School Committee Agenda #29 – November 17, 2016

ORDER OF BUSINESS

ACTION

aor #6-25 –   Clerk
(November 8, 2016)

To consider approval of the Minutes of the School Committee Meeting of Thursday, November 3, 2016.

gb #6-367.1  –   Administration/Mayor Petty/Mr. O’Connell/Ms. Colorio/Mr. Monfredo/Miss Biancheria
(November 9, 2016)

To recognize West Tatnuck School and Chandler Elementary Community schools for being recognized by the state for their progress.

To consider input from the School Committee’s student representatives:-Jordan Miller, Worcester Technical High School
Cell Phone Policy

ros #6-10 –  Administration
(November 8, 2016)

FOCUS AND DIFFERENTIATED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR WORCESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS STAFF

6-44

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

Chase, Mary, Teacher, Elementary, Worcester Arts, effective October 28, 2016.Creen, Carol, Teacher, Elementary, Union Hill effective November 3, 2016.

LeMaire, Barbara, Teacher, Special Education, Roosevelt, effective October 29, 2016.

Mason, Sharon, Teacher, Special Education, Burncoat Prep, effective November 1, 2016.

Power, Stephen, Teacher, English, Burncoat High, effective October 31, 2016.

Rodriguez, Eunice, Teacher, Special Education, Systemwide, effective October 28, 2016

Hill, Jean, Teacher, Elementary, Elm Park, effective November 4, 2016.

Pierce, Megan K., Teacher, Special Education, Gates Lane, effective November 4, 2016.

Coonan, Christine, Teacher, Special Education, Gates Lane, MA, Step 4, $59,449 effective November 2, 2016.Waiver: Moderate Disabilities Prek-8.

Peters, Patricia, Teacher, Social Studies, Doherty, MA, Step 8, $72,283 effective October 31, 2016. Licensed: Social Studies 9-12.

Suprenant, Lauren, Teacher, English, Burncoat High, BA, Step 1, $45,064 effective November 7, 2016. Licensed: English 8-12.

Tzikas, Maria, Teacher, Guidance, Claremont, MA, Step 1, $50,978 effective November 7, 2016. Licensed: Guidance Counselor 5-12.

Walker, Arthur                                     10/3/16
Didic, Senija                                        10/12/16

Coghlan, Elizabeth                              10/31/16

gb #6-187.1  –   Administration/Miss Biancheria/Ms. Colorio/Mr. Foley/Mr. Monfredo/Miss McCullough
(November 1, 2016)

Response of the Administration to the request to provide a report on the services provided, including reading services, for students classified as deaf and in need of services in the Special Education Department.

Response of the Administration to the request to provide an inventory in October 2016 of the recess equipment by school.

Response of the Administration to the request to provide a report indicating by individual school its designated level (I, II, III, IV or V) and outline ways in which these levels can be improved.

To review compliance of the Worcester Public Schools websites with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium.

To set a date to recognize and to congratulate Francis Incutto on his selection as Outstanding Coach by the Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Association, and on his induction into the Hall of Fame of the Association.

To set a date to recognize and to congratulate Stacey Hill on her selection as Conservation Teacher of the Year by Mass Audubon.

To accept the following donations for Canterbury Street Magnet Computer-Based School in the total amount of $131.03:$98.20 from Box Tops for Education$32.83 from Target Take Charge of Education

To accept a donation in the amount of $500.00 from UMASS Medical School for the Healthy Kids & Family Study at Vernon Hill School.

To accept the following donations for Tatnuck Magnet School in the total amount of $641.12:$625.00 from Gomez Enterprises, LLC DBA MacDonald’s
$  16.12 from P&J Vending

To ask that the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education select Worcester as a “pilot district” for its “Planning for Success – DESE Multi-Year Improvement / Annual Action Plan model.”

To consider initiating litigation against Monsanto Company, Solutia, Inc. and/or Pharmacia Corporation to recover costs expended by the Worcester Public Schools to date for removal of polychlorinatedbiphenyls (“PCBs”) from WPS facilities, modeled on the action of Town of Princeton vs. Monsanto Company et al, US District Court, District of Massachusetts Civil Action No. 15-CV-40096.

To consider entering into one or more net metering credit purchase agreements, to reduce electricity procurement costs.

To accept a donation in the amount of $2,472.04 from Saint-Gobain Corporation to purchase graphing calculators for Claremont Academy students.

To accept the STARS Residencies FY17 Jacob Hiatt Magnet School Grant in the amount of $3,600.

To accept the STARS Residencies FY17 Columbus Park Preparatory Academy Grant in the amount of $5,000.

Request that the Administration provide a report on ways in which it will improve the manufacturing options for students.

To select a vice-chairman for the School Committee.

To discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining for Plumbers and Steamfitters, 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 Tradesmen, 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 Unit D – Computer Technicians, 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 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.

To discuss strategy with respect to litigation of a worker’s compensation case for a School Bus Monitor, 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 litigation of a worker’s compensation case for a Custodian, 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 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.

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.

To 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