returning to a full in person schooling that music will look a little different, and the instruments will look a little different, for a safe class.

A parent asked about snacks and mask breaks.  Beaudry answered, “if the weather is nice, we will utilize that.   There are tents that can be used.  If we’re not able to go outdoors, we were talking about having mask breaks in the hallway or even larger areas in the building. “

“With 88 no responses, I have to reach out to those families to see where they stand,“ Beaudry said.

Another concern voiced by a parent is “What happens to the remote kids when the school goes back in full?”  Beaudry said that it is their hope to disrupt those students as little as possible, understanding the relationships formed between the teacher and their students.  Some disruption can’t be avoided.

Safe classroom setup will accommodate up to 24 students with desks, seat to seat, 3 feet apart.  It will look much like a traditional classroom from the 80s, desks and chairs in a row, but that will allow for a staging area for the teacher to work and the maximum number of students safely in a room.

To answer concerns that a return to full five-day school schedule will increase COVID-19 transmission, Schmalling said that the school nurse had reported  there was not one single case of the virus transmitted in the Halifax Elementary School.

Superintendent Proulx told the assembly ”It’s very important that everyone understands that he’s (Beaudry) going to do his best not to disrupt student placements for teachers but that needs to happen.   I think everyone needs to understand that classrooms will be at three feet.   I can’t control, to what extent, nor can Mr. Beaudry, what impact that will have on the consistency of our mode.   Less distancing means more potential close contacts.   I feel confident in the fact that Mr. Beaudry and Mr. DeSantis have worked very hard in two days to put together a presentation for you based upon the survey data that just closed, and the governor has encouraged the full in-person return by the first week of April.”

Superintendent Proulx noted that she expects that there has been some learning loss over the past year, but she has some funds are available to implement summer programming, with more information to follow.

The Plympton School Committee met virtually on Monday, Feb. 22, to discuss, among other things, their plan for increased in-person learning time. It was a well-attended meeting with many parents eager to hear the proposal.

Dennett Elementary School Principal Peter Veneto led the discussion on the new plan. Veneto began by explaining that capacity limitations and physical distancing requirements on buses were lifted on February 11. The physical distancing requirement at lunch remains at 6 ft. Veneto proposed a return to full, in-person learning five days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily. The current hybrid model includes 12 hours of in-person learning and the newly proposed plan would increase that to 20 hours. There would be no lunch or recess in school under Veneto’s plan but there would be an afternoon component of either asynchronous or synchronous remote learning depending on the grade level. The cafeteria staff would have to organize a sort of grab and go breakfast and lunch program.

Veneto explained that by not serving lunch during the day, it affords them space in the cafeteria to be utilized as classrooms. Gym class would also have to be held somewhere other than the gymnasium as that space would likely also be used as a classroom. Under the new plan, afternoons on Wednesdays would be reserved for professional development and planning for the staff. The hope would be to begin the new model at the beginning of Term 3 on March 22.

Next steps will include sending out a survey to parents to assess their level of interest and comfort in the new model. Veneto said they will also need to find out if the bus company, First Student, will be able to accommodate the newly proposed hours. Veneto said that he is not anticipating any budget implications for the new model at this time.

The fully remote Cohort C was also discussed with Veneto saying that they would have to take a hard look at the current staff and make determinations about whether new hires will have to be made. Parent Jessica Kinsman asked if the Cohort C students could potentially lose their current teachers. Veneto said, “To be truthful, that is a possible scenario.” Kinsman asked that the Cohort C students retain their current teachers to reduce the number of transitions they will need to be subjected to in an already difficult year. Veneto said that he understood noting that he was concerned with providing them the same level of effort and support as the other cohorts. The State has mandated 35 hours of synchronous learning over a 10-day school period this year for schools that are in a hybrid model. Committee member Jason Fraser said that regardless of the requirement, if 40 hours of synchronous learning time is provided for the in-person cohorts, the same 40 hours must be met for the fully remote students in the interest of equity.

