After months of planning, the all-Island school committee agreed Thursday to scrap plans for a school-wide testing program and start over.
After months of planning, the all-Island school committee agreed Thursday to scrap plans for a school-wide testing program and start over, heeding recommendations from a school-appointed testing task force.
Plans for a public school testing program have been in works since early in August, when Dr. Jeffrey Zack, hospital physician and medical advisor on school reopening, first raised the proposal at a committee meeting. The plan won the backing of the committee multiple times this summer, but since August has been stalled by lingering questions about program costs, administration and implementation.
In September, superintendent of schools Matthew D’Andrea appointed a testing task force — composed of Island health agents, school committee members and medical professionals — to move the plan forward.
Last week, the school committee voted to approve the most recent iteration of the plan, which called for a $150,000 contribution from Island schools, split among districts by enrollment. Local school committees Islandwide were set to vote on the funding at their next meetings.
But in a twist Thursday, the task force announced a change in direction, citing recent national research indicating that certain rapid-pool testing regimens — like the one proposed in the plan — can be unreliable.
During the meeting, school committee member Amy Houghton spoke on behalf of the task force, sharing plans to revise the testing plan with input from off-Island infectious disease experts. Ms. Houghton said the new plan would also be guided by successful testing models used at other commonwealth schools. Formal fundraising for the program would be held in conjunction with MV Bank if needed, she said.
The shift in plans was well received by most committee members, many of whom had previously expressed discomfort over the substantial expenses required of Dr. Zack’s plan, estimated at around $650,000. Committee members also endorsed the decision to consult off-Island medical experts.
Echoing the feedback, high school committee chairman Kimberly Kirk urged the committee to take time to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of school-wide testing more generally.
“I appreciate all that Jeff Zack has done to get us to this point to start thinking about how this can be incorporated into our re-entry programming,” Ms. Kirk said. “I would like to request that, whether it be the task force or our administration, we reach out to someone who can talk to us about what testing means, realistically.”
In other business Thursday, the committee took up the question of diversity, equity and inclusion policies and ongoing anti-racist work in the public schools.
The topic was raised by committee chairman Robert Lionette, who called attention to a recent resolution on social and racial justice from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees that has been passed by nearly all commonwealth school committees this year.
Building on the MASC resolution, Mr. Lionette invited school administrators to present on anti-racist initiatives currently undertaken by the schools.
High school principal Sara Dingledy called on administrators Dhakir Warren and Amy Lilavois to discuss new professional development opportunities and student-led social justice initiatives underway at the high school. Assistant superintendent Richard Smith and the director of English Language Learning services shared updates on the school’s entry into the Culturally Responsive Practice Leadership Academy.
All stressed the importance of ongoing anti-racist work at the Island level.
“Silence is most deafening when it comes to issues of race and inequality,” said Mr. Warren during the presentation. “I really do hope that you, as school committee members, and fellow administrators across all of our Island schools will participate and support these ongoing conversations, and educational opportunities.”
After the presentations, community members gave an outpouring of thanks to administrators and teachers for their ongoing work. But many in the audience questioned why discussions of race had been neglected at committee meetings for much of the summer.
“I look at this committee, and I really can’t tell . . . but it actually looks like a quite homogeneous committee,” said one parent, Patty Favreau. “I can’t help but ask myself, if maybe the sense of urgency and the desperation and the fear around topics of race for families of color would have been more present in the conversation, even amid Covid if the committee itself was a bit more diverse.”
Mr. Lionette said he planned to regularly incorporate anti-racist policy discussion into the school committee agenda, beginning with a possible vote on the MASC resolution at the next meeting.
“I think we need a space to enter these discussions,” said Mr. Lionette. “They’re not easy. We have not done well all the time on discussions of social justice and race, but it’s important to have.”
In final business, the committee went into an hour-long executive session to finalize a memorandum of agreement regarding teacher contracts for the remainder of the school year. After weeks of closed door negotiations, the MOA was passed by the Martha’s Vineyard Education Association last week.
Returning to public session, the committee voted in favor of the lengthy document 9-0-1, with Jennifer Cutrer abstaining.
