The teachers union is expected to meet with the School Committee bargaining team Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 10, the latest session in contentious negotiations. Both sides have filed grievances against the other, the School Committee has called in a state mediator for the custodians’ contract, and teachers walked out of a meeting last month.
Antisemitism investigation
At a Sept. 5 School Committee meeting, Robidoux spoke about the outside investigation into antisemitism allegations, and counterclaims, among teachers.
“Several staff members have moved on from Marblehead, but (investigator) Alison Kurker will continue to work with those who are willing to do so in order to come to some conclusions,” Robidoux said.
In a spring webinar, a Veterans School teacher accused several Marblehead High School language teachers, along with the union, of antisemitism. At least four members of the MHS language department quit over the summer and are now working in other districts. They include: Spanish teacher Candice Sliney (19 years), French teacher Andrea West (22 years), French teacher Mary Francois (12 years) and Spanish teacher Laura Alvarez (nine years).
“I left due to the toxic and unhealthy environment from the administration at MHS,” Alvarez told the Current.
Robidoux added about the investigation: “We’ve been having a lot of conversations with community members and parents and caregivers, and I think we’re in a really good place in understanding the more global concerns and how we operate with a different mindset.”
Social emotional learning
The School Committee approved a new social emotional learning curriculum for grades K-12 called Wayfinder. The $25,000 yearly cost will be covered this year by COVID-relief funding.
“It is so needed, so warranted and so well-vetted by our team,” Robidoux said. “I think it’s a win, win, win.”
Letters about the new program will be sent home to families, according to Assistant Superintendent for Learning Julia Ferreira.
Robidoux presented a brief update on the student services department, which has new leadership.
“There’s a lot of stuff going on in special education… Case managers are going to be emailing out to the parents all the members of their children’s teams and their contact information, which I think will be nice for communication and collaboration,” he said.
Other highlights from the meeting
- Robidoux said the bus routes are “taking a little bit longer than we and the parents would like, but we’re looking into efficiencies at the schools that will hopefully address those concerns.”
- The nonprofit Free Period is donating menstrual products at Marblehead High School and the Village School. Veterans School already offers the items.
- The Board of Health donated Narcan kits to each school. Last spring, MHS seniors raised money during their senior project to buy and donate an AED for the Village School.
- The School Committee approved a $30,000 donation from the Marblehead All Sports Boosters to redo the high school tennis courts.
- Member Sarah Fox asked that the committee discuss at a future meeting a proposal to dedicate the Brown School garden in memory of Katie Martin, a Marblehead parent who worked on the district’s first organic garden at the former Bell School. Martin passed away last spring.
- The School Committee asked for feedback from the community about meeting times. Currently, the committee meets the first and third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. Robidoux raised the possibility of moving the meeting earlier, to 6 p.m. To share thoughts on the best meeting time, people can contact the committee at schoolcommittee@marbleheadschools.org.