Several parents on the call had questions regarding lunchtime and whether it might be feasible for students to eat in the classrooms if physical distancing requirements of six feet were already in place. Veneto said the greatest challenge would be having supervision on the children. Parent Nikki Mahoney asked if there was any consideration for parent volunteers to alleviate the stress of monitoring the kids at lunchtime. “I definitely would be open to people possibly coming in to help out,” Veneto said. Many parents on the call offered that they would be available for volunteering. School Committee Chair Jon Wilhelmsen pointed out the importance of limiting the number of people coming into the school.

Some parents, including Committee members, expressed concern over how they would be able to make the new hours work with their work schedules. Several people said that it just would not be possible for them to pick their child up each day at 12:30, forcing them to have to use the bus or add to potential exposures by accepting rides with other families. Parent Angela Wilbur said, “This plan is a logistical nightmare for me.” “It is going to have to be a compromise; I wish that I could provide school from 2019,” Veneto said.

Wilbur asked if the intention was for this plan to be a short-term one with the goal to increase more in-person learning time later or if the plan would remain through the end of the year. Veneto called the proposal “a step in the right direction” and said that he would re-evaluate after the staff is able to be vaccinated and the new plan able to be tested.

Wilbur also expressed concern that she believes Plympton will soon be the only town of the three Silver Lake communities not to return to a full day in person five days a week. She said that she worried that the Plympton students will be at a disadvantage academically compared to their peers. Some parents became quite heated while expressing their dismay at the proposed plan and what they perceived to be a failure on the behalf of the administration and School Committee. Parent Stephani Teran came to the defense of the administration and School Committee attributing their cautious approach to the success of the school in mitigating the spread of the virus.

Several parents with children spread out among different schools in the district expressed concern with the conflicting dismissal times. According to those on the call, the middle school would be dismissed at 12:20 and the high school at 12:45. Veneto said that he would adjust the schedule as needed saying that the dismissal could be moved a half an hour earlier or later if necessary.

Parent Michelle Ruxton asked what the remote learning would look like were there to be a close contact exposure that forced a quarantine. Veneto said that one of the benefits of the current model is that should a student need to stay home, they can receive remote, synchronous learning. He said that it might not be possible to offer that under the new model.

Parents will have about a week to complete the survey regarding the plan for increased, in-person learning. Wilhelmsen said that depending on the results of the survey, the School Committee may need to have another brief meeting to address it.

The official public budget hearing for FY2022 for the Dennett was held during Monday’s meeting. There were no public comments made. Superintendent Jill Proulx gave a presentation on the budget. Veneto was asked to provide a level service budget. The budget assumes a full, in-person return to school.

The regular day budget reflects a 6.20 percent increase, and the total budget represents a 3.97 percent increase or $147,560 more than the previous year. Capital projects include driveway/parking lot improvements, a fire suppression upgrade at $5,000, and a full-time, building based substitute at $27,000.

Proulx said that the School Committee will need to meet with the Finance Committee to find out how they would like to handle budgeting for the unknowns. Those unknowns include any potential remote components next year as well as a potentially larger than usual kindergarten class.

Fraser told the Committee that the Governor came out with the State budget and Plympton’s Chapter 70 funding will be level funded. Fraser also said that the State is considering increasing funding to schools under the Student Opportunity Act though he noted that Governor Baker does not see a way to make that a reality at this time. There is, however, likely to be money coming to Massachusetts for K-12 education through a federal package.

Fraser also told the Committee that the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) has joined many other entities in advocating to allow local administration of vaccines as previously planned.

He said they are also fighting to move teachers to the top of the list of employees receiving the vaccine. He noted that this was with the understanding that elders, first responders, healthcare workers, and those with two comorbidities be vaccinated first.

Chair of the Plympton School Committee Jon Wilhelmsen and Dennett Elementary School Principal Peter Veneto held a parent information session on Thursday, Feb. 11, regarding further in-person learning. Wilhelmsen noted that the evening’s virtual call was not a School Committee meeting. Wilhelmsen began the session with a lengthy statement, the bulk of which is presented below.