Comments
Testing will never happen now
Disappointed Parent WTTesting will never happen now. The school committee had a chance to install rapid testing before the end of the year with 75% of the cost covered by donors. No testing is 100% reliable, not even Quest.
I would guess that costs for whatever new testing modalities are proposed will be in the millions. Our kids will suffer because of this short sightedness and no doubt not be back in school until the Spring.
I am appalled by the decision
Mary Ambulos ChilmarkI am appalled by the decision to scrap a testing plan for the schools. Staff and students are vulnerable due to the lack of commitment on the Committees’ behalf. Dr. Zack has a sound plan. No testing= no data= potential risk for all of us who work in these buildings daily. I suggest these committee members hold office hours in the buildings from now on to see what our daily risk poses. I am disappointed .
i am in complete shock. the
amy edgi am in complete shock. the district was handed a comprehensive and well funded testing program that would have kept our kids and teachers and school staff safer while enabling us to bring the kids back in person sooner and more often. the school committee did not do their job, in fact, they did the opposite. their need to over analize this to death will result in a testing program not happening for a long time. they should have listened to the expert, dr zack, and supported his program. shame on them
I am beyond disappointed by
Nell OBI am beyond disappointed by this news. Weekly testing with a possibility of some unreliable results is better than NO testing at all. How can this committee think that scrapping the idea is a better solution than at least trying it? Let’s get real- they won’t have a plan anytime soon or probably ever. But what they WILL have are plenty of meetings with long winded ramblings with no resolutions. Yikes!
I am very disappointed with
Concerned Islander Vineyard HavenI am very disappointed with this decision. We truly don't know how many students are currently infected yet we are bringing more back into the buildings each week. Where is the regard for these students? Where is the regard for the staff? In other municipalities, 8 new cases per 100,000 people puts them in the "red zone" according to the state. We are very close to that number, if not already there, with our 6 new cases on the island in the past two weeks. It is also interesting that while the school committee members put up these obstacles and make it more difficult to have a safer learning environment for students and staff, they continue to meet virtually. Please explain why you continue to not meet in person in the schools, and please also apply to be a substitute because there is a high need for substitutes this year.
What a shame to scrap the
Another Disappointed Parent WTWhat a shame to scrap the testing plan at this point. We had a real opportunity to be leaders and support our community, support our teachers. The choice to back out last minute is a true reflection of privilege, if it’s not perfect then it’s not good enough and should just be thrown out. A terrible message to send to our children. I’m so sorry for the wasted efforts of our community members who worked hard to develop what was a reasonable and responsible testing program.
Unfortunately, I missed the
Gail Gardner Oak BluffsUnfortunately, I missed the part of the AISC meeting where they canceled the testing program. I would have spoken up at that time. That said, I must say now, with all due respect, that I am disappointed with the decision to scrap this testing program that would have been largely paid for by donors. And I am so sorry to Dr. Zack who has put so much effort into this plan and tried so hard on our behalf. Thank you, Dr. Zack, for trying to move this forward. I appreciate your efforts. The committees want guarantees that are simply not possible right now. I worked with young students all week last week and when I woke up with a sore throat Friday morning, I was frightened. Because we just don't know anymore. We just can't be sure. Is it allergies? Is it a cold? Is it the flu? Or is this sore throat lethal? But do you know what could help ease my mind? Testing. And I don't believe that you can put a price on that, especially when most of the money is donated. I'm afraid to visit my father. I'm afraid to be near my mother in law. I worry about being near my husband and kids. A testing program may not have been perfect but it would have given us one more way to try to stay safe.
And even as they do this, I have heard rumblings of decreasing the distancing in schools to less than 6 feet to fit more students in because the DESE says it's ok. The DESE, for those who don't know, is the Dept. of Education. They are not medical experts and they should stick to what they know, which is not medicine. I am so disappointed. We can do better.
What a shame to scrap the
Another Disappointed Parent WTWhat a shame to scrap the testing plan at this point. We had a real opportunity to be leaders and support our community, support our teachers. The choice to back out last minute is a true reflection of privilege, if it’s not perfect then it’s not good enough and should just be thrown out. A terrible message to send to our children. I’m so sorry for the wasted efforts of our community members who worked hard to develop what was a reasonable and responsible testing program.
