School Committee

LOWELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Date: February 28, 2018 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 6:34 p.m., members present were, namely: Mr. Nutter, Mayor Samaras, Mr. Descoteaux, Ms. Doherty, Mr. Hoey and Mr. Lay. Ms. Martin was absent. Sophia Marsden, LHS Student Representative was also present. 3. MINUTES 3.I. Minutes: Approval of the Minutes of the regularly scheduled Lowell School Committee Meeting of Wednesday, February 14, 2018 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: February 28, 2018 Mr. Hoey made a motion to approve the Permission to Enter; seconded by Mr. Nutter. 5 yeas, 1 nay, 1 absent APPROVED 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 5.I. Subcommittee Assignments: Appointed by Mayor William Samaras Mr. Descoteaux asked the Mayor to reconsider and make him the Chairperson of the Lowell High School Subcommittee. Ms. Doherty also asked the Mayor to consider placing her on the Student Support Services Subcommittee. Mayor Samaras will meet with both members individually to discuss further. Mr. Nutter made a motion to approve the Subcommittee Assignments: Appointed by Mayor William Samaras and to place them on file; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 2 of 7) 5.II. 2018-2019 School Calendar Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to approve the 2018-2019 School Calendar; seconded by Mr. Lay. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 6. MOTIONS 6.I. [By Gerard Nutter]: Request Police Superintendent and SRO Sargent attend next SC meeting to present current safety measures in place at ALL Lowell Schools and make any recommendations to add or improve. Jeannine Durkin, Deputy Superintendent for Student Support Services informed the Committee that a Facilities Safety Audit has been completed, but due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the report the Superintendent stated that an Executive Session will be scheduled to discuss the findings and recommendations. Mr. Nutter made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 5 yeas, 1 nay, 1 absent APPROVED 6.II. [By Connie Martin]: Request that the Administration report on the possibility of IDEA Camp being cancelled for the Summer for 2018. Superintendent Khelfaoui stated that no decision has made as of yet regarding the IDEA Camp and that he and his team are still looking at all options. Ms. Martin made a motion to approve; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 5 yeas, 1 nay, 1 absent APPROVED 6.III. [By Jackie Doherty]: Request the Superintendent provide the committee with a written Report on Leadership Hiring that includes detailed updates on the status of searches for the LHS Head of School, the Robinson High School Principal, and the Director of HR. The report should include the timelines, members of the screening committees, and key dates in the process such as when posted, dates for first and second round interviews, final decision etc. Also, please include historical context regarding the Head of School and Robinson roles—when the positions were first posted last year, the screening committees, and timelines followed that led to interim positions. Ms. Doherty asked that job descriptions also be added to the report. Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Nutter. 4 yeas, 2 nays, 1 absent APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 3 of 7) 7. REPORTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT 7.I. School Assignments Policy Revisions Jeannine Durkin, Deputy Superintendent for Student Support Services provided the Committee with recommended revisions to the Lowell Public School Assignment Policy. The document was developed to afford families the opportunity to be placed on up to three (3) separate waitlists if they do not receive their first school of choice at the time of registration. The current policy allows for parents to select three (3) schools and be placed on only their first choice for the waitlist. It also addresses changes to Preschool and Kindergarten registration as a one year placement. There have been no changes to the Lowell Public Schools Voluntary Desegregation Plan with the revisions that have been recommended. Mr. Nutter made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 7.I and 7.II as reports of progress; seconded by Descoteaux. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 7.II. Enrollment Figures The district enrollment report provided to the Committee showed the breakdown by school and grade through February 21, 2018. Mr. Nutter made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 7.I and 7.II as reports of progress; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 8. NEW BUSINESS 8.I. 2018-2019 School Committee Meeting Dates Ms. Doherty made a motion to add February 13, 2019 and April 10, 2019 as additional School Committee meetings; seconded by Descoteaux. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve the 2018-2019 School Committee Meeting Dates; seconded by Mr. Lay. