Gill-Montague School Committee Approves Handbooks, COVID Safety Plan for Fall

GILL — August 24, 2021 — Gill-Montague School Committee approves all-school handbooks and a streamlined COVID safety plan for the 2021-22 year. Meeting virtually on August 24, the committee voted 4-0-1 to adopt updated handbooks for Sheffield, Hillcrest, and Gill elementary schools and for Turners Falls High School and Great Falls Middle School, with changes including new due-process discipline language, gender-neutral pronouns, and expanded restorative practices at the secondary level; one new member abstained, saying she had not read the full documents. The committee also approved Accounts Payable Warrant No. 3204 for $86,941.27 by unanimous roll call. School Nurse Melissa Bednarski announced that a new state-funded "test and stay" program will allow close contacts without symptoms to remain in school by testing negative on rapid BinaxNOW tests for seven consecutive days — a significant shift from last year's automatic quarantine policy. Director of Teaching and Learning Gene Powers, hired August 3, outlined contracts with consultant Patricia Bell for secondary instructional support and with the iReady platform for diagnostic assessments in grades 6 through 12 beginning in late September. The committee also opened a search for a new Montague representative after member Carly Ned Delugas resigned due to a move out of town, with letters of interest due to the superintendent's office by September 13.