School Committee Agenda #14 – May 17, 2018

ORDER OF BUSINESS

ACTION

To consider approval of the Minutes of the School Committee Meeting of Thursday, April 26, 2018.

To consider approval of the Minutes of the School Committee Meeting of Thursday, May 3, 2018.

gb #8-126.1  – Administration/Mr. Monfredo/Mr. O’Connell/Miss Biancheria/Mr. Comparetto/Miss McCullough/Mayor Petty
(May 8, 2018)

To recognize:

• The Worcester Railers Ice Hockey Team for the “Skate to Success” program that impacted more than 2,000 fourth grade students.         (Mr. Monfredo)
• Burncoat High School’s Quadrivium and David Twiss Director, for placing first in the a cappella competition, sponsored by the Worcester Educational Collaborative, at its third annual event.                   (Mr. Monfredo)
• the volunteers of Working for Worcester Program, sponsored by the College of the Holy Cross, for their tremendous work on various projects that benefit the children of the Worcester Public Schools.         (Mr. O’Connell)
• the four recipients of Dell Scholarships of $20,000.00 each in addition to mentors during their college years.              (Mr. O’Connell)

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

ROS #8-7  –  Administration
(May 8, 2018)

AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS FOR THE DISTRICT’S SITE VISITS

The Standing Committee on Teaching, Learning and Student Supports met at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 14, at the Durkin Administration Building in Room 410.

8-28

The Superintendent has APPOINTED the persons named below to the position of Aide to the Physically Handicapped, permanent/fulltime at a salary of $16.38 (minimum) to $20.18 (maximum) per hour, from Civil Service List #318-005, effective as follows:

Jacquez, Greisy      04/30/2018

Salas, Angela        05/03/2018

gb #7-355.1  –   Administration/Mr. O’Connell
(April 3, 2018)

Response of the Administration to a request to seek grant opportunities for free driver’s education courses, in conjunction with input from the petitioner Lorenzo Hernandez.

Response of the Administration to the request to provide a report on the students’ participation with Earth Day activities including projects completed at school sites with support from the community.

Request that the Administration provide a progress report regarding additional vocational/technical opportunities for students not admitted to Worcester Technical High School.

To appropriate funds received from the State’s grant to the Worcester Public Schools “to assist districts serving students from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands who were displaced by last Fall’s hurricanes.”

To review the recommendations of the proposed Strategic Plan and assign them to appropriate Standing Committees of the School Committee, and/or to the Administration, for further analysis, consideration, discussion, and development.

To establish an English Learner Parent Advisory Council, in compliance with Section 56 of Chapter 138 of the Acts of 2017 (“An Act Relative to Language Opportunity for our Kids”).

To consider approval of a prior fiscal year payment in the amount of $1,496.50 for services rendered to a Special Education student who was placed in the Uxbridge Public Schools.

To forward letters of recognition to:

• South High Community School’s Johnetta Smith, Band Director and Angela Poirier, Choral Director and their talented students for an outstanding Spring Concert.                                  (Mr. Monfredo)
• the 2018 Outstanding Seniors in the Arts selected by their secondary schools and to Lisa Leach, Performing Arts Liaison and Timmary Leary, Visual Arts Liaison for coordinating the 61st Art Festival event:

• the MetroGnomes Musical Group from Worcester Arts Magnet School and Chrysanthe Manuel, music teacher and Cathy Taylor dance teacher for placing 2nd in the Easter Show Choir Competition which was held in Waltham, Ma.                                                 (Mr. Monfredo)
• to the Board of Directors at the Worcester Public Library for their participation in the Worcester Pubic Schools Art Exhibit and for the use of their facility to display the outstanding art work by students in the Worcester Public Schools.                               (Miss Biancheria)

To consider approval of the following donations:-   $4,000.00 from the WEDF for the Leap Program in collaboration with the Worcester Art Museum-   $250.00 from donors to Heard Street Discovery Academy for the purchase of a new classroom rug-   $1,000.00 from donors to a Doherty Memorial High School football player in memory of Thomas Walles-   $1,000.00 from Alliance Energy LLC to Grafton Street School-   $1,000.00 from a Foundation to the Goddard Scholars Academy for the purchase of a tuba for the their Band

–   to Woodland Academy:

–   $122.31 from CEC Entertainment Inc.
–   $250.00 from the College of the Holy Cross
–   $2,583.87 from the City of Worcester for being selected as a recipient of a Worcester Arts Council 2018 Award for their project “Making the Impossible Possible”

–   to Tatnuck Magnet School:

–   $4.50 from Box Tops for Education
–   $85.00 from various donors
–   $300.00 from I.U.O.E Local No. 4 Social Action Committee
–   $500.00 from Country Bank

To accept the High-Quality Instructional Grant in the amount of $20,000.

To accept a donation in the amount of $500,000 from Berkshire Bank (successor to Commerce Bank and Trust Company) to extend the 2007 Donation Agreement to December 31, 2028 and to make certain improvements to Commerce Bank Field at Foley Stadium.

Request that the Administration inform the schools about “Reading in our City Week,” which will take place from June 10 through June 16 and read a Mayor’s Proclamation at the School Committee Meeting on June 7, 2018 to commemorate the event.

Request that the Administration study the feasibility of developing partnerships with Recreation Worcester and other municipal or non-municipal organizations in order to create more team sports in Worcester’s middle schools.

To consider a review of a report entitled Extracurricular Participation and Course Performance in the Middle Grades: A Study of Low‐Income, Urban Youth by Kate Schwartz.

Request that the Administration provide a report regarding the process of bringing together various private and public groups to develop middle school athletic programing as highlighted in the Worcester Magazine’s article entitled The Case For Middle School Sports:Can City Hoops Spark a Rebound?

Request that the Administration provide a report on the JROTC programs and include ways to actively promote interest at the middle school level for high school participation in this program.

To discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the governmental body, to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel, to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with nonunion personnel.

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