School Committee

LOWELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Date: January 3, 2024 Time: 6:30PM Location: City Council Chamber, 375 Merrimack Street, 2nd Floor, Lowell, MA 01852 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 an 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 lbedoya@lowell.k12.ma.us. If no access to email you may contact us at 978-674-4324. All requests must be submitted before 2:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. 1. SALUTE TO FLAG 2. ROLL CALL On a roll call at 6:32 p.m., all members present were, namely: Mr. Conway, Ms. Delrossi, Ms. Doherty, Mayor Rourke and Mr. Bahou. Mr. Lay arrived at 6:34 p.m. and Ms. Martin was absent. 3. MINUTES 3.1. The Approval of the Minutes of the Regularly Scheduled Lowell School Committee Meeting of December 6, 2023 Mr. Bahou made a motion to accept and place on file the minutes of the Regularly Scheduled and Special School Committee Meetings that were held on December 6, 2023, December 11, 2023 and December 13, 2023; seconded by Mr. Conway. 5 yeas, 2 absent (Mr. Lay, Ms. Martin) APPROVED 3.2. The Approval of the Minutes of the Lowell School Committee Special Meeting of December 11, 2023 Mr. Bahou made a motion to accept and place on file the minutes of the Regularly Scheduled and Special School Committee Meetings that were held on December 6, 2023, December 11, 2023 and December 13, 2023; seconded by Mr. Conway. 5 yeas, 2 absent (Mr. Lay, Ms. Martin) APPROVED 3.3. The Approval of the Minutes of the Lowell School Committee Special Meeting of December 13, 2023 Mr. Bahou made a motion to accept and place on file the minutes of the Regularly Scheduled and Special School Committee Meetings that were held on December 6, 2023, December 11, 2023 and December 13, 2023; seconded by Mr. Conway. 5 yeas, 2 absent (Mr. Lay, Ms. Martin) APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 2 of 5) 4. PERMISSION TO ENTER 4.1. Permission to Enter: January 3, 2024 Ms. Delrossi made a motion to approve the Permission to Enter; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 5 yeas, 2 absent (Mr. Lay, Ms. Martin) APPROVED 5. MEMORIALS 5.1. Jeffrey Matthew King Jr., Brother of John Overton, LPS Central Office 5.2. Claudette Boisjoly, Retired Lowell High School Teacher 6. MOTIONS 6.1. [By Jackie Doherty]: Request the Superintendent provide the Committee with a report that includes current data on chronic absenteeism and credit recovery as well as an update on efforts to support student attendance and improve graduation rates. The report should include new actions/policies to address these issues and their impact, as well as identify barriers (either in practice or policy) that continue to adversely impact student engagement, attendance, and graduation rates. Ms. Delrossi requested that Special Education students be included in the report. Ms. Doherty stated that she would like to see what the impacts of the additional staff are and what else we can do as a district to improve this. Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve; seconded by Ms. Delrossi. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Martin) APPROVED Mr. Conway made a motion to suspend the rules to bring in a motion; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Martin) APPROVED Mr. Conway made a motion to request the Superintendent to direct the appropriate department for a report on the sign-in logs from each school with dates and results that were recorded from each pest control visit for the last five (5) years. Also, include the list of each pest control company along with the length of the contract and the total monies that have been paid for the last five (5) years; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Martin) APPROVED 7. REPORTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT 7.1. Personnel Report The Personnel Report officially informs the Committee of all retirements, resignations, promotions and new hires. Ms. Delrossi made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 7.1 and 7.2 as reports of progress; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Martin) APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 3 of 5) 7.2. Certification of Product and Services Received Ms. Turner, Chief Financial Officer provided a report to the Committee that included a packet of invoices which requires the City Council’s approval for payment. The report is comprised of forty-four (44) invoices that were unable to be paid. The report also included various reasons why the invoices weren’t paid. The total amount of the invoices is $289,986.35. Committee members all expressed concern and frustration with the overdue invoices and asked for further clarification. Mr. Conway made a motion to refer certification of product and services received to a Finance Subcommittee for further discussion; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Martin) APPROVED Ms. Delrossi made a motion to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 7.1 and 7.2 as reports of progress; seconded by Ms. Doherty. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Martin) APPROVED 7.3. Home Education Interim Superintendent Skinner recommended that the following parents/guardians be allowed to home educate their child: Leah Snelders Lahiliani Cepeda Mary Jane Flynn Mr. Bahou made a motion to approve; seconded by Mr. Lay. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Martin) APPROVED 8. NEW BUSINESS 8.1. Approval of New Job Descriptions Ms. Doherty stated that the Human Relations & Labor Relations Subcommittee meeting minutes weren’t posted on this agenda and that she had concerns about the first three (3) job descriptions listed. She also stated that she spoke Ms. Martin who stated that she would like to report out on the Human Relations & Labor Relations Subcommittee meeting minutes at the next meeting. Ms. Doherty made a motion to table the first three (3) job descriptions until the next School Committee meeting; seconded by Mr. Conway. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Martin) APPROVED Interim Superintendent Skinner requested authority to increase the salary range for the Director of Special Education from $135,000.00 to $145,000.00. He stated that if the School Committee wishes to address increasing the range to $155,000, it would more closely align the salary with more senior principals and attract more experienced candidates. Ms. Doherty made a motion to increase the salary for the Director of Special Education from $145,000 to $155,000; seconded by Mr. Conway. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Martin) APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 4 of 5) Dr. Hall, Chief Schools Officer then informed the Committee that the Director of Transportation recently submitted his retirement and that the position is currently posted. He stated that until a suitable replacement is found, he is requesting approval to contract with the current Director of Transportation on an hourly basis for up to 500 hours a year at a reasonable rate of compensation, within the already approved budget for transportation. Dr. Hall stated that the going rate for a contractor is $100 to $200 an hour. Committee members expressed their concerns around this due to the hourly rate. Ms. Doherty stated that Mr. Descoteaux has done great work and that her concerns are not about him, she just doesn’t want to start a precedent of people retiring and then being brought back. Mr. Lay made a motion to approve a temporary position for the Director of Transportation with the deadline being the calendar year; seconded by Mr. Bahou. 5 yeas, 1 nay (Mayor Rourke), 1 absent (Ms. Martin) APPROVED 8.2. Permission to Post Job Ms. Delrossi made a motion to approve the Permission to Post – Behavior Specialist Position; seconded by Mr. Lay. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Martin) APPROVED 8.3. Budget Transfer Mr. Conway made a motion to approve the budget transfer of $ 406,762.99.62; seconded by Mr. Lay. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Martin) APPROVED 8.4. Chronic Absences Supplemental Appropriation Interim Superintendent Skinner requested that the Committee vote to accept and expend a supplemental appropriation from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in the amount of $10,000 for a chronic absences supplemental appropriation to reduce chronic absenteeism in our schools. The school department will conduct outreach to students and families to reduce chronic absenteeism. Ms. Doherty made a motion to accept and expend the Chronic Absences Supplemental Appropriation in the amount of $10,000; seconded by Mr. Bahou. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Martin) APPROVED 9. CONVENTION/CONFERENCE REQUESTS 9.1. Overnight Request: LHS - MIAA New England Championship in Providence, RI Ms. Doherty made a motion to bundle and approve the Convention/Conference requests; seconded by Mr. Bahou. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Doherty) APPROVED 9.2. Overnight Request: LHS - MSSASA Conference in Hyannis, MA Ms. Doherty made a motion to bundle and approve the Convention/Conference requests; seconded by Mr. Bahou. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Doherty) APPROVED Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 5 of 5) 9.3. Overnight Request: LHS AFJROTC - Dayton, OH Ms. Doherty made a motion to bundle and approve the Convention/Conference requests; seconded by Mr. Bahou. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Doherty) APPROVED Ms. Doherty asked if anyone has reached out to Mr. Koocher, from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) regarding the Superintendent Search. Dr. Hall stated that he had reached out to him the next day and that he can be present at the next meeting. 10. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Delrossi made a motion to adjourn at 8:08 p.m.; seconded by Mr. Lay. 6 yeas, 1 absent (Ms. Martin) APPROVED Respectfully submitted, Liam Skinner, Interim Superintendent and Secretary to the Lowell School Committee LS/mes Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us