School committee members
Another appalled parent WTSchool committee members should be elected by the community with term limits. Clearly, we need a more diverse group of people sitting on these committees who are willing to listen to and represent the people who elect them.
This seems to make no sense
Anna Cotton Vineyard Haven, MassachusettsThis seems to make no sense to anyone. As a parent of a 4th grader going in person on October 27th and a high school teacher I am so disappointed. I am hopeful that the School Committee can hold a public forum or make a clear statement about their thinking behind this as it seems like there is more to the story than we are reading here.
Wow! What a stupid decision
Helen Green West TisburyWow! What a stupid decision to scrap the testing! You have an expert in Dr. Zack -you will not find better than him. He's on the front line, up to date in his knowledge and connected to all sorts of public health officials "off island". He helped to manage our response to this pandemic at the hospital with impressive results so far. Why would you look elsewhere?
I returned to school to teach
Frustrated MVI returned to school to teach my amazing Cohort C students mid September with hopes that testing would be in place. I feel like this has all been one giant bait and switch by the school committee. No testing is ever going to be perfect. I would rather have safe students and families along with a few false positives than an outbreak on an island where they infrastructure cannot manage it. Thank you, Dr. Zack, for your commitment to keeping us all safe, you are greatly appreciated. I'm sorry that the SC does not feel the same way.
Fingers crossed for all of us as I read about resurgences in Europe and numbers climbing throughout the U.S.
dr zack saved me at the mv er
andrew vhdr zack saved me at the mv er and i would put my life and my family’s lives in his hands any day. while it may not have been a perfect plan, it was a great starting point that would have changed as they learned every day doing it. that’s how plans work. the task force and school committee failed our children and our teachers
Houghton and Kirk failed us,
Kelce OBHoughton and Kirk failed us, our teachers, and our kids. This is an epic failure of leadership. Haven't we learned that doing nothing is not the solution? The two of them sacrifice the good for the perfect, although I don't even think they know what "perfect" is. What a shame. Dr. Zaxk -- please don't be frustrated. You have earned our trust.
I would like to see parents
Jill West TisburyI would like to see parents and students re-organize Dr. Zack’s well thought our proposal which was funded already. We can move forward as safely as possible with this plan which is such a good opportunity for our kids, teachers and community.
Why does the school committee think they can organize funds for rapid testing quickly when we have a solid plan that Dr Zack worked towards and was ready to implement. This decision set us back for months and months- this could have been discussed and organized already and we have lost so much time.
Go with the plan Dr Zack has worked towards. He is making decisions that have all of our community in mind and has certainly been a caring leader repeatedly with decisions around what is best for our kids and community. The school committee has failed the students that they are supposed to support. Our state numbers are low and public schools are open and testing in our neighboring states. It’s a complete shame to continue to have our kids alone at home in front of a computer all day. I have three home all day trying to learn and it is difficult and draining.
The teachers are doing their best for sure but with testing their physical presence with our kids can be a game changer for everyone.
I believe there are greater risks happening for these kids that are isolated on computers and we have an opportunity to ease in safely and pull back if necessary.
It’s appalling that this decision was made to abruptly cancel all of the careful and deliberate planning that Dr Zack has done and change courses for a plan that hasn’t even begun to gel. You have really hurt the children in this community that need to benefit from school and Dr Zacks proposal was as safe of an option as we could have in a low viral community like ours. I hope you will reconsider this and I would like to work with interested parents to make this change.
YES! I'm in! A huge incentive
Rosie WTYES! I'm in! A huge incentive for us for sending our daughter back was the promise that they were working to implement this testing program... I am incredibly disappointed.
This program was a safety net
L OBThis program was a safety net not only for students and teachers, but the entire community! I’ll echo what so many have said. Dr. Zak is an expert. A solid plan that isn’t perfect is MUCH better than no plan at all. Testing has never been perfect for COVID, what planet are these admins on?? I’m so disappointed as a community member to read this. Not only because of what it means right now, but for the total lack of faith I now have for my children’s future schools. Who is organizing against this decision? Sounds like the community needs a voice on this one!
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