School Committee

LOWELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Date: April 7, 2021 Time: 6:30PM Location: City Council Chamber, 375 Merrimack Street, 2nd Floor, Lowell, MA 01852 Pursuant To Governor Baker's Emergency Order Modifying The State's Open Meeting Law Issued March 12, 2020, Meetings Will Be Held Using Remote Participation As Follows: Members Of The Public May Not Participate In-Person And May View The Meeting Via LTC.ORG (On-Line; Live Streaming Or Local Cable Channel 99) And Zoom. 1. SALUTE TO FLAG 2. ROLL CALL On a roll call at 6:37 p.m., members present were, namely: Mayor Leahy, Ms. Martin, Ms. Clark, Mr. Descoteaux and Ms. Doherty. Mr. Dillon was absent. One seat is temporarily vacant due to a resignation. 3. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS 3.1. Communication Remote Participation: Members of the public may view the meeting via LTC and those wishing to speak regarding a specific agenda item shall register to speak in advance of the meeting by sending email to the Superintendent indicating the agenda item, a phone number and email address so we can provide a zoom link to access the meeting. Email address is mpalazzo@Lowell.k12.ma.us if no access to email you may contact us at 978-674-4324. All Requests must be submitted before 3:00 PM on The Day of Meeting. 4. MINUTES 4.1. Approval of the Minutes of the Regularly Scheduled School Committee Meeting of Wednesday, March 17, 2021 Ms. Clark made a motion to accept and place on file the minutes from the Regularly Scheduled School Committee Meeting of Wednesday, March 17, 2021; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED 5. PERMISSION TO ENTER 5.1. Permission to Enter: April 07, 2021 Ms. Martin made a motion to approve the Permission to Enter; seconded by Ms. Clark. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 2 of 6) 6. MOTIONS 6.1. [By Mayor John Leahy]: Request the Superintendent work with School Principals to make sure that the grounds keeping schedules are followed in a timely manner in order to maintain the cleanliness in all schools. Mayor Leahy made a motion to approve; seconded by Ms. Clark. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED 7. SUBCOMMITTEES 7.1. Curriculum & Instruction Subcommittee Meeting: Report and Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of Wednesday, March 10, 2021 [Connie Martin, Chairperson] Chairperson Martin spoke to the Committee about the Special Education update that was provided at the Subcommittee. The topics discussed were:  Compliance Data  Update on Open Positions,  Enrollment – Remote and In-Person Learning  Family Engagement & Outreach She stated that Mr. Lovato stated that the district is making great progress in the Special Education Department, and he is incredibly proud of the work his staff has been doing. She stated that Mr. Lovato and Ms. Desmond are confident that all evaluations will be completed on a timely basis. Ms. Doherty requested information around contractual work. Ms. Doherty made a motion to have the administration provide a report to the full Committee providing five (5) years of data showing a comparison of resignations in the Special Education Department from 2016 to the current year; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED Ms. Martin made a motion to accept the report as a report of progress; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED 7.2. Equity & Access Subcommittee: Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of Wednesday, March 10, 2021 [Jackie Doherty, Chairperson] Ms. Doherty, Chairperson of the Equity & Access Subcommittee reported out on the Equity & Access Subcommittee at the March 17, 2021 School Committee meeting. Ms. Doherty made a motion to accept the report as a report of progress; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 3 of 6) 7.3. Facilities & Transportation Subcommittee: Report of the Minutes of the Meeting of Thursday, March 11, 2021 [Jackie Doherty, Chairperson] Ms. Doherty, Chairperson of the Facilities Subcommittee reported out on the Facilities Subcommittee at the March 17, 2021 School Committee meeting. Ms. Doherty made a motion to accept the report as a report of progress; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED 8. REPORTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT 8.1. COVID-19 Update Dr. Hall, Chief Operating Officer gave the Committee a COVID-19 Data monitoring update that included the Average Daily Incidence Rate per 100,000 and Percent Positivity Rate. It also reported the number of total staff and students as reported to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) of positive COVID cases, total number of quarantined due to in-person instruction, total number of quarantined due to outside school factors, the approximate number of quarantined from August 12, 2020 through April 1, 2021, as well as COVID-19 positive cases per school from September 1, 2020 through April 1, 2021. He stated that the district is utilizing pool testing and that the results are delivered within 24-48 hours. The report provided pool testing participant numbers by school on and report provided information on the next steps if the district receives positive pool results as well as pool testing plans moving forward. Lowell Public Schools also have a Covid-19 dashboard that provides data, protocols and guidelines, where to go to get tested, what to do if you test positive or if you have come in contact with someone who is positive, and information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. The report also included information about consent forms for pool testing. Ms. Doherty requested a report with an update regarding the re-opening of schools as well as an update on transportation. Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 8.1 and 8.2 as reports of progress; seconded by Ms. Clark. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED 8.2. Budget Update Ms. Turner, Chief Financial Officer provided an update to the Committee on the budget. The update included the following:  External Budget Timeline  Internal Budget Timeline  Summary of FY22 Revenue Sources  State Aid (impacted by Student Opportunity Act) Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 4 of 6)  Grants (ESSA & ESSER)  School Based Budget Process  Next Steps Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 8.1 and 8.2 as reports of progress; seconded by Ms. Clark. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED 8.3. Home Education Superintendent Boyd recommended that the following parents/guardians be allowed to home educate their child: Kelsey Stevens Ms. Martin made a motion to approve; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED 9. NEW BUSINESS 9.1. Second Reading and Approval of Final Version of 2021-22 School Assignment Policy File JCA This policy includes changes recommended at the Special Meeting of the School Committee that was held on March 31, 2021. The recommended changes are as follows:  Changing the final lottery timeline to Friday, August 6, instead of “mid-August”  Adding a “proximity” weight within the lottery for non-citywide school lotteries  Adding clarifying language that the minority/non-minority balance is a requirement of the Voluntary Consent Degree.  Adding language to indicate that the high school “houses” should strive to maintain the minority/non-minority balance requirement set forth by the Voluntary Consent Decree. Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to approve the 2021-2022 School Assignment Policy File JCA; seconded by Ms. Clark. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED 9.2. Permission to Post: Parent Child Plus Program Home Visitor (Part-Time) Terms of Employment: Part-Time/180 days/less than 20 hours a week Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to approve the Permission to Post: Parent Child Plus Program Home Visitor (Part-Time); seconded by Ms. Clark. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED 9.3. Permission to Post: Parent Child Plus Program Home Visitor (Full-Time) Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to approve the Permission: Parent Child Plus Program Home Visitor (Full-Time); seconded by Ms. Doherty. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 5 of 6) 9.4. Approval of a Research Proposal Michael Rossetti, Assistant Principal at the Henry J. Robinson Middle School, is enrolled in a doctoral program at Northeastern University. A requirement of the program is to complete a dissertation research study. Mr. Rossetti’s objective of his research is to generate knowledge about how the relationship between principals and instructional coaches impacts teachers at two middle schools. The proposed qualitative study will provide thick, rich descriptions of the principals and coaches’ perspectives on their relationships. The perceptions and attitudes of teacher participants’ about coaching practices in their schools will be captured through interviews and surveys. The goal of this research is expected to inform coaching programs in public middle schools and to understand the link between well-defined relationships between principals and coaches on teachers’ self-efficacy. Mr. Rossetti proposes to have three participant groups. Ms. Martin made a motion to approve the Research Proposal; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED 9.5. Vote to Accept Donation from the Karen Tyros Go Fund Me Page The Business Office was recently notified that the Dr. Janice Adie Day School received a $2,785.63 donation through Go Fund Me to create and build a functional play area for the students. Any changes to the property have been approved by The Daly Group. Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to accept and approve the donation from the Karen Tyros Go Fund Me Page; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED 10. PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL 10.1. The Members of the Lowell School Administrator Association (LSAA) Hereby Request to Donate Nineteen [19] Sick Days to Martina Schueler, School Psychologist. Ms. Clark made a motion approve; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED 10.2. The Members of the United Teachers of Lowell Hereby Donate Twenty Three [23] Sick Leave Days to Dorothy Miller Bartlett School Teacher Ms. Martin made a motion approve; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 6 of 6) 11. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Doherty made a motion to adjourn at 7:49 p.m.; seconded by Ms. Clark. 5 yeas, 1 absent (Mr. Dillon), 1 vacancy 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