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 8.II. Budget Transfers Mr. Nutter asked several questions about the budget transfer in the amount of $610,000 to the Suspense Account to reflect cost reductions that had been approved by the School Committee earlier in the school year. Mr. Nutter made a motion to not take action and to send the transfer in the amount of $610,000 to a Finance Subcommittee for further discussion; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 4 of 7) The Second Budget Transfer in the amount of $7,216.76 Department: SCHOOLS TRANSFER TO: Account # Description Amount Org. Object Project DESE Function Robinson SA - General 89610612 544400 2300 Supplies $ 5,416.76 98037080 530002 2350 Murkland SA - Prof Dev $ 1,800.00 TOTAL $ 7,216.76 TRANSFER FROM: Account # Description Amount Org. Object Project DESE Function Robinson SA - Technology 98610624 541000 2450 Exp $ 5,416.76 Murkland SA - General 98010112 544400 2300 Supplies $ 1,800.00 TOTAL $ 7,216.76 Reason for transfer: Adjustments to expend the budget Mr. Nutter made a motion to approve the budget transfer in the amount of $7,216.76; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 9. CONVENTION/CONFERENCE REQUESTS 9.I. Wang- Harold Parker State Forest Matthew Stahl, request permission for forty eight grade Wang School students, along with teachers chaperones, to participate in an overnight field trip at Harold Parker State Forest in North Andover, MA from Wednesday, June 6th through Friday, June 8, 2018. There is no cost to the School Department budget and no substitute teachers are needed. Ms. Doherty made a motion to take and approve all three (3) convention/conference requests together; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 5 of 7) 9.II. LHS - Paris, Normandy and London Head of School Marianne Busteed, requests permission for eighteen [18] to twenty four [24] students and three [3] chaperones, Tom Thornton, Stephen Gervais and Margaret Kennedy, all Lowell High staff to travel to Paris, Normandy and London, during the February school vacation 2019. Travel will be from Friday, February 15th returning on Saturday, February 23, 2019. Students will miss one day of school, Friday, February 15, 2019 and two [2] substitutes will be needed for one day. Each student traveling will incur the total cost of $3,080.00. There will be no cost to the Lowell High School individual account or the School Department. Ms. Doherty made a motion to take and approve all three (3) convention/conference requests together; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED Ms. Desmond read the following field trip request verbally for the School Committee’s approval: I am requesting permission for 8 Student Council Representatives as well as Student Council Advisor, Tom Thornton to take part in the 2018 Massachusetts Association of Student Council Workshop on March 7 – 9, 2018 to be held at the Resort & Conference Center at Hyannis, in Hyannis, Massachusetts. This is a unique opportunity for each student to meet with students from other Student Councils across Massachusetts and hear about the concerns and the activities of teenagers statewide. Ms. Doherty made a motion to take and approve all three (3) convention/conference requests together; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 10. PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL 10.I. UTL Donated Sick Days - Colon The Members of the United Teachers of Lowell hereby donate twenty five [25] sick leave days to Kristen Colon, Lowell High School Teacher. Mr. Nutter made a motion to take and approve all UTL Donated Sick Days together; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 10.II. UTL Donated Sick Days - Aaron King The Members of the United Teachers of Lowell hereby donate twenty five [25] sick leave days to Aaron King, Butler School Teacher. Mr. Nutter made a motion to take and approve all UTL Donated Sick Days together; 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 6 of 7) 10.III. UTL Donated Sick Days - Lauren Lannon The Members of the United Teachers of Lowell hereby donate fourteen [14] sick leave days to Lauren Lannon, Morey School Paraprofessional. Mr. Nutter made a motion to take and approve all UTL Donated Sick Days together; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 10.IV. UTL Donated Sick Days - Lynn Levassuer The Members of the United Teachers of Lowell hereby donate four [4] sick leave days to Lynn Levassuer, Lincoln School Teacher. Mr. Nutter made a motion to take and approve all UTL Donated Sick Days together; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 6 yeas, 1 absent APPROVED 10.V. UTL Donated Sick Days - Sarah McAtamney The Members of the United Teachers of Lowell hereby donate twenty eight [28] sick leave days to Sarah McAtamney, Butler School Teacher. Mr. Nutter made a motion to take and approve all UTL Donated Sick Days together; 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 7 of 7) 11. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Doherty made a motion to adjourn at 8:09 p.m.; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 6 yeas, 1 absent 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