Fitchburg Public Schools

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Nov 18 2025 9:07 am Minutes approved by the School Committee on November 17, 2025 REGULAR MEETING OF THE FITCHBURG SCHOOL COMMITTEE Monday, November 3, 2025 – 6:00 P.M. The Regular Meeting of the Fitchburg School Committee was held at the Fitchburg City Hall Campus, Legislative Building, 700 Main Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420; the Zoom meeting platform; and concurrently live-streamed on FATV STUDIO-FATV.ORG, GOVERNMENT LIVE STREAM; and on cable access Comcast Channel 9, and Verizon Channel 36 (NO PUBLIC ACCESS) on November 3, 2025. Mayor Samantha Squailia, Chairperson, presided at the meeting. Present Mayor Samantha Squailia - Chairperson Mr. Peter Stephens -Vice Chairperson – 6:12 PM Mr. James Walsh Ms. Rosemary Reynolds Dr. Maritza Knight Mrs. Debra Jeffries Mrs. Lindsey Englund Present (Administration/Staff) Mr. Jonathan Thompson, Superintendent Mrs. Glenda Colón, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Mr. Jeremy Roche, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Mrs. Mary-Alexandra Molina, Recording Secretary Iyanna Louis, Student Representative Casey Beaulac, Crocker Elementary School Principal Shannon Anderson, Reingold Elementary School Principal Sue Tingas, McKay Elementary School Principal and team 1. EXECUTIVE SESSION: Not at this time. 2. CALL TO ORDER AND SALUTE TO THE FLAG Mayor Squailia, Chairperson, called the regular meeting to order at 6:09 P.M. Mayor Squailia announced that FATV was conducting an audio and video recording of the meeting for public broadcast. She requested anyone present in the audience recording the meeting to identify themselves for the record by standing and stating their name and city of residence. Mayor Squailia requested that all electronic devices be placed into silent mode. School Committee Member Rosemary Reynolds led the Pledge of Allegiance. 1 Fitchburg School Committee Minutes  Minutes approved by the School Committee on November 17, 2025 REGULAR MEETING OF THE FITCHBURG SCHOOL COMMITTEE Monday, November 3, 2025 – 6:00 P.M. 3. SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND STUDENT REPORTS School Committee Chair Report – Mayor Squailia No report at this time. Mayor Squailia announced that the subcommittee reports will be taken out of order. Policy Sub-Committee – Mrs. Jeffries Mrs. Jeffries reported that the subcommittee met on October 15, 2025. Policy JIC, Student Discipline, was finalized and is on the agenda for voting tonight. Policy IHAIA, Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy, is a new state mandated policy to ensure middle school students are aware and exposed to the CTE programs. The next meeting will take place on November 19 at 5 PM. Mayor Squailia inquired about what the district has been doing in comparison to what the policy states. Mrs. Jeffries explained that the policy is state mandated and describes that it explicitly required for student exposure to various opportunities and pathways. Supt. Thompson described what the district has been doing in a bit more in-depth. He explained what MyCap is and how it is beneficial to our students. Student Support Sub-Committee – Dr. Knight Dr. Knight reported that the subcommittee met on November 3, 2025. Representative from the New Teacher Induction program participated in the meeting. They explained the program and the gave an overview for the 3 year program. Dr. Knight indicated that she would like to focus more on an induction program that aids in assisting and retaining teachers of color in our district. School Personnel Sub-Committee- Mayor Squailia Nothing to report at this time. Student Report- Iyanna Louis • FHS is opening their food drive, open from Nov. 5-19 • FHS celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with a student showcase • Students participated in the Coolidge Park Haunted Hayride • FHS Girls Soccer team had a playoff match today • Middle schools participated in Spirit Week • Crocker Elementary School will be having a clothe drive • Representative Kushmerek helped serve lunch at South Street Early Learning Center recently 2 Fitchburg School Committee Minutes  Minutes approved by the School Committee on November 17, 2025 REGULAR MEETING OF THE FITCHBURG SCHOOL COMMITTEE Monday, November 3, 2025 – 6:00 P.M. Supt. Thompson reported that our Girl Soccer team lost 1-2. They had a great season and we are proud of them for all of their hard work Mr. Walsh inquired about where food should be dropped off for the food drive. Iyanna stated that our Thanksgiving food drive goods can be dropped off at the Fitchburg High School main office from Nov. 5-19. School Building Needs Sub-Committee – Mr. Stephens Mr. Stephens reported that the subcommittee met on October 28, 2025. The subcommittee received updates from our Buildings Management department on various things including HVAC systems, Longsjo Middle School gym floor, North building at South Street Early Learning Center, and the MassSave Climate Leader Award. Asst. Roche added that there will be additional information regarding the Reingold Elementary School project taking place during the upcoming summer. The district will be taking steps towards other capital projects, which are maintenance and repairs. Inquiries were made regarding the similar pricing for floating floors and replacement floors for the Longsjo gym. Asst. Supt. Roche confirmed that the pricing for the asbestos containment for the replacement floors were not included. The district is waiting for one more quote. The experts provided the subcommittee with examples of other schools who have replaced their gym floors. A discussion regarding the Longsjo gymnasium ensued. Resource Sub-Committee – Mr. Stephens Mr. Stephens reported that the subcommittee met on October 28, 2025. There were grants to submit or accept. The enrollment update included an increase of 41 students since last year. The enrollment department is reviewing the numbers to ensure that the number is accurate. A brief discussion about the per pupil expenditure took place as well as which students qualify. Mr. Stephens asked Supt. Thompson to explain the Gear Up grant in greater detail. Supt. Thompson explained that Gear will be starting back up in our district but will start at the middle school level and will follow that class to high school graduation. He also added that the grant will also help to provide funds for an additional position at the new Welcome Center over the next 5 years. 