School Committee

LOWELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Date: February 15, 2017 Time: 6:30PM Location: City Council Chamber, 375 Merrimack Street, 2nd Floor, Lowell, MA 01852 1. ROLL CALL: On a roll call at 6:40 p.m.; members present were, namely, Ms. Martin, Ms. Doherty, Mr. Gendron, Mr. Gignac, Mr. Hoey and Mayor Kennedy. Mr. Descoteaux was absent. Onotse Omoyeni, LHS Student Representative was also present. 2. SALUTE TO FLAG 3. MINUTES: 3.I. Approval of the Minutes of the Regularly Scheduled School Committee Meeting of Wednesday, February 1, 2017 Ms. Martin made a motion to accept the minutes and to place them on file; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 4. PERMISSION TO ENTER: 4.I. Permission to Enter: February 15, 2017 Ms. Doherty made a motion to delay approving Aramark Educational Services, LLC in the amount of $4,921,313 on the Permission to Enter report until the Superintendent places it back on the agenda and presents the Committee with a report; seconded by Mr. Gendron. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve Community Teamwork, Inc. in the amount of $9,000 on the Permission to Enter report; seconded by Mr. Gendron 5 yeas, 2 absent APPROVED Mr. Gignac made a motion to approve the remaining items on the Permission to Enter report; seconded by Mr. Hoey 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 2 of 6) 5. MEMORIALS 5.I. Memorial - Thomas Fleming Thomas Fleming, retired Moody School Custodian and brother of Sharon Smith, payroll Clerk, Anne Ruddy, Greenhalge School Custodian, Katherine Fleming, Bartlett School Custodian, uncle of Lynn Moran, Special Education Department Clerk. 5.II. Memorial - Paul Jude Oates Paul Jude Oates, father of Suzanne Keefe, LHS English Department Chair and father-in-law of Mark Keefe, LHS teacher. 6. MOTIONS: 6.I. [By Jacqueline Doherty]: Request the City Manager to provide the Committee with a report that details the City’s Maintenance of Effort Agreement for the last year related to expenditures on the schools. There was a typographical error and the motion was read on the floor for the record. The motion is as follows: Request the City Manager provide the Committee with a report that details the City’s Maintenance of Effort Agreement related to expenditures on the schools for the last three (3) years. Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Gendron. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 6.II. [By Jacqueline Doherty]: Request the Superintendent provide the committee with a report of the transportation cost estimates of bussing students to a high school at Cawley over the next 12 years based on the number of students by neighborhood currently attending our schools. Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Gendron. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 6.III. [By Jacqueline Doherty]: Request the Superintendent provide the committee with a report that looks at our K-12 student population by zip code to determine the number of students from each neighborhood. Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Gignac. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 3 of 6) 7. REPORTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT 7.I. 2017 Kathryn P. Stoklosa Knowledge Bowl Competition The Kathryn Philbin Stoklosa Knowledge Bowl will hold its Preliminary Matches on March 6th, March 7th and March 9th. The Elimination Rounds will take place on March 13th, March 14th and March 16th. The Final Competition will be held on March 20th. Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent as reports of progress: 7.I, 7.II, 7.III, and 7.V; seconded by Mr. Gignac. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 7.II. 2017 Graduation Dates and Lowell High School Commencement Speaker Lowell High School’s graduation will be held on June 7, 2017 at the UMass Lowell Tsongas Center and the Commencement Speaker will be Elinor Lipman. The Adult Education graduation will be held on June 2, 2017 at the Lowell High School Cyrus E. Irish Auditorium. Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent as reports of progress: 7.I, 7.II, 7.III, and 7.V; seconded by Mr. Gignac. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 7.III. Response to Robert Gignac's Motion of 01/18/17 regarding Extracurricular Activities Throughout the District Deputy Superintendent Durkin provided a report to the Committee that showed an overview of all of the extracurricular activities in the Lowell Public Schools as reported by each school Principal. The report also included additional offerings at Lowell High School as well as the schools that are recipients of the 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant. Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent as reports of progress: 7.I, 7.II, 7.III, and 7.V; seconded by Mr. Gignac. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 7.IV. Response to Jacqueline Doherty’s motion of 01/18/17 regarding the Time Allocated for Recess, Lunch, Physical Education, and Health. Ms. Darcie Boyer was registered to speak and addressed the Committee regarding this report. Ms. Doherty made a motion to refer the Time Allocated for Recess, Lunch, Physical Education, and Health report to a Joint Curriculum and Student Support Services Subcommittee meeting for further discussion; seconded by Ms. Martin. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 4 of 6) 7.V. Monthly Budget Report The Monthly Budget Report that was provided to the Committee by Gary Frisch, Assistant Superintendent for Finance/School Business Administrator showed the budget report for the period ending January 31, 2017. Mr. Frisch gave the following summary: Original Budget $158,445,232 Carrying Forward from Last Year $1,841,011 Adjusted Budget $160,286,243 Year-To-Date Expenditures $73,238,880 Outstanding Purchase Orders $8,672,229 Remaining Balance $78,375,133 Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent as reports of progress: 7.I, 7.II, 7.III, and 7.V; seconded by Mr. Gignac. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 7.VI. 2017-2018 School Year Calendar Mayor Kennedy presented the first reading of the 2017-2018 School Year Calendar. 7.VII. 2017-2018 School Committee Meetings Dates Ms. Martin made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 7.VIII. Personnel Report The Personnel Report officially informs the Committee of all retirements, resignations, promotions and new hires. Ms. Doherty made a motion to accept the report as a report of progress; seconded by Mr. Gendron. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 5 of 6) 8. NEW BUSINESS 8.I. Approval of an Educational Research Request Melinda Willis requested permission to interview and observe Alicia (Negron) Paredes, a Lowell High School science teacher, as part of her research for her doctoral dissertation. Ms. Willis reports that Ms. Paredes is willing to participate in this research. Amy McLeod, Director of Curriculum & Instruction at Lowell High School reported that the high school supports this proposal. Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 8.II. Update and Phase II of the Eagle Scout Textile Recycling Presented by Michael Wojas A request was made to take the agenda out of order to discuss the Update and Phase II of the Eagle Scout Textile Recycling by general consent. Michael Wojas provided the Committee with an update on the Textile Recycling Rebate Program. The update informed the Committee that currently we have recycling boxes at fifteen (15) schools and are adding ten (10) more. The bins are emptied once a week and are a source of income for the schools. Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept the report as a report of progress; seconded by Mr. Gignac. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 6 of 6) 9. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn at 7:51 p.m. by Mr. Hoey; seconded by Mr. Gendron 6 yeas, 1 absent Respectfully submitted, Dr. Salah E. Khelfaoui, Superintendent and Secretary to the Lowell School Committee SEK/mes Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us