“The School Committee, administration, and teachers have always believed that more in-person learning is better for our students; we also have been actively thinking about this for many months… we must achieve additional in-person time in a way that is ultimately safe and successful. As some of our neighboring communities are unfortunately finding out, additional in-person time at the expense of certain safety protocols such as six-foot distancing without additional mitigation efforts can cause even greater disruptions to students’ in-person time… Mr. Veneto, administration, and staff are currently working on a plan for additional in-person learning this school year which will be presented to the School Committee for discussion, consideration, and a vote at our next meeting on Monday, February 22… At a high level, the plan will address increased in-person learning time this year, likely four to five days per week. It is also likely the plan will be dependent upon vaccination of staff to mitigate the six-foot distancing. We are additionally looking at Wednesdays for alternating cohorts to provide additional in-person learning time which is something we think could be done more quickly.”

Veneto added, “I think it’s fairly safe to say that every one of our staff members would like to see children back in the building five days a week. The trouble with that is that we need to make sure that we are doing it safely.”

Parent Katie Rondeau asked if the School Committee and Administration were set in their determination to stick with six feet of physical distancing as opposed to three. Wilhelmsen said they were committed to following the CDC guidance of six feet. He also said that as the staff that wants to be vaccinated are, it would put them in a better position to be able to relax that requirement. He also pointed out that reducing the distancing requirement would result in more close contacts having to quarantine for two weeks if they were exposed to someone who tests positive. Assuming the entire class does not have to quarantine, those that do would likely be doing asynchronous work. Noting the importance of consistency, Wilhelmsen said that Duxbury recently went back to more in-person learning and within a week two second-grade classes were in quarantine for two weeks.

Another parent asked what the administration considered the biggest challenges to a full return. Wilhelmsen said that while Veneto and others are working on a plan for lunchtime it remained a hurdle as the six feet of distancing required at lunch is non-negotiable. Veneto said that 48 students are able to fit on the floor of the cafeteria and another 2 to 4 on the stage while maintaining the DESE mandated six feet. Wilhelmsen said that, just that evening, new guidance had been released that relaxed the requirements for distancing on buses, making that less of an obstacle. “There’s a lot of other logistical issues that just need to be worked out and thought through,” Wilhelmsen responded.

Wilhelmsen answered a question regarding whether the school had a threshold in mind from a vaccination perspective. He said that the hope was the State can get things sorted out so that teachers and staff can be vaccinated as quickly as possible. “If folks want to make some calls, feel free to call DPH or your reps and ask them why they changed what they were doing these last couple of weeks,” he said. There had been a plan for both the Plympton and Halifax Fire Departments to host vaccine clinics in order to assist with a speedy administration of the Phase Two levels of vaccine distribution. “That all fell apart last week when the state took away the doses,” Wilhelmsen explained.

Parent Nikki Mahoney asked if there was a contingency plan for teachers that plan not to get vaccinated. Wilhelmsen said that he, personally, was not thinking that being vaccinated would be a requirement for being in the school.

Wilhelmsen said that he hoped that the school would return to full, in-person learning or close-to, by the end of the current school year so that they could better formulate a plan for the fall. He said that based on what he has heard from the CDC, etc. not much will change between now and the fall in terms of masking still being required and children likely not being vaccinated.

The issue of the large first and fifth grade classes were also discussed as another obstacle to a full return. Veneto noted that the numbers include those students who are currently electing to be fully remote. Currently the art room has been transformed into a fifth-grade classroom. Parent Heather Eddy said that she felt the focus should be placed on how to get those two grades back into the building at six feet of distance and asked about looking for alternative places to put classes. Wilhelmsen pointed out that using a room such as the gym for a classroom would mean that it couldn’t be used for other purposes including gym class and potentially basketball. “The space itself is extremely limited, we have looked at every square inch and we are using every square inch right now,” Veneto explained. Several first-grade parents on the call did note that they wouldn’t be opposed to seeing the other grades return to full, in-person learning even if the first-grade needed to stay hybrid.

Currently the gymnasium is divided with one half utilized for gym class and the other for a luncheon area for teachers. Rondeau asked, “If we were to move the first grade into the gymnasium and then use the empty first grade classrooms for the teachers’ luncheon, would that help with opening up space?” Despite saying that the acoustics wouldn’t be ideal for learning if half the gym was being used for gym class, Veneto called it “a good thought.” She also recommended either pausing gym classes or possibly moving gym classes outside even during the winter. “I don’t disagree, that’s something to think about,” Veneto said.

