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School Committee Agenda #7 – April 9, 2015

CLERK OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
WORCESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
20 IRVING STREET
WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS 01609

AGENDA #7

The School Committee will hold a regular meeting:
on: Thursday, April 9, 2015
at:
6:00 p.m. – Executive Session
7:00 p.m. – Regular Session
in: Council Chamber, City Hall

ORDER OF BUSINESS

ACTION

I. CALL TO ORDER  –  REGULAR MEETING
INVOCATION – Reverend Paul Frechette
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/NATIONAL ANTHEM
II. ROLL CALL
III. APPROVAL OF RECORDS

aor #5-6 –   Clerk
(April 1, 2015)

To consider approval of the Minutes of the School Committee Meeting of Thursday, March 19, 2015.

IV. MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION – NONE
V. IMMEDIATE ACTION

gb #4-335.1  –   Administration/Mr. O’Connell/Miss Ramirez/Mr. Monfredo/Miss Biancheria/Mayor Petty
(March 26, 2015)

To recognize, with gratitude and appreciation, the exemplary service of Edwin B. (“Ted”) Coghlin, Jr. to the Worcester Public Schools, to the Worcester community, and to vocational technical education in general.

gb #5-70.1  –  Administration/Mr. O’Connell/Ms. Novick/Mr. Monfredo/Miss Biancheria/Mayor Petty
(March 26, 2015)

To congratulate Michael Lyons, AVID teacher and Site Coordinator, on his selection as a recipient of the Thomas S. Green Public Service Award of the Worcester Regional Research Bureau.

gb #5-71.1  –  Administration/Ms. Novick/Mr. Foley/Mr. O’Connell/Mr. Monfredo/Miss Biancheria/Mayor Petty
(March 26, 2015)

To congratulate Worcester East Middle School teachers Stacy Lord and Howie Fain for being among 28 teachers nationally selected to be Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors for NASA.

gb #5-72.1  –  Administration/Ms. Novick/Mr. Foley/Mr. O’Connell/Mr. Monfredo/Miss Biancheria/Mayor Petty
(March 26, 2015)

To congratulate the Burncoat High Dance Team on their state championship win at the Massachusetts Secondary Schools Administrators’ Dance Competition.

gb #5-94 –   Administration
(March 10, 2015)

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

VI. REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

ros #4-14.2  – Administration/Administration
(April 1, 2015)

ADVANCED ACADEMY AT DOHERTY MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL – A PILOT INNOVATION ACADEMY FOR THE WORCESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS  –  TIMELINE UPDATE

Annex A (1 page)
Annex B (3 pages)
VII. COMMUNICATION AND PETITION – NONE
VIII. REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE

The Standing Committee on Teaching, Learning and Student Supports met at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, 2015 in Room 410 at the Durkin Administration Building.

Action Sheet
IX.

 

5-12

PERSONNEL

The Superintendent has APPOINTED the persons named below to the position of Senior Building Custodian, permanent/fulltime at a salary of $17.18 (minimum) to $24.55 (maximum) per hour, from Civil Service List #315-006, effective as follows:

Early, Thomas 3/9/15

5-13 The Superintendent has APPOINTED the person named below to the position of Word Processor, permanent/fulltime at a salary of $17.74 hourly (minimum) to $21.58 hourly (maximum) from Civil Service List #315-004, effective as shown:

Paldino, Deanna 3/5/15

5-14 The Superintendent has APPOINTED the persons named below to the position of Cafeteria Helper, permanent/intermittent at a salary of $12.69 per hour, from Civil Service List #315-003, effective as shown:

Adinga, Bashiru
Cardona, Lisa
Decelles, Christopher
Delane, Azrie
Dennis, Joyce
Dervishaj, Rajmonda
Guzman, Daniel
Lopez, Maria
Menard, Robin
Miller, Ann
Moreno, Ideliss
Pollard, Tevin
Smith, Douglas
Stone, Patricia
Therrien, Kim
Wheeler, Katherine
Braconnier Robinson, Michelle Smith-Tero, Melanie
Rajotte, Andrea
Zuniga, Jose
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4/2/15
X. GENERAL BUSINESS

gb #5-54.1  –  Administration/Mr. Monfredo/Mr. O’Connell/Miss Biancheria/Ms. Novick/Miss Ramirez/Mayor Petty
(April 1, 2015)

Response of the Administration to the request to encourage all of the schools to participate in the NEA’s Read Across America Day on Monday, March 2, 2015.

Backup
gb #5-79.1  –  Administration/Mr. Monfredo/Mr. Foley/Ms. Novick/Mr. O’Connell/Miss Biancheria
(April 1, 2015)

Response of the Administration to the request to inform schools about Worcester: the City that Reads ninth annual book drive for children pre-k to grade 8 that will take place during the week of March 22nd with its theme “SPRING INTO BOOKS.”

