School Committee Agenda #22 – October 16, 2014

ORDER OF BUSINESS

ACTION

aor #4-19 – Clerk
(October 8, 2014)

To consider approval of the Minutes of the School Committee Meeting of Thursday, October 2, 2014.

gb #4-260.1 – Administration/Mr. O’Connell/Mr. Foley/Mr. Monfredo/Miss Ramirez/Ms. Novick/Miss Biancheria/Mayor Petty
(October 6, 2014)

To recognize the Greater Worcester Community Foundation which, through its gift from the Bradley C. Higgins Fund to the Discovery Museums, will provide Traveling Science Workshops and field trips to the students of Roosevelt, Rice Square, Jacob Hiatt Magnet, and Quinsigamond schools.

To congratulate Worcester Arts Magnet School on its selection as a 2014 Gateway Cities Award Winner for “advancing educational excellence … by working collaboratively to build new learning models that take advantage of unique Gateway City educational opportunities.”

To consider input from the School Committee’s student representatives.

ros #4-12 – Administration
(October 8, 2014)

DISTRICT LITERACY PLAN

4-35

The Superintendent has APPROVED the RETIREMENT of the persons named below:

Murphy, James, Teacher, Physical Education, Doherty, effective October 3, 2014
Sullivan, Michaela, Teacher, Special Education, West Tatnuck, effective September 26, 2014

Krajewski, Cheryl, Teacher, Special Education, Worcester East Middle, effective September 26, 2014

McDonald, Nicole, Teacher, Elementary, Chandler Magnet, MA, Step 3, $55,316 effective September 29, 2014. Licensed: Early Childhood Prek-2.
Murphy, Stephanie, ABA Coordinator, Special Education, MA+15, Step 8, $71,445 effective September 24, 2014. Licensed: N/A
Salinas, Ana, Teacher, Special Education, Systemwide, MA, Step 4, $57,707 effective September 25, 2014. Licensed: Speech, Language, Hearing Disorders-all levels.
Strang, Roger, Teacher, Elementary, Chandler Magnet, MA, Step 1, $49,483 effective October 2, 2014. Licensed: Elementary 1-6.

gb #3-130.3 – Administration/Mr. Monfredo
(October 8, 2014)

Response of the Administration to the request to provide a report to include the attendance rate for students, test scores and highlights of the program.

Response of the Administration to the request to provide an update prior to the first meeting in October on the elementary Summer School data to include:

-test results
-attendance and
-number of students who participated.

To accept donations from Greater Worcester Community Foundation made payable to Worcester Technical High School in the amount of $7,223.00.

To consider the resolutions before the MASC Delegates Assembly in order to advise the Worcester School Committee delegate.

To forward a letter of recognition to Gavin McNeal, of Burncoat High School, on his selection as a Commended Student in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program.

To share with parents and guardians the material regarding backpack safety which has been prepared by the American Occupational Therapy Association in honor of National School Backpack Awareness Day.

To review the Special Progress Report which Doherty Memorial High School has submitted to the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, as referenced in the February 21, 2014 “Friday Letter” of the Superintendent.

To set a date to recognize, with gratitude and appreciation, the work of the employees of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care at Tatnuck Magnet School who:

• painted the teacher’s room
• designed and painted murals and inspirational quotes on the walls of the primary grade section of the building
• sponsored a Veggie Mobile Market at the school site and
• provided tables and chairs at the school

To publicize the “Support Mass Public Schools” license plate and the funds which the Worcester Public Schools can derive from it.

To provide explanatory and instructional materials to students and to parents as to the process for opting out of PARCC testing for 2014-15.

To consider approval of a prior fiscal year payment for a nurse in the amount of $19,083.45.

To accept a donation in the amount of $20.00, in memory of Paul Piuze, made payable to the Special Education Department.

To consider whether the students of the Worcester Public Schools should be encouraged or required to demonstrate an appropriate mastery of basic civics prior to their graduation, and, in this regard, to consider administering the civics portion of the United States Naturalization Test to seniors, or to a representative sample of seniors, on a pilot basis.

To discuss strategy with respect to litigation of a worker’s compensation case for an Instructional Assistant, if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the School Committee and the chair so declares.

To discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining for Nurses, if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the collective bargaining position of the School Committee and the chair so declares.

Helen A. Friel, Ed.D.
Clerk of the School Committee