4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING OF OCTOBER 20, 2025. 3 Fitchburg School Committee Minutes  Minutes approved by the School Committee on November 17, 2025 REGULAR MEETING OF THE FITCHBURG SCHOOL COMMITTEE Monday, November 3, 2025 – 6:00 P.M. Mr. Stephens made a motion to approve the minutes, which was seconded by Mrs. Englund. With all voting in favor, the minutes were approved unanimously. 5. COMMUNICATIONS – • Mr. Walsh reminded everyone that tomorrow is election day and voting locations will be in operation between 7 AM – 8 PM. Ward 1, 2, and 5 changed locations. There will be signs at the old polling places to alert the public where to go to vote. 6. PUBLIC COMMENT – • No registrations for making virtual public comments were made. • No public comments from individuals present 7. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT • Supt. Thompson presented the members with snacks, prepared by Crocker Elementary School students. The 21st Century students created a taco salad with homemade guacamole. • Crocker Elementary School, MCAS and School Improvement Plan o Principal Beaulac  The new school has been the biggest highlight in our building  The open house was a tremendous success  Enrollment is up by 150 students  There is still construction that is doing some finishing touches  Playground is almost done  Parking is now complete and nicely lit  Accountability went up from 32% to 34% • Science Achievement decreased  Achievement ELA • Goal is 500, we are currently at 489.4, a change of 0.6 from the previous year  Achievement Math • Goal is 500, we are currently at 496.9, a change of 2.5 from the previous year  Achievement Science • Goal is 500, we are currently at 490.5, a change of -0.3 from the previous year  ELA Growth • Some growth but are pushing for more 4 Fitchburg School Committee Minutes  Minutes approved by the School Committee on November 17, 2025 REGULAR MEETING OF THE FITCHBURG SCHOOL COMMITTEE Monday, November 3, 2025 – 6:00 P.M.  Math Growth • All numbers are above 45 but are pushing for more  ACCESS • All students met target • Were able to add a teacher this school year  Chronic Absenteeism • The chronic absenteeism dropped by 2.6%, which we are proud of but we would to push for better attendance  Principal Beaulac shared the goals for the year and how the school is implementing various programs to achieve their goals. Mr. Walsh comments about the new building essentially being a “new” school and the growing pains that come along with that. Mr. Stephens inquired about teacher training regarding Responsive Classroom. Mr. Beaulac stated that they do not utilize that model very much any more but rather the Positivity Project. Dr. Knight inquired about minoritized teachers, at CES, who may not have passed the MTEL exam and about any training programs to help retain these educators. Mr. Beaulac explained that the best way to retain our educators is to make them feel valued as educators and humans. The shift this year has been to be more human centered and not solely student centered. Mr. Stephens added that, per their contract, teachers have the opportunity to get reimbursed for taking courses. Mr. Beaulac added that there are opportunities at FSU for our educators as well. Mrs. Jeffries makes a comment about the positive culture in the building. Mrs. Englund inquired about the decreased score for our Black students on the ELA Achievement. Mr. Beaulac stated that there was an influx of Black students and is still looking into why there was such a decrease. Supt. Thompson spoke about the community open house at CES on Nov. 1. • McKay Elementary School, MCAS and School Improvement Plan o Principal Tingas, SPSA Lily  They discussed and described the key action steps for the school year. The various action steps include: • Collaborative Planning • Instructional Visibility • Behavior Communication • Instructional Equity 5 Fitchburg School Committee Minutes  Minutes approved by the School Committee on November 17, 2025 REGULAR MEETING OF THE FITCHBURG SCHOOL COMMITTEE Monday, November 3, 2025 – 6:00 P.M. • Attendance Improvement • School Culture & Climate • Student Ownership • Parent & Community Involvement • School Environment • Family Engagement  The team is committed to achieving and attaining the mark set by the state. Ms. Reynolds shared that she appreciated the open-door policy at this school. She commented on the creativity and the welcoming space. Mrs. Jeffries commented on the importance of Tier 1 instruction and students not being pulled out of the classroom during that time. She also commented on the positive energy that they are bringing and can tell, it shows. Dr. Knight inquired about the course that is offered at FSU to help prepare teachers for the MTEL exam. She asked if administrators encourage their minoritized teachers to take the course. Ms. Tingas stated that they do not currently have minoritized teachers in their buildings. She