School Committee

LOWELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Date: October 17, 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 6:31 p.m., all members were present, namely: Mr. Descoteaux, Ms. Doherty, Mr. Hoey, Mr. Lay, Ms. Martin, Mr. Nutter and Mayor Samaras. 3. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS 3.I. Spotlight on Excellence – Summer Mathematics Program The Spotlight on Excellence presentation featured the eleventh year of the Grades K – 8 Summer Mathematics Program. The following list recognizes the school and invited students who were the lucky drawing winners of a $20.00 gift certificate to the Barnes and Noble Bookstore: Bailey School: Natalia Atonelli, Jakob Thomas, Analia Triv Bartlett School: Kayla McGovern, Nana Ama Opoku, Kevin Ramirez Butler School: Visey Ouk, Richman Porseng, Julian Rios Daley School: Haley Chao, Emmett Logan, Vu Vy Greenhalge School: Maddison Ellsworth, Juster Lay, Diya Shah Lincoln School: Qingfeng Diep, Victor Pires, Alex Pulami Mongar McAuliffe School: Annabella Ambrosio, Ky-Mani Menzies Smith, John Olayiwala McAvinnue School: Lucas Borba Sierra, Nishma Dahal, Kaylee Shirley Moody School: Aya Hiraldo, Daryl Monslave, Diana Namtebi Morey School: Hunter Jones, Anita Sin, Kayla Soem Murkland School: Sophia Ly, Mia Ponce, Xavier Santiago Pawtucketville School: Devin Derival, Alexander Kuria, Gianah Santana Pyne/Arts School: Yasmin Braga, Nermine El Maliji, Justin Ridzon Reilly School: Melissa Chaves, Delaney Hunt, Savannah Marongio Robinson School: Luisa Fernanda Quiroz, Jazlyn Santiago, Lily Sophon Shaughnessy School: Jacob Kimotho, Jervon Pola, Leticia Silva STEM Academy: Kimberly Bravo Lopez, Angelys Cintron, Henry Ssemwanje Stoklosa School: Brady Bond, Kayla Lutgen, Addrianna Vann Sullivan School: Isabelle Fardin, Jack Steen, Keller Tyler Whitton Wang School: Taylina Allende, Katherine Dunfey, Johnathan Gonzalez Washington School: Deval Asante, Victoria Sophal, Tezman Soy Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 2 of 7) 4. MINUTES 4.I. Minutes: Approval of the Minutes of the Regular School Committee Meeting of Wednesday, October 3, 2018. Mr. Nutter made a motion to accept the minutes and to place them on file; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 5. PERMISSION TO ENTER 5.I. Permission to Enter: October 17, 2018 Ms. Martin made a motion to approve the Permission to Enter; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 6. MEMORIALS 6.I. Thomas Abney, Lowell High School Security Guard 6.II. Timothy Koufogasos, Grandfather Of Morey School Teacher Cassandra Floor 6.III. Gloria Leahy, Mother of John Leahy City Council Member and former School Committee Member, mother of Kathleen Ramirez Greenhalge School teacher, aunt of Elizabeth McKiernan Abisi Adult Education Center Director, aunt of Mary Geoffroy LHS clerk, grandmother of Amanda Leahy Robinson School tutor. 7. REPORTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT 7.I. Summer School 2018 Summary Report Carolyn Rocheleau, Coordinator of Special Programs provided a report to the Committee that informed them that the Lowell Public Schools provided summer school programming to over 1,200 students in the summer of 2018. The report also included the number of students per location, the building administrator and population. The Summer School programs operated from June 27th through August 7th. Ms. Doherty made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 7.I through 7.VI as reports of progress; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 3 of 7) 7.II. Abisi Adult Education Center/International Institute-Lowell CNA Program Acting Superintendent Jeannine Durkin provided a report to the Committee informing them that a new Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for Success Program was funded following a competitive round of state-wide proposals submitted to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)/Adult Education Center. The program is a joint collaboration between the Abisi Adult Education Center and the International Institute of Lowell. The program was designed as an Integrated English Language Civics Engagement (IELCE) to prepare refugees and immigrants for careers in healthcare. The collaboration includes two (2) other partners: D’Youville Life and Wellness Center and Middlesex Community College. Ms. Doherty made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 7.I through 7.VI as reports of progress; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.III. Response to Andy Descoteaux’s Motion of 06/20/18 Regarding Video Clips Acting Superintendent Durkin provided a report to the Committee that informed them that requests have been made of all school Principals to provide the Superintendent with brief video clips. The videos will be shared with the School Committee and posted on the Lowell Public Schools website. Acting Superintendent Durkin then showed the Committee the first video. Ms. Doherty made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 7.I through 7.VI as reports of progress; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.IV. Coordinated Program Review Action Plan Robin Desmond, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment provided a report to the Committee that outlined the Coordinated Review Action Plan for the Lowell Public Schools. As one part of the accountability system, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) oversees local compliance with education requirements through the Coordinated Program Review (CPR). All reviews cover selected requirements in the following areas: Special Education, Civil Rights Methods of Administration and Other General Education Requirements, English Learner Education in Public Schools and College and Career and Technical Education. The district went under the CPR review in the 2017-2018 school year. Following the CPR, the DESE provides a final report document for each criterion that it rates “Commendable, “Partially Implemented”, “Not Implemented” or “Implementation in Progress” that explains the basis for the rating. The DESE provided the district with a report of findings on September 4, 2018. The Lowell Public Schools submitted an action plan on October 2, 2018 that describes how the district will address the findings. Ms. Doherty made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 7.I through 7.VI as