School Committee

LOWELL SCHOOL COMMITTEE , 2025 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Date: August 20, 2025 Time: 6:30PM Location: City Council Chamber, 375 Merrimack Street, 2nd Floor, Lowell, MA 01852 Members of the public can view the meeting via LTC. Those wishing to speak about a specific agenda item must register in advance by emailing the Superintendent. Please include the agenda item, as well as your phone number and email address so we can provide a Zoom link for access. The email address is skeo@lowell.k12.ma.us. If you do not have access to email, you may contact us at 978-674-4324. All requests must be submitted by 2:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. 1. SALUTE TO FLAG 2. ROLL CALL On a roll call at 6:35 p.m., members present were, namely: Mayor Rourke, Mr. Bahou, Mr. Conway, Ms. Doherty and Ms. Martin. Ms. Delrossi arrived at 6:37 p.m., and Mr. Lay arrived at 6:39 p.m. 3. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS 3.1. Introduction of New Principals: Introduction of newly appointed Principals: Brendan Casey, Greenhalge Elementary School, Andrea Gobbi, Wang Middle School, and Kevin Tracey, Lincoln Elementary School. Superintendent Skinner introduced the newly appointed principals, each of whom addressed the Committee with enthusiasm and appreciation. They expressed their excitement to begin their work in the district and thanked the Committee for the opportunity to serve in the Lowell Public Schools. 4. MINUTES 4.1. The Approval of the Minutes of the Regularly Scheduled Lowell School Committee Meeting of July 16, 2025 Ms. Doherty moved to accept and place on file the minutes of the Regularly Scheduled School Committee meeting that was held on July 16, 2025; the motion was seconded by Ms. Martin. The motion passed with 7 yeas. Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 2 of 7) 5. PERMISSION TO ENTER 5.1. Permission to Enter – August 20, 2025 Mr. Bahou moved to approve the Permission to Enter; the motion was seconded by Mr. Conway. The motion passed with 7 yeas. 6. MEMORIALS 6.1. Judith Azarowski, Retired Administrative Assistant Lowell High School. 6.2. Ronald P. Payne, Husband of Mary Payne, Retired District Support Specialist at Central Office. 7. MOTIONS 7.1. [By Eileen DelRossi]: Request the superintendent to provide the school and staff, parents, school websites/parent page, and the school committee members of the updates to each school this summer and how construction may affect the start of the school year as traffic patterns and etc. Dr. Hall provided the Committee with a verbal update, highlighting the ongoing progress across the district. He noted that bus passes have been distributed. Mayor Rourke added that all crosswalks will be repainted in time for the start of the school year. Mr. Conway inquired about the status of the playground at the Reilly School. Dr. Hall responded that he anticipates its completion within approximately a month. Ms. Delrossi moved to approve; the motion was seconded by Ms. Martin. The motion passed with 7 yeas. 7.2. [By Eileen DelRossi]: Request the superintendent to report on student schedules at Lowell High School before they start out for the school year. Ms. Crocker-Roberge noted that this year’s scheduling process is progressing ahead of schedule. Ms. Delrossi moved to approve; the motion was seconded by Ms. Doherty. The motion passed with 7 yeas. 7.3. [By Connie Martin]: Request the Administration provide the committee with an updated Organization Chart for the LPS Central Office Ms. Martin moved to approve; the motion was seconded by Ms. Doherty. The motion passed with 7 yeas. Ms. Ms. Martin moved to suspend the rules to take agenda item # 9.8 out of order; the motion was seconded by Ms. Doherty. The motion passed with 7 yeas. Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 3 of 7) 8. REPORTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT 8.1. Lowell Schools Fund Ms. Nunn, Director of Project LEARN, addressed the Committee to provide an overview of the Lowell Schools Fund — a Project LEARN initiative aimed at raising private funds to support high-impact programs across Lowell Public Schools. Through contributions from individuals, alumni, foundations, and corporate sponsors, the fund helps close gaps in public funding, allows for greater flexibility in meeting students’ evolving needs, and supports financial stability amid changing economic and political conditions. The fund will prioritize investments in key areas such as literacy and early learning, college and career readiness, STEM and arts enrichment, teacher innovation grants, and other critical needs that are increasingly underfunded by state and federal sources. Mr. Conway moved to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 8.1 through 8.7 as reports of progress; the motion was seconded by Mr. Lay. The motion passed with 7 yeas. 8.2. Strategic Goals 2025-2026 Superintendent Skinner presented the Committee with the district’s new strategic plan, Lowell 2030: Transforming