Backup
gb #5-82.1  –  Administration/Administration
(March 26, 2015)

To conduct the School Committee’s FY16 Budget priority setting session.

gb #5-89.1  –  Administration/Miss Biancheria/Mr. Monfredo
(March 26, 2015)

Response of the Administration to the request to explain the difference between the release by Administration of an internal document versus a public document.

gb #5-95  –     Administration
(March 16, 2015)

To select a voting delegate and an alternate voting delegate to the Annual Business Meeting of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.

gb #5-96  –  Mr. Monfredo
(March 16, 2015)To set a date to recognize Donna Lombardi, Director of Child Nutrition Programs, for being featured in the March 2015 Journal of School Nutrition for utilizing a “Smart Strategy” to mobilize the summer meal program, the Worcester “Fun in the Sun” Summer Food Truck.
Annex A (1 page)
gb #5-97  –  Mr. Monfredo
(March 16, 2015)

Request that the Administration provide an update on whether the state testing dates have changed due to the loss of school days.

Annex A (2 pages)
gb #5-98  –  Miss Biancheria
(March 19, 2015)

Request that the Administration provide a report indicating the source and amount of new funding utilized to add positions at North High School.

gb #5-99  –  Miss Biancheria
(March 19, 2015)

Request that the Administration invite an expert in the field of installation and operation of cameras that would link North High School directly to the Worcester Police Department.

gb #5-100  –   Mr. O’Connell
(March 19, 2015)

To congratulate FIRST Robotics Team 1735, the “Green Reapers” from Burncoat High School, on winning the District Engineering Inspiration Award at the Reading, Massachusetts District event, held on March 7-8. The award “celebrates success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering within a team’s community.”

gb #5-101  –   Mr. Monfredo
(March 20, 2015)

Request that the Administration set up a meeting with the local legislative delegation in October in order to discuss educational issues that impact the Worcester Public Schools.

gb #5-102  –   Mr. Monfredo
(March 20, 2015)

Request that the Administration forward a letter to the Worcester Public Schools’ custodial, utility and maintenance crews for the outstanding job removing snow during the winter season.

gb #5-103  –   Administration
(March 27, 2015)

Request that the School Committee declare surplus for disposition purposes in connection with the construction of the Nelson Place School project the 1,373 square feet of land depicted in the attached map as Parcel F in Annex B of the backup for the item and revert it back to the City.

Annex A (1 page)
Annex B (2 pages)
gb #5-104  –   Mr. O’Connell
(March 30, 2015)

To set a date to recognize, with gratitude and appreciation, the assistance of the Central Community Branch of the YMCA of Central Massachusetts, and of CrossFit Worcester, in making possible the “Sprint into Spring” fundraising indoor rowing competition event for the benefit of the crew team of the Worcester Public Schools.

gb #5-105  –   Mr. Monfredo
(March 30, 2015)

Request that the Administration provide a report in a Friday letter in May 2015 on the feasibility of giving Worcester residents preference, all things being equal, when hiring personnel, if legal and appropriate.

gb #5-106  –   Mr. Monfredo
(March 30, 2015)

Request that the Administration conduct a teacher survey regarding PARCC testing indicating the strengths and weaknesses of this standardized test and share the findings with the School Committee and DESE during this academic year.

gb #5-107  –   Mr. Monfredo
(March 30, 2015)

Request that the Administration support the reading incentive program of Worcester’s baseball team, the Worcester Bravehearts, by encouraging students in grades K-6 to participate in the “Home Run Club during the month of May.

gb #5-108  –   Administration
(March 31, 2015)

To accept a third summer food truck with a value of $75,000 from the Worcester County Food Bank and the Our Family Foundation by Stop & Shop New England to expand summer feeding opportunities for students.

Annex A (1 page)
gb #5-109  –   Administration
(March 31, 2015)

To set the dates for the FY16 Budget Hearings.

gb #5-110  –   Miss Biancheria
(April 1, 2015)

Request that the Administration provide a report on the type of training and coursework that Administration, principals and teachers are given throughout the school year on professional and ethical boundaries regarding electronic and social media.

gb #5-111  –   Administration
(April 1, 2015)

To consider approval of the Summer Reading Lists for 2015, 2016 and 2017.

gb #5-112  –   Administration
(April 1, 2015)

To consider approval of new courses for High Schools.

gb #5-113  –   Administration
(April 1, 2015)

To consider approval of the 2015-16 Policies Handbook of the Worcester Public Schools.

gb #5-114  –   Administration
(April 1, 2015)

Finding that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the School Committee, the committee votes to go into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing Grievance #13/14-5.

XI. ADJOURNMENT

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

The Worcester Public Schools is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer/Educational Institution and does not discriminate regardless of race, color, gender, age, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, or homelessness. The Worcester Public Schools provides equal access to employment and the full range of general, occupational and vocational education programs. For more information relating to Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action contact Stacey DeBoise Luster, Human Resource Manager, 20 Irving Street, Worcester, MA 01609. 508-799-3020.