School Committee

LOWELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Date: December 15, 2021 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 6:37 p.m., members present were, namely: Mr. Dillon, Ms. Doherty, Mr. Lay, Mayor Leahy, Ms. Martin, Ms. Clark and Mr. Descoteaux. 3. MINUTES 3.1. Approval of the Minutes of the Lowell School Committee of Wednesday, December 1, 2021 Mr. Dillon made a motion to accept and place on file the minutes from the Regularly Scheduled School Committee Meeting of Wednesday, December 1, 2021; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED Ms. Doherty asked the Superintendent about the 2020-2021 End of Year Financial Report. She stated that this report was due on October 1st and asked if the report was submitted by the December 15th extended deadline. Superintendent Boyd responded that they needed the Mayor’s signature and the information had been confirmed with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). 4. PERMISSION TO ENTER 4.1. Permission to Enter: December 15, 2021 Ms. Martin made a motion to approve all contracts on the Permission to Enter except for Leslie King, LLC; seconded by Mr. Lay. 7 yeas APPROVED Mr. Descoteaux made a motion to approve the contract for Leslie King, LLC in the amount of $21,567.00; seconded by Ms. Clark. 6 yeas, 1 nay (Mr. Dillon) APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 2 of 6) 4.2. Approval of Updated Language to the Previously Approved Contract Amendment for Chief Operating Officer James Hall Ms. Doherty stated that she had concerns with this because the Chief Operating Officer’s contract hasn’t expired and because the City Solicitor hasn’t review it yet. Mr. Dillon stated that he believes we need a third party analysis of this contract and believes Dr. Hall should be paid back pay and this contract should be approved. Superintendent Boyd stated that he spoke with Attorney Long from Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents and that Attorney Long believes the contract as written is legally sound. Ms. Martin stated that she supports this contract and that by approving it tonight it will and can be reviewed and hopefully signed by the City Solicitor. She stated that if the Solicitor still has concerns the contract can be brought back to the body. Ms. Clark made a motion to approve the updated language to the contract amendment for Chief Operating Officer James Hall; seconded by Mr. Dillon. 7 yeas (Ms. Doherty’s original vote was nay and after the roll call requested it be changed to yea) APPROVED 4.3. Consideration and Vote of Amendment to the SEIU Collective Bargaining Agreement Mr. Dillon made a motion to approve the amendment to the SEIU Collective Bargaining Agreement; seconded by Ms. Clark. 7 yeas APPROVED 5. MEMORIALS 5.1. Marcia Ann Desilets, a Retired Lowell Public School Secretary. 5.2. Johanna (Jody) O'Hearn, a Retired Lowell High School Library Media Specialist 6. MOTIONS 6.1. [By Hilary Clark]: Ask superintendent to get clarification from the city as to which governing body, if any, under the city charter has the authority to decide if appeal related to Dominik Lay’s residency (Docket 2021-P-0436 Dominik Lay vs. City of Lowell and Another) continues and is there a process for stakeholder input. Ms. Clark made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 5 yeas, 1 nay (Ms. Doherty), 1 present (Mr. Lay) APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 3 of 6) 7. REPORTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT 7.1. COVID-19 Update Dr. Hall, Chief Operating Officer provided the Committee with a report that gave them a COVID-19 Data monitoring update that included Lowell Public Schools COVID positive cases, Pool Testing Participation and Testing Services (symptomatic testing, “test and stay” and routine COVID Pooled testing). Dr. Hall stated that DESE informed the Finance Office that the district could apply to use monies from the Food Service revolving account to purchase and install water dispensers to fill water bottles in our food service areas. Dr. Hall recommended that the district move forward with the use of the monies from the revolving account and for the purchase/installation not to exceed $600,000. Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve the recommendation and to submit an application to DESE that will not exceed $600,000 for the purchase and installation of water dispensers in all schools; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED Mr. Dillon made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 7.1 and 7.2 as reports of progress; seconded by Clark. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.2. Key Performance Indicators: Quarter 1 Review Mr. Skinner, Chief Schools Officer provided a PowerPoint presentation to the Committee regarding Key Performance Indicators: Quarter 1 Review. The report included the following:  KPI Matrix  Current Status of KPI Scoreboard  Next Steps The KPI Highlights Areas of Strength are as follows:  Academics and Student Achievement: o A higher percentage (81.5%) of Middle School students in grades 5 - 8 are earning a C or better in core classes as compared to 72% in Q1 last year.  