Learning, Empowering Learners. The plan outlines a clear vision for the future of Lowell Public Schools, organized around four key priorities: ➢ Rigor and Relevance in Every Classroom ➢ Safe and Welcoming Schools ➢ Highly Skilled and Innovative Talent ➢ Supportive and Efficient Systems Each priority includes a series of targeted initiatives, scheduled to be implemented over a five-year timeline. The Strategic Goals for the 2025–2026 school year, as outlined in the attached document, are directly aligned with this plan. They also incorporate the Measures of Success that the district has committed to achieving as part of this strategic effort. Mr. Conway moved to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 8.1 through 8.7 as reports of progress; the motion was seconded by Mr. Lay. The motion passed with 7 yeas. 8.3. Response To Motion (By Eileen DelRossi, 6/11/25) Regarding Student Health at School with DPH Ms. Golden, Director of Mental Health, presented a report to the Committee outlining how the Lowell Health Department’s School Health and Public Health Divisions monitor various infectious diseases that are required to be reported to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Among these are Influenza and Novel Coronaviruses (such as SARS and MERS). School Nurses, Clinical Nurse Leaders, and the Nurse Coordinator utilize a school health management system called Frontline to maintain student medical records. Data from this system is analyzed and shared with the Health Department, which then posts the information on the City of Lowell’s website under the Board of Health section. These figures are also reported to the state. It was noted that health records are not maintained for staff members. Mr. Conway moved to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 8.1 through 8.7 as reports of progress; the motion was seconded by Mr. Lay. The motion passed with 7 yeas. Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 4 of 7) 8.4. Response to Motion (By Fred Bahou, 07/16/2025) Regarding Annual Attendance Update Ms. Crocker-Roberge, Assistant Superintendent for Schools & Leadership, provided an update on student attendance across the district. She explained that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) does not consider Average Daily Attendance (ADA) as an official accountability measure. Instead, ADA data is included only in the "Students" section of DESE’s reports and reflects an overall average for all students combined. To provide a more detailed view, the district uses Open Architects to track attendance trends, allowing for data to be broken down by grade span—specifically, non-high school (Grades 1–8) versus high school. DESE – Average Daily Attendance (All Students) ➢ 2022–23: 91.5% ➢ 2023–24: 92.2% ➢ 2024–25 (as of March 1, 2025): 92.4% Open Architects – Average Daily Attendance by Grade Span ➢ 2022–23 o Grades 1–8: 93.4% o High School: 88.0% ➢ 2023–24 o Grades 1–8: 94.3% o High School: 89.7% ➢ 2024–25 o Grades 1–8: 94.4% o High School: 89.3% Mr. Conway moved to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 8.1 through 8.7 as reports of progress; the motion was seconded by Mr. Lay. The motion passed with 7 yeas. 8.5. Response To Motion (By Jackie Doherty, 05/21/25) Regarding Maintenance of Effort from the City and Prior to Certification Dr. Pinto, Assistant Superintendent of Finance, provided a report on the Memorandum of Agreement (MOE) between the City and the Lowell Public Schools (LPS). A copy of the current MOE document was included in the Committee’s physical packet. He noted that the only official MOE with the City is included in hard copy. The full report can be accessed online. It was also shared that the MOE agreement historically used for report filing is dated 2007. However, a second version, dated 2011, has recently been identified (it was provided to the Committee). The LPS Finance team is currently working to verify which version is the accurate and governing agreement to guide the development of the 2024– 25 MOE report. Once the 2024–25 MOE report is received from the City, it will be provided to the Committee prior to certification. The City’s Chief Financial Officer has assured LPS Finance that the district will be given the opportunity to review and verify all MOE charges before the End-of-Year Report is finalized and submitted to DESE. This will ensure the Committee receives the report in advance of the Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 5 of 7) September 30th deadline. Additionally, the LPS and City Finance teams have initiated quarterly meetings to review MOE claims for the current 2025–26 school year, allowing for timely and accurate reconciliation of City chargebacks. Mr. Conway moved to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 8.1 through 8.7 as reports of progress; the motion was seconded by Mr. Lay. The motion passed with 7 yeas. 8.6. Lowell High School Construction Update An update on the status of the Lowell High School construction project was presented to the