School Committee

LOWELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Date: May 17, 2017 Time: 6:30PM Location: City Council Chamber, 375 Merrimack Street, 2nd Floor, Lowell, MA 01852 1. ROLL CALL On a roll call at 6:56 p.m.; members present were, namely,: Mayor Kennedy, Ms. Martin, Mr. Descoteaux, Ms. Doherty, Mr. Gendron, Mr. Gignac and Mr. Hoey. 2. SALUTE TO FLAG 3. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS 3.I. Spotlight On Excellence – Lowell High School JROTC Drill Nationals Results The Spotlight on Excellence featured the Lowell High School AFJROTC Drill Team. Eileen M. Ironfield, Lt. Col, USAF (retired) addressed the Committee. The team is comprised of students in grades 9 – 12 who competed at the U.S. Air Force National Drill Competition in Dayton, Ohio. The competition had 27 high schools from across the country that competed. Lowell High School was the only school from New England competing at the National Level competition. The Armed and Unarmed Teams earned trophies in very tough competition in their respective divisions. The Mayor congratulated all involved for a job well done. 4. MINUTES 4.I. Minutes - Approval of the Minutes of the Regularly Scheduled School Committee Meeting of Wednesday, May 3, 2017 Ms. Martin made a motion to accept the minutes and to place them on file; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 5. PERMISSION TO ENTER 5.I. Permission To Enter: May 17, 2017 Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to approve the Permission to Enter; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 2 of 6) 6.MEMORIALS 6.I. Memorial - Noonan Mr. Richard “ Dick” "El Presidente" W. Noonan Sr., retired Edith Norse Rogers School Principal. 6.II. Memorial - Lefebvre Charles “Charlie” Lefebvre, retired (50 years of service 1960-2010) Bartlett School custodian. 7. MOTIONS 7.I. [By Mayor Edward Kennedy]: Motion to cancel the regularly scheduled Lowell School Committee meeting of Wednesday, June 7, 2017 due to the Lowell High School Graduation Exercises. Mayor Kennedy made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.II. [By Steve Gendron]: Request Mayor Kennedy and the Superintendent declare Friday May 26, 2017 as Community Service Day in Lowell Public Schools. Mr. Gendron made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.III. [By Steve Gendron]: Request the Superintendent provide an update on free LRTA transportation for LHS students. Mr. Gendron made a motion to approve; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.IV. [By Bob Hoey]: Request Superintendent send letter of appreciation to Jay Linnehan, Karyn Cassidy, Aaron Smith, and Michelle Callahan, and the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, for their work on behalf of our student scholarships. These scholarships impacted 240 seniors and approximately $500,000 dollars was given to our students. Also, request that the Superintendent ask Mr. Linnehan to send a letter of thanks on our behalf to all donors to our student scholarships. Mr. Linnehan and Mr. Domnick Lay addressed the Committee regarding Mr. Hoey’s motion. Mr. Hoey made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Gignac. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.V. [By Robert Gignac]: Request the Superintendent provide the Facilities Subcommittee with all information related to the new CSA Day School, including the RFP and bids. Mr. Gignac made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 3 of 6) 7.VI. [By Robert Gignac]: Request the Superintendent provide the School Committee with all information provided to the School Building Committee as it is becomes available. Mr. Gignac made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.VII. [By Robert Gignac]: Request the School Committee invite the participants of the Robinson School trip to Yellowstone National Park to appear before the School Committee to discuss their trip. Mr. Gignac made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.VIII. [By Connie Martin]: Request that the Mayor facilitate a joint meeting of the Finance Subcommittees of both the Lowell City Council and the Lowell School Committee for the purpose of discussing the FY18 Budget and the current review of Net School Spending and ongoing contract negotiations. Ms. Martin made a motion to approve; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 7 yeas APPROVED 8. SUBCOMMITTEES 8.I. Finance Subcommittee: Report and Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of Wednesday, May 8, 2017 [Robert Gignac, Chair] The information contained in the Finance Subcommittee report was discussed at the Budget Hearing on May 10, 2017. Mr. Gignac made a motion to accept as a report of progress; seconded by Mr. Gendron. 7 yeas APPROVED 9. REPORTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT 9.I. Proposed Substitute Salary Increases Ms. Sheehy, Director of Human Resources provided the Committee with a report that showed a comparative analysis of substitute salaries in neighboring districts. Mr. Gignac made a motion to increase the daily rate for substitute teachers; seconded by Ms. Martin. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 4 of 6) 9.II. Grant Award To Science And Engineering Fair Ms. Desmond, Interim Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment informed the Committee that grant funds in the amount of $1200.00 have been committed by the Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair for the 2017-2018 school year in support of Lowell’s Science and Engineering Fair. Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to accept the current grant funds of $1200.00 from Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair to offset Science and Engineering costs and that the grant funds be deposited in the Science Revolving Fund and payment(s) dispersed from the Science Revolving Fund for said purpose; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 9.III. Home Education Superintendent Khelfaoui recommended that the following parent/guardian be allowed to home educate their child: Patricia Hiort 205 Pratt Avenue, Apt. 29 Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 10. CONVENTION/CONFERENCE REQUESTS 10.I. McAvinnue School- Trip To Museum Of Science Request permission for fourth grade McAvinnue students, along with Principal Michael Ducharme, Assistant Principal Michael Domina, Teachers; Tom Pelletier, Cindy Fosse, Julie Gillis, Kate Burgess- MacIntosh, Noreen Crowley and Mike Cotta to participate in an overnight field trip to the Museum of Science in Boston on Friday, June 9th through Saturday, June 10, 2017. The trip will be paid by students and staff. The McAvinnue School Student Activity Account will pay for the transportation cost. There are no costs to the School Department budget. No substitute teacher is needed. Ms. Doherty made a motion to take and approve both convention/conference requests together; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 10.II. CPI Training- Adams, Keefe and Armstrong Request permission for Christine Adams, Board Certified, Behavior Analyst, Mikaela Keefe, Behavior Specialist and Kenneth Armstrong, Security Guard to attend the Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) training. The training is to be held on June 20th-23rd in Nashua, NH. The cost of the training for the three attendees will not exceed $7,000.00 and will be funded by the student support services contractual account. There is no cost for lodging or meals. No substitute teacher is needed. Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 5 of 6) Ms. Doherty made a motion to take and approve both convention/conference requests together; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 11. PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL 11.I. UTL Donated Sick Leave Days The Members of the United Teachers of Lowell hereby donate fifty [50] sick leave days to Heather Marino, Cardinal O’Connell School Teacher. Ms. Martin made a motion approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 6 of 6) 12. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Doherty made a motion to adjourn at 7:34 p.m.; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux 7 yeas Approved 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