Safe and Welcoming Environment: o ○68% of students are scoring in the “typical” rating category on the DESSA Assessment at a higher rate this year as compared to Q1 last year, by 7 percentage points.  Family and Community Engagement: o ○ More School Site Council participation this year as compared Q1 last year.  Areas for Improvement: o Chronic Absence rate is higher (27%) compared to 24% in Q1 last year. o A higher percentage of students scoring in Tier 3 on iReady in ELA (48%) and Math (47%) compared to 34% and 32% respectively on the Fall Benchmark last year. Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 4 of 6) Next steps are as follows: 1. Continue populating remaining data fields & KPI’s 2. Continue building out the data infrastructure that will allow District data to be readily accessible 3. Coordinate with District Offices to ensure their data is ready for the next upload Mr. Dillon made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 7.1 and 7.2 as reports of progress; seconded by Clark. 7 yeas APPROVED 7.3. Home Education Superintendent Boyd recommended that the following parents/guardians be allowed to home educate their child: Misty Rivera Cheyenne Anthony Sandra Ivette Correa Cartagena Sandyna Youen Mr. Dillon made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 8. NEW BUSINESS 8.1. Proposed MOA with UTL Regarding Proposed School Schedule Changes Dr. Hall, Chief Operating Officer provided the Committee a report that stated that currently the district has a substitute teacher shortage which will put school days at risk in the week prior to the upcoming winter vacation. He stated that he has been working with the UTL and a proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is being presented that recommends an early release on December 23, 2021. Mr. Dillon made a motion to approve the MOA with the UTL regarding the proposed School Schedule Change; seconded by Ms. Clark. 7 yeas APPROVED 8.2. Proposed MOA with UTL Regarding Coaches' Salaries Dr. Hall, Chief Operating Officer presented the Committee an MOA that makes adjustments to the salary schedules and it allows credit on the salary schedule when a Head Coach is promoted from an Assistant Coach in the Lowell Public Schools. Ms. Martin made a motion to approve the MOA with UTL Coaches’ Salaries; seconded by Mr. Lay. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 5 of 6) 8.3. Amendment to 2021-22 Student Handbooks Ms. Phillips, Chief Equity & Engagement Officer provided a report to the Committee that informed them that Lowell Public Schools is currently participating in a DESE coordinated review process that occurs every 3-5 years. As part of this review process, an amendment to the district's current 2021-22 elementary and secondary student handbooks has been recommended by the DESE review committee. The DESE review committee has recommended that the following sentences be added to the bottom of appendix H-3 of the elementary and middle school handbook and to the bottom of page 65 of the high school handbook as an additional step in strengthening communication with students/families around safeguards that are already in place in district practice: No later than the date of the decision to take disciplinary action, the school district notifies the parents of that decision and provides them with the written notice of procedural safeguards. Mr. Lay made a motion to approve the amendment to the 2021-2022 Student Handbooks; seconded by Mr. Dillon. 7 yeas APPROVED 9. PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL 9.1. LSAA-Donated Sick Days - The members of the Lowell School Administrator Association (LSAA) hereby request to donate sixty [60] sick days to Martina Schueler, school Psychologist. Mr. Lay made a motion to take and approve agenda items 9.1 through 9.3 together; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 9.2. The Members of the United Teachers of Lowell Hereby Donate Fifteen [15] Sick Leave Days to Deborah Muldoon, McAuliffe School Café Worker. Mr. Lay made a motion to take and approve agenda items 9.1 through 9.3 together; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 9.3. The Members of the he United Teachers of Lowell Hereby Donate Four [4] Sick Leave Days to Michael Capotto, Morey School Building Service Personnel. Mr. Lay made a motion to take and approve agenda items 9.1 through 9.3 together; seconded by Mr. Descoteaux. 7 yeas APPROVED 10. COMMUNICATIONS 10.1. Message of Appreciation from Lowell Public Schools to Outgoing Committee Members A short video was shown thanking Mayor Leahy, Ms. Clark and Mr. Dillon for their service. The outgoing Committee members thanked their colleagues and the citizens of Lowell for the opportunity to serve. Mr. Dillon made a motion to accept the report as a report of progress; seconded by Ms. Clark. 7 yeas APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 6 of 6) 11. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Clark made a motion to adjourn at 8:08 p.m.; seconded by Mr. Dillon. 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