Committee, consistent with the information previously shared at the School Building Committee meeting. Mr. Conway moved to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 8.1 through 8.7 as reports of progress; the motion was seconded by Mr. Lay. The motion passed with 7 yeas. 8.7. Personnel Report - August 2025 The Personnel Report officially informs the Committee of all retirements, resignations, promotions and new hires. Mr. Conway moved to accept the following Reports of the Superintendent 8.1 through 8.7 as reports of progress; the motion was seconded by Mr. Lay. The motion passed with 7 yeas. 8.8. Home Education Superintendent Skinner recommended that the following parents/guardians be allowed to home educate their child: Thais Dias Oliveira Madeline Martinez Diana Noteboom Amanda Caffelle Jasmine Perez Sally Brazeau Ms. Doherty made a motion to approve; seconded by Ms. Delrossi. The motion passed with 7 yeas. APPROVED 9. NEW BUSINESS 9.1. Approval to Accept and Expend Allocated FY26 Awards The grants funds provided in the report have been secured by the Lowell Public Schools from Early Education & Care (EEC), Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Cummings Foundation. Ms. Martin moved to approve, accept and expend the allocated FY25 awards; the motion was seconded by Ms. Doherty. The motion passed with 7 yeas. Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 6 of 7) 9.2. Budget Modification Request Ms. Delrossi moved to approve the budget modification in the amount of $198,332; the motion was seconded by Mr. Bahou. The motion passed with 7 yeas. 9.3. Approval for Building Services MOA on Dr. Janice Day School SY26 This was withdrawn. 9.4. Approval of Job Description - HR Manager & Permission to Post Ms. Doherty moved to approve and post the HR Manager position; the motion was seconded by Ms. Martin. The motion failed with 1 yeas, 6 nays (Mayor Rourke, Mr. Bahou, Mr. Conway, Ms. Delrossi, Mr. Lay, Ms. Martin). 9.5. Request Wage Increase for Special Education Nurses Currently, Special Education nurses in Lowell Public Schools earn between $58,431 and $65,931, while their counterparts employed by the City of Lowell earn between $78,624 and $119,642—depending on education and years of experience—for the same work hours and contract year. Aligning the pay scale of Special Education nurses with that of City of Lowell registered nurses would not only create equity but also position Lowell Public Schools to better meet the increasing medical needs of students with disabilities. This investment would enhance safety, ensure continuity of care, and improve overall quality of services for our most vulnerable students. The estimated cost to bring Special Education nurses’ salaries to parity is approximately $120,000 to $150,000—significantly less than the projected contracted service costs, which are expected to exceed last year’s total of $750,000. By adjusting salaries accordingly, Lowell Public Schools can reduce long-term expenses while strengthening in-house care for students. Ms. Doherty moved to approve the Wage Increase for Special Education Nurses; the motion was seconded by Mr. Conway. The motion passed with 7 yeas. 9.6. Request Approval of Modifications to Food Service Staff Mr. Conway moved to approve Modifications to the Food Service Staff; the motion was seconded by Ms. Delrossi. The motion passed with 7 yeas 9.7. Request Approval of Furniture Disposal Request for the disposal of the following outdated and no longer needed items: ➢ 40 two-person desks ➢ 250 one-person student desks ➢ 350 student chairs Lowell Public Schools • 155 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • http://www.lowell.k12.ma.us  (Page 7 of 7) These items are approximately 30 years old and have significantly exceeded their useful life. They have recently been replaced with new, modern desks and chairs to better support student learning and Ms. Martin moved to approve the Furniture Disposal; the motion was seconded by Ms. Doherty. The motion passed with 7 yeas 9.8. Research Proposals Mr. Conway moved to approve the Research Proposals; the motion was seconded by Mr. Bahou. The motion passed with 7 yeas 9.9. 2025-2026 School Committee Meeting Dates Ms. Delrossi moved to approve the 2025-2026 School Committee Meeting Dates; the motion was seconded by Mr. Bahou. The motion passed with 7 yeas 10. CONVENTION/CONFERENCE REQUESTS 10.1. Out of State Request - LHS to Manhattan College Cross Country Ms. Doherty moved to approve the convention/conference request; the motion was seconded by Mr. Conway. The motion passed with 7 yeas. 10.2. Overnight Request - Lowell High School to Fort Devens, MA Ms. Doherty moved to approve the convention/conference request; the motion was seconded by Mr. Conway. The motion passed with 7 yeas. 11. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Delrossi moved to adjourn at 8:05 p.m.; the motion was seconded by Ms. Doherty. The motion passed with 7 yeas. Respectfully submitted, Liam Skinner, 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