A question was asked as to whether the school had considered the use of portable classrooms. Veneto said the most common suggestion was whether or not tents could be used. He said that tents are a good option when the weather is nice but not during winter months. Veneto said that while portable classrooms are something they are looking into they are likely cost prohibitive. CARES Act funding has dried up as of December 31.

Wilhelmsen said that they were asked to hold to a 1.6 percent increase for the year during last year’s budget cycle. He said that normally they would present anywhere from a 3 percent to a 5 percent increased budget, noting that even that is quite lean. The Dennett took what Wilhelmsen called “significant advantage” of the CARES Act money, spending somewhere around $120,000. “We do not have a blank check to get students back to full, in-person learning at the snap of our fingers,” he explained. He also said that just because a need is identified and money found for that need, it doesn’t mean that the staff or other means to fulfill that need are available. “I’m down two staff members right now and I’m trying to fill those positions,” Veneto said of the shortage of available candidates. He also referred to the school as being one staff absence away from the building not being able to function. He called it “a challenge every single day” just to make sure there is an adult in front of children.

Parent Angela Wilbur said she would like to share her perspective as a licensed clinical psychologist. “I’m hearing a lot about busing and lunches and teachers’ health and welfare which are all extremely important but I have yet to hear anything about the children’s mental health,” she said. Wilbur said that since the beginning of the pandemic, mental health referrals have increased over 500 percent. “Wait lists are full, inpatient units have no beds, outpatient providers, which I am one of, are caring for patients who should be hospitalized, suicide rates have almost doubled, overdose rates are astronomical, kids report severe depression, debilitating anxiety, isolation, and self-harm. Pediatricians are treating rapid increase referrals in insomnia, sleep issues, headaches, and G.I. issues. Social anxiety has increased, behavioral issues have increased, those who were school phobic before have regressed, prescriptions for antidepressants and other psychotropic medications have risen over 30 percent. Many of these kids have never presented with mental health issues ever before.”

Wilbur said that just as there is a gross shortage of teachers, that same shortage exists for mental health providers for children. She called it a mental health crisis and said, “These children are resilient but they can’t continue like this, this has gone on for too long and it is unfair to ask them to continue on like this.” Wilbur said that due to her profession she has had countless families reach out for resources saying that the word most often uttered regarding their children is that they are “suffering.”

Veneto responded to Wilbur saying, “I know I’m speaking the truth when I say that the social and emotional component of this whole pandemic has been paramount in every one of our staff meetings. Your sentiments are well shared.” Wilbur stressed how much she knows the Dennett staff care for the kids but added, “I need the plans to reflect that priority of their mental health… I hear so many obstacles and barriers and I know that so many of those are real but there has to be solutions within this.” She said that she was worried about relying on mitigation from vaccinations that likely won’t occur for another month and won’t be fully effective for several weeks after that.

Fourth grade teacher Ann Walker, who has been at the Dennett since 2001, said, “I have been teaching for 28 years now and this is the hardest year I have ever had.” Walker said the first and foremost concern of all teachers following the closure in March was not academics but the social and emotional welfare of the children.

She said how proud she was of the people she works with including the School Committee who she said has been working countless hours to do what’s best for the children.

“If it were that easy, we would have done it, we would have had those children in the building,” Walker said. “Our town has had more in-person time whether it be in the building or interacting with an adult online than most schools in the area,” she continued. Many other districts have not offered learning time with teachers on remote days but rather asynchronous work only. Walker called the parents “heroes” and stressed that the School Committee, the teachers, Principal Veneto, and the parents all have the same goal.

One parent questioned the length of time in between regular School Committee meetings. Wilhelmsen pointed out the busy schedules of administration including the Superintendent who attends all School Committee meetings within the larger Silver Lake district. “If we need to meet to do something and to take action that we can’t deal with either by having a meeting like this where we’re updating parents or by not having to have a decision by the School Committee and meeting offline in separate sub committees, I mean we’re going to do that.”

Citing his six years on the Committee and his initial plan not to continue with the Committee, Wilhelmsen said, “I don’t not get it… I was going to be done… but then COVID hit and I felt it was really important to be able to help in any way that I can to shepherd us through this; it’s not just me, I’m only doing a little tiny piece of this.” He continued, “I spent more time in July on the School Committee than I spent in the six years prior.” He mentioned the additional time spent by Veneto and the teachers working full-time over the summer as well. “We’re committed to this and we’ll do what we need to do,” he said.

