School Committee

AGENDA #2​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Page 1 ​ ​ ​ CLERK OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE WORCESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS 20 IRVING STREET WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS 01609 The School Committee will hold an in-person meeting with a virtual option*: on:​ Thursday, January 8, 2026 At:​ 5:30 p.m. Open Session ​ Esther Howland Chamber, Worcester City Hall or virtually with link below https://worcesterschools.zoom.us/j/82746440670?pwd=dmp4TnIxYThBd nhkZWQ1bm1hMjFFZz09 Also accessible by telephone, to dial in call: +1 301-715-8592 or +1 305-224-1968; Webinar ID: 827 4644 0670 *This meeting/hearing of the Worcester School Committee will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and /or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting/hearing will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. ORDER OF BUSINESS A.​ General Business Items taken in Executive Session B.​ Call to Order C.​ Pledge of Allegiance/National Anthem: The anthem will be performed by Rita Diaz (grade 11) and Dahlia Diaz (grade 12), from Doherty Memorial High School. D.​ Roll Call​ M. ​ Student Advisory Committee Items ​ E.​ Consent Agenda i. ​ Approval of Minutes ​ Approval of Minutes of the December 18, 2025 School Committee Meeting ​ Approval of Minutes of the January 2, 2026 School Committee Meeting ​ ii. ​ Approval of Donations To consider approval of a donation from Gentles' Counseling Services LLC in the amount of $200 to benefit Worcester Dual Language Magnet School. To consider approval of a $500 donation from Ballard Mack Sales & Service Inc for the benefit of the South High Diesel Technology program. To consider approval of a donation of 403 coats from the Worcester Educational Development Foundation (WEDF) for Coats for Kids. To consider approval of a donation of pantry items including breakfast bars,  AGENDA #2​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Page 2 cereal, canned goods, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, pasta, tuna, rice, beans, various snack items from Holy Cross Athletics to support the Worcester East Middle School food pantry. To consider approval of a donation from Worcester State University Visual and Performing Arts of two tympanis to benefit the band program at Worcester East Middle School. To consider approval of a donation from Lisa Delgado of 16 coats to benefit Coats for Kids. To consider approval of a donation from Freedom Logistics of 25 coats to benefit Coats for Kids. To consider approval of a donation from Linda Hollis of 100 coats to benefit Coats for Kids. P To consider approval of a donation from Teamsters of 150 coats to benefit Coats for Kids. iii. ​ Notification of Personnel Records a.​ New Hire Non-Instructional Staff b.​ Resignations/Retirements ​ iv. ​ Initial filing of Recognition (Mailman) (January 8, 2025) To recognize the work of our parent library volunteers across the district. v. ​ Notices of Interest to the District or to the Public F.​ Item for Reconsideration G.​ Held Items ​ H.​ Recognitions ​ (McCullough) ​ ​​ (October 23, 2025) To recognize Robin Dion, a teacher at Burncoat High School, who saw a student in distress and immediately jumped into action, performed the Heimlich maneuver on the student, and successfully dislodged the item. (Johnson) (December 4, 2025) To recognize the 2025 Central Mass Regional Champions 10u Worcester Vikings team for advancing to the National Championships in Naples, Florida. ​ I. Public Comment-Any member of the public may address the Committee regarding  AGENDA #2​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Page 3 any item before them for two (2) minutes. Those speaking will state their name, their residence, and the item on which they wish to speak for the record. Those speaking may do so in person or via remote participation. Those wishing to address the Committee in a language other than English are asked to notify the Clerk of the Committee in advance, so the Committee may be provided with an interpreter. Members of the Committee may not respond to the comments of the public at the meeting. Click to view Policy BEDH-Public Comment J. ​ Public Petition K.​ Report of the Superintendent ​ ros 6-1 (Administration) Vision to Action…Superintendent Mid-Cycle Review ​ Recommendation: Approve and file L.​ Reports of the Standing Committees N.​ Approval of Grants and other Finance Items ​ To consider approval of the Fair Share Earmarks Grant in the amount of $245,000 to provide additional funding for capital expenditures. ​ To consider approval of the MassGrad Promising Practices Grant in the amount of $34,000. ​ To consider approval of the Work-based Learning Implementation grant in the amount of $14,985. ​ O.​ General Business ​ gb 5-94 (Motion from Member Alvarez) ​​ (November 17, 2025) Response from Administration on gb 5-94 To receive a report on what events/actions are deemed either bullying, harassment, and conflict, and on what WPS is doing with regard to parent education on bullying. Recommendation: Approve and file ​ Items gb 5-110 and gb 5-117 will be taken collectively ​ Response from Administration for gb 5-110 & gb 5-117 ​ gb 5-110 (Guardiola) ​ ​ (October 9, 2025) ​ Request that the Administration provide the School Committee with a detailed report on the district’s plan to address student achievement in light of the newly released MCAS results. gb 5-117 (Johnson) ​ (November 20, 2025) Request administration provide a report on school accountability report. Within report please report on four year cohort graduation rate, extended engagement rate, chronic absenteeism, and advance coursework completion. And report on the plan to  AGENDA #2​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Page 4 address the concerns regarding the accountability report. ​ Recommendation: Approve and File gb 6-3 (Administration) ​ ​​ (January 8, 2026) ​ Response from Administration gb 6-3 ​ To approve a lease agreement for 30 Chatham Street for additional parking spaces to serve employees and visitors of the Fanning Building. ​ Recommendation: Approve and File ​ gb 6-4 (Administration) ​ ​​ (January 8, 2026) ​ Response from Administration gb 6-4 ​ To authorize the Administration to purchase the National Geographic's Cengage Curriculum for the Multilingual Education Department, at a cost not to exceed $1,500,000. ​ Recommendation: Approve and File ​ ​ gb 6-5 (Administration) ​ ​​ (January 8, 2026) ​ Response from Administration gb 6-5 ​ City Council backup To approve the recommendation that provides the district with additional City one-time funding to be used during the current fiscal year that holds the district harmless from the state’s reductions, as well as providing an additional amount of $1.8 million. ​ Recommendation: Approve and File P. Announcements Meeting Dates: -​ January 22, 2026, 5:00 p.m., Esther Howland Chamber, Worcester City Hall, 455 Main Street. Q.​ Adjournment Kristi Turgeon, Clerk of the School Committee