reports of progress; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 4 of 7) 7.V. Revised Report Cards for Kindergarten Through Grade 4 Robin Desmond, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment provided an update to the Committee regarding the September 5, 2018 Elementary Standards Based Report Card memorandum. The district has received multiple requests from teachers across the district for the need to update the Elementary Standard Based Report Cards and a team of administrators and teachers from grades Kindergarten through four came together to revise the existing report cards. Many of the revisions were related to alignment to the Massachusetts Common Core State Standards which included additional science standards. The Coordinator of Research, Testing and Assessment has worked with Aspen to ensure all language changes would be accommodated with the Lowell Public Schools database. Ms. Doherty made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 7.I through 7.VI as reports of progress; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.VI. Enrollment Figures The district enrollment report provided to the Committee showed the breakdown by school and grade through October 12, 2018. Ms. Doherty made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 7.I through 7.VI as reports of progress; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.VII. Home Education The Home Education report was deferred to the next regularly scheduled Lowell School Committee meeting on November 7, 2018. 8. NEW BUSINESS 8.I. Vote To Accept Grant Award Of $3,000 For BRIDGE Program From Steven’s Foundation. Robin Desmond, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment 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. Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to accept the grant funded amount of $3,000 from the Nathaniel and Elizabeth P. Stevens Foundation; seconded by Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 5 of 7) 8.II. Vote on Changes To The Approved FY19 Budget Mr. Quinglong Diep, registered on spoke on Agenda Item # 8.II Billie Jo Turner, Interim Assistant Superintendent of Finance provided the Committee with a summary of budget adjustments and the Acting Superintendent recommended the following adjustments to address budget shortfalls for the Early Childhood center, Photocopier and Telephone accounts and the Acting Assistant Superintendent for Student Support Services salary: Page 2 1200: Superintendent $853,276 Mr. Nutter made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Acting Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $890,209; seconded Ms. Doherty. 5 yeas, 2 nays APPROVED Page 4 1400: Non-Personnel $700,000 Ms. Doherty made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Acting Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $775,000; seconded by Mr. Nutter. 4 yeas, 3 nays APPROVED Page 9 2300: Regular Education – Non-Personnel $1,945,702 Ms. Doherty made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Acting Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $1,958,702; seconded by Ms. Martin. 4 yeas, 3 nays APPROVED Page 21 4000: Non-Personnel $5,892,855 Ms. Doherty made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Acting Superintendent and to approve the bottom-line figure of $5,922,855; seconded by Mr. Nutter. 5 yeas, 2 nays APPROVED 9. CONVENTION/CONFERENCE REQUESTS 9.I. Trip-Washington D.C. The 8th grade Wang School students, along with teacher/chaperones Kathy Clark, Matthew Palmer and Alison Kuzara to travel to Washington D.C. from Tuesday, May 28 through Friday, May 31, 2019. Fundraising activities will be held throughout the school year to defray the cost of the trip [$742/per student] for all participating students. No substitute teachers are needed. Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to take and approve all four (4) convention/conference requests together; seconded by Mr. Nutter. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 6 of 7) 9.II. Conference- Pittsburgh, PA Requests permission for Dr. Adie Day School M.S.,CF-SLP, Annemarie Langlois to attend the Pittsburgh AAC Language Seminar to be held on November 5, 2018 through November 8, 2018 in Pittsburgh, PA. The cost of the fligt of $116.40 is being paid by Ms. Langlois. No substitute is required and there will be no cost to the School Department budget. Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to take and approve all four (4) convention/conference requests together; seconded by Mr. Nutter. 7 yeas APPROVED 9.III. Trip- LHS- Texas Permission for Athletic Director David Lezenski to attend the National Athletic Directors Association Conference to be held on December 14, 2018 through December 18, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. There is no charge for the conference and Mr. Lezenski will cover all other associated expenses. Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to take and approve all four (4) convention/conference requests together; seconded by Mr. Nutter. 7 yeas APPROVED 9.IV. Trip-LHS Permission for Lowell High School Business Professional Advisor, Jill Taylor along with ten [10] members of the Lowell Chapter of the Business Professionals of America to attend the State Leadership Conference in Framingham, MA from Saturday, March 2, 2019 through Monday, March 4, 2019 at the Sheraton Tara Hotel & Conference Center. Students will be absent from school on Monday, March 4, 2019. The only cost will be $100 for a substitute teacher for 1 day and will be paid by Lowell High School Individual School account. The cost of the conference will be paid for through fundraiser. Students have been raising funds to defray the cost of $275 per student. Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to take and approve all four (4) convention/conference requests together; seconded by Mr. Nutter. 7 yeas APPROVED 10. PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL 10.I. UTL-Sick Leave The Members of the United Teachers of Lowell hereby donate fifteen [15] sick leave days to Patricia Jussaume, Butler School teacher. Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve; 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) 11. ADJOURNMENT Mr. Hoey made a motion to adjourn at 7:42 p.m.; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 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