School Committee Agenda #26 – October 20, 2016

ORDER OF BUSINESS

ACTION

aor #6-22 –   Clerk
(October 12, 2016)

To consider approval of the Minutes of the School Committee Meeting of Friday, September 30, 2016.

To consider approval of the Minutes of the School Committee Meeting of Thursday, October 6, 2016.

gb #6-346.1  –   Administration/Administration
(October 11, 2016)

To celebrate National Principals Month by inviting them to the School Committee Meeting on October 20, 2016.

ros #6-8.1  –   Administration/Administration
(October 11, 2016)

UPDATE ON THE 2016 RESULTS FROM STATE TESTING AND DESE ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES

The Standing Committee on Teaching, Learning and Student Supports met at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, October 17, 2016 in Room 410 at the Dr. John E. Durkin Administration Building.

6-37

The Superintendent has APPROVED the RETIREMENT of the following person named below:

Andersen, Mary Patricia, Coach, Elementary, effective October 2, 2016.

Pickett, Michael, Teacher, Social Studies, effective August 5, 2016.

Wood, Michael, Teacher, Mathematics, effective October 7, 2016.

Coffin, Erin, Teacher, Elementary, Woodland, MA, Step 8, $72,283 effective October 3, 2016. Licensed: Early Childhood with and without Disabilities Prek-2.

Doyle, Craig, Teacher, Mathematics, Burncoat Middle, BA, Step 2, $47,522 effective October 5, 2016. Licensed: Mathematics 5-8.

Fluet, Courtney, Teacher, Gates Lane, BA, Step 1, $45,064 effective September 19, 2016. Licensed: Elementary 1-6.

O’Leary, Krystal, Teacher, Vocational, Worcester Technical, VL4, Step 5, $63,227 effective October 3, 2016. Waiver: Health Assisting 9-14.

Parretti, Julie, Teacher, Mathematics, Sullivan Middle, BA, Step 1, $45,064 effective October 6, 2016. Licensed:  Mathematics 5-8.

Pingitore, Dominic, Teacher, Elementary, Goddard, BA, Step 1, $45,064 effective September 28, 2016. Licensed: Elementary 1-6.

Pumphrey, Robert, Teacher, History, Nelson Place, MA, Step 8, $72,283 effective September 28, 2016. Licensed: History 5-8.

Berrios, Bobbie Jo                9/19/16
Gerardi, Jacqueline               9/19/16
Betancourt, Helmer              9/19/16
Wright, Monica                     9/19/16
Mosquea, Bryan                   9/19/16
Amankwah, Helen                 9/19/16
Bulikowski, Catherine            9/21/16
Melendez Calo, Diannelly      9/21/16
Cicero, Leah                          9/21/16
Aragon, Elda                         9/21/16
Sweet, Maria                         9/23/16
Fuente, Cynthia                    9/23/16
Stewart, Elizabeth                9/23/16
Martin, Theresa                    9/26/16
Eligon, Nicholi                       9/26/16
Navarro, Christian                9/26/16
Miller, Julianna                     9/26/16
Balcom, Joanne                   10/3/16
Ameyaa, Rita                       10/3/16

Mahan, Christine            8/19/16
Vazquez, Raquel            8/22/16
Matos, Isamar               8/29/16
Anifantis, Sara               9/19/16
Vazquez, Martha          10/11/16

gb #5-2.1  –  Administration/Mr. O’Connell
(October 13, 2016)

Response of the Administration to the request to apply for funding for expansion of the preschool education program of the Worcester Public Schools under the Preschool Expansion Grant Program of the United States Department of Education.

