School Committee

LOWELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Date: July 25, 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 6:49 p.m., all members were present, namely: Ms. Martin, Mr. Nutter, Mayor Samaras, Mr. Descoteaux, Ms. Doherty, Mr. Hoey and Mr. Lay. 3. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS 3.I. Spotlight on Scholastic Summer Reading The Spotlight featured Scholastic’s acknowledgement of Lowell Public School’s Summer 2017 Reading Program. Students who participated read a total of 41,495 books totaling 4,559,632 minutes. This was an increase of 14,042 books read as compared to the previous year. This spring, the Lowell Public School’s performance was highlighted in Scholastic’s local and national flyers. 4. PERMISSION TO ENTER 4.I. Permission to Enter: July 25, 2018 Mr. Hoey made a motion to approve the Permission to Enter; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 5. MOTIONS 5.I. [by Gerard Nutter]: Motion to Discuss /Verify that All Required Summer Transportation Contracts are in Place and Funded. Acting Superintendent Durkin informed the Committee that all students are being transported to Summer School and all contracts are being looked at to be revised or amended to make sure they’re appropriate. Mr. Nutter 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 2 of 6) 5.II. [by Gerard Nutter]: Superintendent report why the passed motion of -" supply School Committee with a copy of Budget submitted to Auditor on day it is submitted” was ignored and not carried out considering the budget was submitted to Auditor on June 22nd. This motion was withdrawn. 5.III. [by Gerard Nutter]: Superintendent explain the process and whose responsibility is it to POST School Committee Agenda’s and Cancellation Notices on-line and why there appears to be confusion surrounding that lately. Acting Superintendent Durkin informed the Committee that the Confidential Secretary to the Superintendent posts the agenda’s and cancellation notices in collaboration with the City. The motion was answered on the floor. Mr. Nutter made a motion to approve; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 7 yeas APPROVED 5.IV. [by Gerard Nutter]: Administration Report if the School Dept. has applied for the STEM Equipment and Supplies Grant Program with the Commonwealth and if not, look into applying. Robin Desmond, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction informed the Committee that there is a meeting scheduled in September to discuss this further and that there is still interest to continue this partnership. Currently, this is supporting Lowell High School interns at UMASS Lowell. The motion was answered on the floor. Mr. Nutter made a motion to approve; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 7 yeas APPROVED 5.V. [by Gerard Nutter]: Superintendent report on the submission on June 20th then disappearance on June 25th of a $478,460.00 transfer request for Regular Ed Transportation when the Munis Account showed that there was $100,088.65 encumbered and $853.49 available on June 15th 2018. Supt also provide each School Committee member a copy of NRT Transportation contracts by July 27th. This motion was withdrawn. 5.VI. [by Mayor Samaras]: Request that the Administration provide the Lowell School Committee the status of the 2018-2019 Lowell High School Student’s Schedules. Acting Superintendent Durkin informed the Committee that she spoke with Marianne Busteed, LHS Head of School and she stated that the schedules have taken off to a slower start this year due to the students being in school so late as well as the heating issues, but she has been assured that the schedules will be ready by the first day of school. Mayor Samaras asked that the Committee be notified when they’re ready. Mayor Samaras made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Nutter. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 3 of 6) 5.VII. [by Gerry Nutter]: Per recently completed Citywide Facilities study - School Department, City Building Department, and Fire Department perform a comprehensive assessment of all interior and exterior doors and associated locking mechanisms at all schools and provide cost to repair/replace based on these findings. Acting Superintendent Durkin informed the Committee the City in collaboration with the School Department will be applying for the COPS grant. The City has to be the lead and the grant is for $500,000 for two (2) years. Mr. Nutter made a motion to approve; seconded by Ms. Martin. 7 yeas APPROVED 6. REPORTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT 6.I. Response to Dominik Lay’s Motion of 06/20/18 regarding impact of ESSA Jennifer McCrystal, Director of Special Education shared a PowerPoint presentation that explained the impact of ESSA, homelessness and group home placements and the ESE/DCF advisory on the out of district budget. Ms. Martin made a motion requesting that the Administration prepare a recommendation regarding the Lowell School Committee joining the existing law suit regarding the appropriate foundation formula funding with the existing litigants from Worcester and Brockton; seconded by Mr. Lay. 7 yeas APPROVED Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 6.I, through 6.IV as reports of progress; seconded by Mr. Lay. 7 yeas APPROVED 6.II. Report on Motions Acting Superintendent Durkin asked the Committee if they would entertain her providing them between now and the next Lowell School Committee meeting a packet of the outstanding motions with two additional columns that showed the priority motions and motions that can be dismissed. Acting Superintendent Durkin stated that due to the amount of outstanding motions and new administrators coming on board, she would like to prioritize the motions in a fashion that is responsive to the Committee. Mr. Nutter made a motion to approve the recommendation of the Acting Superintendent to receive a packet of prioritized motions between now and the next Lowell School Committee meeting with the two additional columns; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 6.I, through 6.IV as reports of progress; seconded by Mr. Lay. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 4 of 6) 6.III. List of Eligible Teachers The List of Eligible Teachers officially informs the Committee of all eligible teachers by subject and grade. Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 6.I, through 6.IV as reports of progress; seconded by Mr. Lay. 7 yeas APPROVED 6.IV. Personnel Report The Personnel Report officially informs the Committee of all retirements, resignations, promotions and new hires. Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 6.I, through 6.IV as reports of progress; seconded by Mr. Lay. 7 yeas APPROVED 7. NEW BUSINESS 7.I. Election of Acting Secretary Ms. Martin made a motion to elect Acting Superintendent Jeannine Durkin as Acting Secretary to the School Committee; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 6 yeas, 1 present APPROVED 7.II. Authorize the Mayor on behalf of the School Committee to retain an independent auditor for the purposes of performing an audit of the Lowell Public School Department’s finances. Ms. Martin made a motion to authorize the Mayor on behalf of the School Committee to retain an independent auditor for the purposes of performing an audit of the Lowell Public School Department’s finances and to request two (2) additional bids so that the Lowell Public Schools does due diligence, and request that the bids be returned within a week; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 5 yeas, 2 nays APPROVED 7.III. Authorization for Summer Payment – Stipends Mr. Nutter made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.IV. LHS TV Funding for LHS TV Production Studio Acting Superintendent Durkin informed the Committee that she spoke with City Manager Donoghue and the City Manager stated that she never agreed to pay for these positions out of the Comcast funds. Presently, there is no money in our budget for these positions. Mr. Nutter made a motion to defer LHS TV Funding for LHS TV Production Studio to the next Lowell School Committee meeting on August 15, 2018; seconded by Ms. Martin. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 5 of 6) 7.V. Guidance on Search for Interim School Business Administrator Appointment James Hall, Legal Counsel addressed the Committee asking for guidance regarding hiring an Interim School Business Administrator and the Committee’s wishes regarding salary and whether or not that they wanted the position to be interim. Acting Superintendent Durkin stated that she has someone who is qualified that she can bring forward. Due to the immediate need to appoint an Interim School Business Administrator the Committee voted to have a Special Meeting of the Lowell School Committee on Tuesday, July 31, 2018. Mr. Nutter made a motion to hold a Special Meeting of the Lowell School Committee on Tuesday, July 31, 2018; seconded by Ms. Martin. 7 yeas Approved Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 6 of 6) 8. ADJOURNMENT Mr. Nutter made a motion to adjourn at 8:05 p.m.; seconded by Mr. Lay. 7 yeas Approved Respectfully submitted, Jeannine M. Durkin, Acting Superintendent and Acting Secretary to the Lowell School Committee JMD/mes Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us