also added that last year, they had minoritized teachers who took the course and passed the MTELs. Mr. Walsh inquired about when the principal at McKay became a Fitchburg Public School employee as opposed to a FSU employee. Supt. Thompson noted that the change was made in 2019. Mr. Walsh also inquired about the morale of the building. Ms. Tingas stated that this year, moral is the highest it has ever been. Mrs. Englund inquired about the WIN block. She also inquired about the Science scores and what the school is doing to increase those scores. Ms. Tingas added that the districtwide Science Coach is in the school more often and that students are doing a lot more writing about Science. • Reingold Elementary School, MCAS and School Improvement Plan o Principal Anderson  As a new principal, she took the time to get to know her staff and dive into the data and noticed that within the sub- separate classrooms, there was incredible growth taking place but the achievement remained low. With this data, they strategized on scheduling. They increased the Science block and focused on protecting Tier 1 instruction.  She highlighted various happenings at the school • Student exploration • Staff development 6 Fitchburg School Committee Minutes  Minutes approved by the School Committee on November 17, 2025 REGULAR MEETING OF THE FITCHBURG SCHOOL COMMITTEE Monday, November 3, 2025 – 6:00 P.M. • PTO hosted Fall Festival  Accountability Information • Annual percentage declined  Progress towards targets • Achievement remains the biggest challenge • Growth is a relative strength • Strong success in English language proficiency • Chronic absenteeism shows room for improvement  Achievement ELA • Most groups declined or stagnated  Achievement Math • Most groups declined or stagnated  Achievement Science • Students with disabilities exceeded their target, however, all other subgroups’ scores declined.  ELA Growth • Although all students showed high growth overall, our subgroups need supports in making gap-closing growth in ELA.  Math Growth • A mean Student Growth Percentile of approximately 35.3  ACCESS • Steady advancement toward English language proficiency  Chronic Absenteeism • Certain subgroups show higher absenteeism rates, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to improve consistent attendance and engagement.  Principal Anderson shared the School Improvement Plan Goals for the year. Mrs. Jeffries, along with other School Committee members, welcomed Principal Anderson to the district. Mr. Stephens made a comment regarding the various administrative changes that have taken place. He also stated that Reingold needs consistent leadership and is optimistic that the school is moving in that direction. Mr. Walsh commented on the presentations this evening and is encouraged about the direction that our elementary schools are going. 7 Fitchburg School Committee Minutes  Minutes approved by the School Committee on November 17, 2025 REGULAR MEETING OF THE FITCHBURG SCHOOL COMMITTEE Monday, November 3, 2025 – 6:00 P.M. • Asst. Supt. Roche presented and discussed the FY26 – 1st Quarter Budget Update o Operating Budget – $92,586,284 o Discussion included some pressure points on the budget:  Special Education Out of District (OOD) student placement  Special Education transportation costs  Increase in column changes (unit A)  Capital Needs/Projects  Technology and other large purchases BUDGET ITEMS: Superintendent Thompson presented the donations and grants. • *Donations – (3) • *Grants – to submit (2) • *Grants – to accept (-) POLICY ITEMS: • *Student Discipline Policy (JIC) – Supt. Thompson gave a brief description of the policy and its alignment to our new Code of Character and Conduct. 8. ACTION ITEMS Mr. Walsh made motion to bundle the action items, #25-561 through #25-565, which was seconded by Mrs. Jeffries. With all in favor, the motion was adopted unanimously. Mr. Walsh made a motion to approve the bundle, which was seconded by Mr. Stephens. With all in favor, the motion was adopted unanimously. • #25-561- #25-26 Approve the donation of $500 to support Fitchburg Public Schools Athletic Programs; Fitchburg High School Class of 1975. • #25-562- #25-26 Approve the donation of earns of corn, chives, and peppers to be used during the Crocker Elementary School Afterschool Program; Harper’s Farm. • #25-563- #25-26 Approve the donation of $1,000 to support Fitchburg High School’s Athletics Programs; Colonial West Chevrolet, General Motors. • #25-564- #25-26 Approve the Superintendent’s recommendation to submit the following grants titled: o Career Technical Education Partnership Program Planning and Implementation Grant; Up to $500,000 available state-wide 8 Fitchburg School Committee Minutes  Minutes approved by the School Committee on November 17, 2025 REGULAR MEETING OF THE FITCHBURG SCHOOL COMMITTEE Monday, November 3, 2025 – 6:00 P.M. o Massachusetts Broadband Institute MBI Connected and Online Program; $19,000 value • #25-565- #25-26 Approve the Policy Subcommittee’s recommendation to approve Policy JIC – Student Discipline Policy. 9. OTHER BUSINESS: Not at this time 10. EXECUTIVE SESSION: Not at this time 11. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Mr. Stephens, and seconded by Mrs. Englund, to adjourn the meeting. With all in favor, the motion was adopted by unanimous consent. Mayor Squailia declared the meeting adjourned at 8:11 PM. Documents: • Building Needs Report • Crocker Elementary School MCAS Report • McKay Elementary School MCAS Report • Reingold Elementary School MCAS Report • FY26 – 1st Quarter Budget Update Respectfully submitted by, Mr. Jonathan Thompson Superintendent Fitchburg Public Schools JT/mam 9 Fitchburg School Committee Minutes