Excessive Tardies – Code R09
Demerits – Code R16
Repeated Class Cuts – Code R21
Truancy – Code R22
Fighting – Code R4a
Failure to Take Detentions – Code Rxa
Multiple Class Disruptions/Referrals – Code Rxb
Failure to Wear ID – Code Rxc
Failure to Follow Directions – Code Rya
Obscene Language/Gestures – Code Ryb
Forgery/Plagiarism – Code Ryc
Inciting a Disturbance – Code Ryd
Leaving School without Permission – Code Rye
Lab/Shop Safety Violation – Code Ryf
Bus Infraction – Code Ryg
Disruption of Assembly/Arrest – Code Ryh

Response of the Administration to the request to provide a report regarding Content Liaisons to include the number of them in the system, the areas they work in and indicate the line item which contains their salaries.

Response of the Administration to the request that the School Committee meet with the local legislative body three times during the school year and schedule the first meeting during the month of November.

Response of the Administration to the request to provide a report regarding the number of students and the school sites that have received the MCAS appeals for 2013-14 and 2014-15.

Annex B (11 pages)

Response of the Administration to the request to determine whether the Administration has signed the 2017 Grant Assurances Document of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and, if so, whether and how it complies with its obligations to “expel from school for a period of not less than one year any student who is determined to have brought a firearm to a school under the jurisdiction of the district,” subject to due process and case-by-case modifications “on a case-by-case basis”, also as mandated by the Gun-Free Schools Act, Public Law No. 107-110 section 4141, 20 United States Code Section 7151.

Annex B (15 pages)

Response of the Administration to the request for a list of the dates of the first meetings of the school site councils for the 2016-2017 academic year, which meetings are to be held “no later than forty days after the first day of school”, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 71, Section 59C of the Massachusetts General Laws.

Response of the Administration to the request to provide a list of the services that are offered to the public at Worcester Technical High School.

Response of the Administration to the request to provide at the School Committee meeting on October 20, 2016 a list of classes that have 25 or more students in Kindergarten with no Instructional Assistant.

To consider designing the next replacement schools to be built in Worcester so that their libraries can be utilized by the community as “satellite libraries” during non-school hours, wherever and whenever appropriate, in cooperation with the Worcester Public Library.

To distribute lists of programs, events and activities held at the Worcester Public Library to students through the Worcester Public Schools, and to the WPS community through WPS communications.

Request that the Administration forward a letter of congratulations to Kevin Cox, a Burncoat High School  Science Teacher and Robotics Program Instructor for having his book entitled 123 ½ Weird Wacky Moments of Science: Or Otherwise Interesting Moments of Science published.

Request that the Administration forward letters to the principals at North and South High Community schools to congratulate them on their successful AP kickoff as a way of encouraging students to make AP study a priority.

Request that the Administration consider teaching Charlie Ball’s “The Smiley Face Song” in honor of Worcester native Harvey Ball, the creator of “The World Wide Smiley Face.”

To accept the following donations for Heard Street School:$32.24 from P&J Vending
$911.15 from Lifetouch

To accept a donation in the amount of $500.00 from UMASS Medical School for the Healthy Kids & Family Project at Belmont Street Community School.

To accept a donation in the amount of $50.00 from an anonymous donor for the Day Care Program at Burncoat High School.

Request that the Administration provide a report on the Junior ROTC Programs to include:- the number of participants and
– a description of their community projects/activities for 2015-16 and 2016-17

Request that the Administration provide an update on the ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) training currently taking place in the Worcester Public Schools.

Request that the Administration provide an update on the window replacements that took place during the Summer and Fall of 2016.

To discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining for Teachers and Unit B, if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the collective bargaining position of the School Committee and the chair so declares.To discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining for Instructional Assistants, if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the collective bargaining position of the School Committee and the chair so declares.Finding that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining and litigation position of the School Committee, the committee votes to go into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing strategy with respect to litigation and strategy for collective bargaining for a denial of access.c&p #6-9To consider a communication from a citizen relative to a request that the School Committee drop its Court Appeal and allow for testing for PCBs at Burncoat High and Doherty Memorial High schools.

Request that the Administration drop the appeal and allow PCB testing at Burncoat High School and Doherty Memorial High School this school year and do what is necessary to correct the problem.

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