The next meeting of the Plympton Elementary School Committee will be on Monday, Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. where a plan for more in-person learning will be presented and discussed by the Committee.

The Halifax Planning Board was back in action on Thursday, Feb. 4. The previous two meetings became contentious at points with members of the Board disagreeing over whether Cled’s Tree Service was in compliance with their site plan. The discussion continued during the most recent meeting as well.

The previous meeting had to adjourn abruptly as Planning Board member Amy Troupe fell off the call during the discussion on Cled’s. Troupe cited technical difficulties as the reason. Board member Gordon Andrews has recused himself from all discussions involving Cled’s. Board member Mark Millias was not present for the previous discussions on Cled’s so Chair Alan Dias took a few moments to get him up to speed on the situation.

Dias said that there was no question that the plan that was approved previously was not a legitimate plan. He said that both the engineer and Cled’s Tree Service had substantiated the claim. According to Dias, the plan that was received from Bracken Engineering was marked up without Bracken’s knowledge and submitted to the Planning Board for approval.

Dias asked Troupe, who had previously defended Cled’s from noncompliance and fraudulent claims, if she still had concerns. Troupe said she believed it should have been obvious to anyone that the marked-up portion of the site plan was not done by an engineer. She said she didn’t believe it was presented that way. Dias said he wanted to move on from the discussion of the fraudulent claims and figure out a plan for getting Cled’s into compliance. He recommended giving Cled’s the same amount of time as outlined by the Fire Department to come into compliance. Cled’s is in violation of the fire code and was previously given until early March to bring things up to code.

Millias asked Dias if he was suggesting that the Planning Board ask Cled’s for an updated site plan or an existing conditions plan. Dias said he felt that doing so would be a waste of resources as Cled’s was proposing to put up a building.

Millias asked Dias to confirm that he felt that Cled’s was in violation of his site plan. Dias said that he was and Millias asked him to speak to the existing infractions. Dias cited the storage of logs, the storage of wood chips, and some equipment, namely a grinder. Millias responded that he didn’t believe those to be Planning Board issues. Millias instead made a motion to send a letter asking Cled’s to come into compliance within the same time frame as given by the Fire Department. Troupe said she didn’t feel it was necessary and noted it seemed like doubling up as the Fire Department had already done that. All other non-abstaining members voted in favoring of sending the letter giving Cled’s until March 10 to come into compliance.

The Board discussed a few other projects as well including a preliminary site plan review discussion for Liddell Brothers at 285 Holmes St. Dias asked Joshua Liddell about a cease and desist order that had been issued by the Building Department. Liddell, who was speaking on behalf of his uncle Gary Liddell, said that the heat was not working in the building so NorthStar Mechanical was hired to do a switch over. They didn’t have a permit so a cease and desist was issued. Liddell said they have obtained the necessary permit since.

Liddell said that they were only proposing a fence at the moment. Millias recommended that it be kept inset from the property by a few feet for maintenance.

Board member Rick Merry said he would be recusing himself from future discussions on the project moving forward as he lives nearby. He said that the project likely impacts him more than any other resident or abutter. Merry said that he suspects that the work, which he said has been ongoing for months, has included a lot more than just fixing the heat. He said the property now looks akin to a two-acre parking lot running down the street. “My house shook for about a week while they compacted it all,” Merry told the Board.

The Board also discussed Bud’s Goods and Provisions who have a Host Community Agreement (HCA) with the town for a marijuana growing facility. Dias asked for a motion to request a $5,000 retainer to review the plan saying the estimate is around $4,700. Andrews said that they needed to reach out to more engineers to ascertain prices for reviewing. Millias said he didn’t feel it was appropriate to ask Bud’s to pay for things that are much further down the line in the overall process. It was decided, instead, to ask Bud’s for $2,500 initially and let them know that as the money was used up it would need to be replenished.

Dias also said that given the large scope of the project, he would like to ask for a site visit. The other members agreed.

The next Planning Board meeting will include a question and answer session with Attorney Kwesell to go over the process for site plans and special permits.

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.