School Committee

LOWELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Date: July 19, 2017 Time: 6:30PM Location: City Council Chamber, 375 Merrimack Street, 2nd Floor, Lowell, MA 01852 1. SALUTE TO FLAG 2. ROLL CALL On a roll call at 6:32 p.m.; members present were, namely,: Mr. Gendron, Mr. Gignac, Mr. Hoey, Mayor Kennedy, Ms. Martin and Mr. Descoteaux. Ms. Doherty arrived at 6:35 p.m. 3. MINUTES 3.I. Minutes - Approval of the Minutes of the Regularly Scheduled School Committee Meeting of Wednesday, June 21, 2017 Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to accept the minutes and to place them on file; seconded by Mr. Gendron. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 3.II. Minutes - Approval of the Minutes of the Special School Committee Meeting of Wednesday, June 28, 2017 Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept the minutes and to place them on file; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 4. PERMISSION TO ENTER 4.I. Permission To Enter: July 19, 2017 Mr. Gignac made a motion to approve the Permission to Enter; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 5 yeas, 2 absent APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 2 of 7) 5. MEMORIALS 5.I. Memorial - Francis J. “Barney” Hovey- Descoteaux Francis J. “Barney” Hovey, father of Pamela Descoteaux, Pyne Arts School Paraprofessional, father-in- law of Family Resource Center Coordinator John Descoteaux and grandfather of Brittany Martin, Pawtucketville Memorial School Teacher. 5.II. Memorial - McNamara- O'Neil Ethel M. (McLeod) (McCarthy) McNamara, mother of Terry O'Neil, retired Early Childhood District Support Specialist. 6. MOTIONS 6.I. [By Robert Gignac]: To request the Finance Subcommittee meet to review FY17 year end financials. Mr. Gignac asked that at the Finance Subcommittee any proposed transfers to clean up accounts be presented as well as a report on any projected surplus. Mr. Gignac made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 6.II. [By Connie Martin]: Requesting an update on current plans to engage an Acting Head of School for the fy17-18 school year and a proposed timeline for launching a full scale search for a permanent replacement that includes: prospective recruiting firms specializing in this industry and any public sessions that will be part of the process. Ms. Martin made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 6.III. [By Connie Martin]: Requesting that the administration prepare a report for a joint meeting of the Personnel Subcommittee and Policy Subcommittee to review the use of Screening Committees during the hiring process and provide information of how their input serves as a factor in hiring decisions. Ms. Martin made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 6.IV. [By Connie Martin]: Requesting that the administration provide the explanation from City Solicitors office of the delays during the FY17-18 budget process. Information requested at Lowell School Committee Meeting on May 3, 2017 and on May 8, 2017. Ms. Martin made a motion to approve; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 3 of 7) 6.V. [By Connie Martin]: Requesting an update on the staffing plans for Principals and Assistant Principals for the fy17 and fy18. Approved by Lowell School Committee on April 5, 2017. Ms. Martin made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 6.VI. [By Connie Martin]: Requesting that the administration provide the committee with an update on plans to accommodate the middle school bubble for the FY 17-18 school year. Approved by Lowell School Committee on April 5, 2017. Ms. Martin made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 6.VII. [By Jacqueline Doherty]: Request the Superintendent provide the committee with the Massachusetts Consortium for Innovative Education Assessment (MCIEA) survey that was distributed to Lowell students and teachers in June 2017 as well as the Hanover Research survey that was used to collect parent and community data during the same time period. In addition to the actual surveys, please include information pertaining to the number of teachers, students, parents and community members who responded, as well as plans for assessing and disseminating the data. Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve; seconded by Ms. Martin. 7 yeas APPROVED 6.VIII.[By Jacqueline Doherty]: Request the Superintendent provide the committee with a report for the August 16 school committee meeting that lists all open positions and their status. Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve; seconded by Ms. Martin. 7 yeas APPROVED 6.IX. [By Jacqueline Doherty]: Request the Superintendent provide quarterly reports to the committee in executive session with names removed regarding all personnel issues that rise to the level of investigation. It was requested that the City Solicitor attend this meeting. Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve; seconded by Ms. Martin. Mr. Gendron made a substitute motion to refer this motion to a Personnel Subcommittee for further discussion; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.REPORTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT 7.I. List Of Eligible Teachers The List of Eligible Teachers officially informs the Committee of all eligible teachers by subject and grade. Ms. Martin made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent as reports of progress: 7.I and 7.II; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 4 of 7) 7.II. Personnel Report The Personnel Report officially informs the Committee of all retirements, resignations, promotions and new hires. Ms. Martin made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent as reports of progress: 7.I and 7.II; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.III. Home Education Superintendent Khelfaoui recommended that the following parents/guardians be allowed to home educate their child: Elizabeth & Jonathan Currie 116 Boylston Street & Karona Pholy 55 Plain Street Ms. Martin made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.IV. Pregnant Students Policy Revisions Deputy Superintendent Jeannine Durkin provided the Committee with a report that informed them that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Coordinated Program Review that took place in 2011, included updates that were made to the Policy for Pregnant Students for submission to the state and procedures were changed in the Lowell Public Schools aligned with those revisions. However, there is no record of said policy that includes the recommended revisions by the Lowell School Committee. The report provides an updated policy that included the recommended revisions. The policy revisions are aligned with Massachusetts General Law 71:84, which does not require a pregnant student to provide medical documentation to remain in school. Mr. Hoey made a motion to approve the Pregnant Student Policy Revisions; seconded by Mr. Gignac. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.V. Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School Proposed Time Change Deputy Superintendent Jeannine Durkin provided the Committee with a report that requested increasing the school hours at the Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School in order to better serve the academic and social/emotional needs of the students who attend the school. Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve the Laura Lee Therapeutic Day School Proposed Time Change; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 5 of 7) 8. NEW BUSINESS 8.I. Approval Of An Educational Research Request The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) are currently funding a Preschool Expansion Grant (PEG) in Lowell. The district has committed to working with ABT Associates, under contract to EED, to evaluate program outcomes. The research was a condition of funding the PEG program and the district is currently sharing data with the state as part of the PEG initiative. The state has asked to expand data collection beyond the PEG participants in order to provide a direct comparison to children who did not participate in the PEG program. The possible expansion of research surrounding the PEG program requires School Committee approval. Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve the Education Research Request (Preschool Expansion Grant (PEG) Research Proposal; seconded by Mr. Gendron. 7 yeas APPROVED 8.II. Vote To Accept Grant Award Of $ 3,000 To BRIDGE Program From Nathaniel And Elizabeth P. Stevens Foundation. Robin Desmond, Interim Assistant Superintendent informed the Committee that the BRIDGE Program was recently notified that they received a $3,000 grant from the Nathaniel and Elizabeth P. Stevens Foundation. The BRIDGE has received a grant from this foundation for many years. The funds are used to serve their after school programming, Open Houses and Alumni Gatherings. Ms. Doherty made a motion to accept the grant funded amount of $3,000 from the Nathaniel and Elizabeth P. Stevens Foundation; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 9. CONVENTION/CONFERENCE REQUESTS 9.I. Trip to New York- Melissa Newell Permission for ELA Coordinator, Melissa Newell, to attend the Writing Project’s Fall Institute workshop at the Teachers College at Colombia University to be held on Monday, October 2nd through Tuesday, October 3, 2017 in New York. The cost of the workshop will not exceed $875.00 and will be funded by the Curriculum Professional Development account. There will be no additional cost to the Lowell School Department budget. Mr. Hoey made a motion to take and approve both convention/conference requests together; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 6 of 7) 9.II. LHS - Outdoor Adventure Club Head of School Brian Martin, requests permission for Outdoor Adventure Advisers, Kendra Bauer, Jaqueline Hoffman and Donna Newcomb, to attend the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Youth Opportunity Program Camping and Hiking excursion from Friday, September 22 through Sunday, September 24, 2017 at Mt. Cardigan Outdoor Center in Alexandria, New Hampshire. There is no cost for attending this Leadership Training. The cost of $200.00 for substitute teachers will be covered by the LHS Professional Development funds. Mr. Hoey made a motion to take and approve both convention/conference requests together; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 7 of 7) 10. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Martin made a motion to adjourn at 7:04 p.m.; seconded by Mr. Hoey 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