School Committee

LOWELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Date: December 4, 2019 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: Ms. Doherty, Mr. Hoey, Mr. Lay, Ms. Martin, Mr. Nutter, Mayor Samaras and Mr. Descoteaux 3. MINUTES 3.I. Approval of The Minutes of the Regularly Scheduled Lowell School Committee Meeting of Wednesday, November 20, 2019 Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept and place on file the minutes from the Regularly Scheduled Lowell School Committee Meeting of Wednesday, November 20, 2019; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 7 yeas APPROVED 4. PERMISSION TO ENTER 4.I. Permission to Enter: December 4, 2019 Mr. Nutter made a motion to approve the Permission to Enter; seconded by Ms. Martin. 7 yeas APPROVED 4.II. Approval of Salary Increases for FY19 and FY20 for Chief Academic Officer Mr. Hoey made a motion to approve Amendment #1/Chief Academic Officer’s contract commencing July 1, 2018; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 7 yeas APPROVED Mr. Nutter made a motion to approve Amendment #2/Chief Academic Officer’s contract commencing July 1, 2019; seconded by Mr. Lay. 7 yeas APPROVED 4.III. Contract Approval for Confidential Secretary Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve the contract for the Confidential Secretary to the Superintendent; seconded by Mr. Nutter. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 2 of 5) 5. MOTIONS 5.I. [By Gerard Nutter And Andy Descoteaux ]: Request the Superintendent to provide report on any changes being made to applying for Medicaid reimbursements from what has happened in the prior years. This motion was withdrawn. 5.II. [By Dominik Hok Lay]: Request the Superintendent provides data for compensation for Substitute Teachers and Tutors. SC is to decide whether to change compensation amount in order to address issues with shortage of Substitute Teachers Mr. Lay made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 5.III. [By Andy Descoteaux}: Request the School Committee formally recognize the people responsible for the amazing professional development that took place across the city on Election Day as a “Spotlight on Excellence” on the next School Committee agenda. Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Hoey. 7 yeas APPROVED 5.IV. [By Andy Descoteaux}: Request the School Committee formally recognize the Joseph G. Pyne Arts Musical Production of Into the Woods Junior under the Direction of Mr. Rose and Mr. Jones as a “Spotlight on Excellence” on the next School Committee agenda. Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to approve; seconded by Ms. Martin. 7 yeas APPROVED 6. SUBCOMMITTEES 6.I. Finance Subcommittee: Report and Approval of the Meeting of Wednesday, November 20, 2019 [Gerard Nutter, Chairperson] Mr. Nutter, Chairperson of the Finance Subcommittee informed the Committee that the purpose of the Subcommittee meeting was to discuss the FY18-19 End of Year Budget report. He stated that the fact that the district finished with a balance of $54,000, with $52,000 of that being invoices that were submitted late (but were accounted for in the $54,000) was a true testament to the hard work of former Superintendent Durkin and Ms. Turner, Chief Financial Officer. The Subcommittee also addressed the FY 19-20 1st quarterly report. Mr. Hoey made a motion to accept the report as a report 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 5) 7. REPORTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT 7.I. Report On Motions Superintendent Boyd provided the Committee with an updated report on the status of outstanding motions and asked the Committee if they had any concerns or questions. Ms. Martin requested that her motion titled New Curriculum Initiative be removed. Ms. Martin stated that she will resubmit the motion. Mr. Nutter made a motion to accept the following Report of the Superintendent 7.I as a report of progress; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 8. NEW BUSINESS 8.I. Approval of Job Description and Stipend for Recording Secretary for the School Committee Mr. Hoey made a motion to approve the Job Description and Stipend for Recording Secretary for the School Committee; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 8.II. Approval of Amended Job Descriptions and Salaries for Unaffiliated Positions:  Director of Facilities  HR Assistant Mr. Hoey made a motion to approve the Amended Job Description and Salary of the Director of Facilities; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED Ms. Martin made a motion to approve the Amended Job Description and Salary of the HR Assistant; seconded by Mr. Nutter. 7 yeas APPROVED 8.III. Disposal of Surplus Equipment Ms. Turner, Chief Financial Officer provided a report to the Committee that requested that a PlayLoft be declared as surplus and for the item to be advertised by the City of Lowell Chief Procurement Officer for sale to the highest bidder. Mr. Hoey made a motion to approve the surplus equipment and for the item to be advertised by the City of Lowell Chief Procurement Officer for sale to the highest bidder; 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 5) 9. CONVENTION/CONFERENCE REQUESTS 9.I. Out of State and Overnight Travel Request: Freedom, N.H. Requests permission for Eric Kolifrath, Mike Neagle, and Joy Sorota and parent chaperone to travel to Freedom, N.H. from Thursday, April 30, 2019 through Friday, May 1, 2019 along with [54] fifty-four grade seven students. The cost of the trip is $145 per student. The primary funding source is the Pyne Arts GEAR UP grant. There will be no cost to the Lowell School Department. No substitute teacher is needed. Mr. Hoey made a motion to approve the convention/conference request; seconded Ms. Martin. 7 yeas APPROVED 10. PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL 10.I. UTL-Sick Leave- The Members of the United Teachers of Lowell hereby donate sixty [60] sick leave days to Julie Bannerman, Stoklosa School teacher. Ms. Martin 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 5 of 5) 11.ADJOURNMENT Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to adjourn at 6:54 p.m.; seconded by Mr. Nutter. 7 yeas APPROVED Respectfully submitted, Joel D. Boyd, Ed.D., Superintendent and Secretary to the Lowell School Committee JDB/mes Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us