The stories we tell ourselves: Worcester's past 75 years of superintendent transitions

Stories are how we make meaning for what has happened to us; they give form to the past. Sometimes, though, our stories about how things happened once become stories of how they always happen, and we can miss pieces that might make better meaning of the current time.

Thus it is with superintendent transitions.

Thus, here, with my particular gratitude to the Worcester Public Library for having Worcester Telegram & Gazette archives, to whomever scanned decades of Worcester City Council manuals, and to L.H. Larned, whomever you are, are the past seventy-five plus years of Worcester superintendent transitions.

It's not about the bus

On WPS Transportation. Or not.

Rick Cinclair's photo for the T&G as part of Jeff Chamer's article of Monday

I got a message from a mom this week that said her daughter loves the new bus and said "it was beautiful." I think they're beautiful, too, but not only because they're shiny new buses.

We dropped our eldest off at college yesterday for the start of her senior year, and on the drive home, I was reflecting (as parents do) on the space between the person we'd just again sent forth and the four year old I remember helping up that big initial step onto the bus for kindergarten all those years ago, as many Worcester parents did for the first time this week. That little person and that big bus have an outsized relationship.
There's an enormous amount of trust embodied in that assist up the step and letting go of that little hand. As a school committee member, I keep that strongly in mind, especially this first week. 

It's the person who is at the top of the steps, though, that's the first impression families have of this system, this structure, their child is joining. The relationship of students to school bus drivers, like so many of the non-teaching staff in districts, often are among those that make all the difference. They're the first person from the district they see in the morning, the last they see at the end of the day, and how that interaction goes can determine how a day goes, and how a perspective on education is shaped.

Former Worcester superintendent Dr. Melinda Boone used to tell the story--you may have heard it?--of the custodian at NASA who, when stopped in the hall and asked what he was doing, responded that he was working to send a man to the moon. His work mattered in getting that done; a building that isn't cleaned and maintained isn't one that can send someone into space.

This is the same argument, really, that the Worcester School Committee was making by using ESSER funds to buy school buses: if the kids don't get to school at all or on time, and that's their access to education, then effectively they're not getting the education that they're guaranteed. That means that the mechanic that keeps the bus running, the trainers who make sure our drivers can drive the buses, the routers who make sure we have (and keep!) timely and effective routes, the liaisons who are getting people in and out and answering phones...they are people who are making sure Worcester kids are getting a public education. 

And that isn't only the case in Transportation. The student who got held after class and is five minutes late for lunch and still gets lunch with a warm greeting, the myriad of reasons a student may need a custodian during a school day and has one who ensures the student can get back to class, having buildings that are warm when they are supposed to be and have water where they are supposed to have it (and not where they don't)...these are the things that allow kids to get an education.

There's no better illustration of this right now than Jackson, Mississippi, where the entire city of 150,00 is without access to clean, running water. The district has flipped their schools back to virtual learning. And there's no end clearly in sight on this crisis.
You may not wake up in the morning, thinking about your access to clean, running water, but if someone isn't waking up in the morning, thinking about your clean water, and if that argument isn't ongoingly brought to those who vote the dollars to support that clean water, and those in power don't take action at some point, you aren't going to have clean, running water anymore. 

And we don't think a lot about the people who do that until the water isn't running or the bus doesn't show up or the building isn't clean or something isn't fixed.

Thus this Labor Day weekend post: for all those who do work in education and elsewhere that too often is invisible, until we need them and we don't have them. 
May we appreciate, celebrate, and value then in ways both symbolic and concrete.

Worcester updates

I am behind on these...apologies.

There was an article in the weekend edition of the Worcester Telegram and Gazette stemming from what appeared to be a lengthy interview with Superintendent Binienda and School Safety manager Rob Pezzella last week. The thrust of the article, clearly an attempt to put controversy over the superintendent's tenure (and contract) to rest, is where the Worcester schools struggle, so do others, and regardless, the superintendent is working on it. The comparisons in the article rather missed the ways--and there are several--in which Worcester is an outlier (and not in positive directions), some of which have also been covered by the T&G. 
This led to a reflective piece by Clive McFarlane noting that much of what would seem to be necessary, and in some cases what Superintendent Binienda is now saying, are items put forward by Superintendent Boone, which were not popular by many of the same parties now defending Superintendent Binienda, leading to the question of if, in fact, the superintendent is in a position to carry such needs out.
Councilor Rivera, councilor of District 4 and the sole Latinx elected official city official, put out a statement regarding the situation, which reads in part:

More recently, legal actions by former Worcester Public School employees challenged my conscience to speak out rather than continuing to sit waiting...Ultimately I joined the public call because it felt all other possible routes to bringing about dialogue and change had failed.

This evening, she spoke at the Worcester School Committee, reading much of these statements, calling for the superintendent to "listen to the call" for change.
You can also read much of this in Bill Shaner's weekly "Worcesteria".

It's official

The School Committee received this in our Friday packet: 

Thus Dr. Rodrigues will be "acting" until the end of November and "interim" thereafter. 

Dr. Boone

posting as we go
(and incidently, the T&G coverage is here)
Petty: would like to wish you well
judge a person with how you leave a position and how you make the schools better for the students
believe students are better off
graduation rates up , drop off rates down
building new Nelson Place
real changes in Claremont
improvement of Level 4 schools
most innovation schools in the state
known for the fairness of the allocation of resources in the city of Worcester
make sure every school got fair resources
presenting key to the City and a chair

Worcester School Committee meets at seven

Apologies for not doing a summary ahead of time this week.
The agenda is here; the report of the superintendent is on alternative schools.
And we should note that this is Superintendent Boone's last meeting with us.

You may have heard we're having a meeting this week

The Worcester School Committee meets in public session this week at 7 (or so). We have an executive session scheduled for 6. You can find our agenda here.

We will be taking up two items in Executive Session:

• Executive session pursuant to Mass. G.L. c. 30A, Section 21(a)(2) to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel and contract negotiations with nonunion personnel, Superintendent’s Employment Contract.
• Executive session pursuant to Mass. G.L. c. 30A, Section 21(a)(2) to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel and contract negotiations with nonunion personnel, Interim Superintendent Employment Contract.

We have several groups coming in to be recognized (including the wonderfully named Spiritually Fabulous Ministries).
The section of the policy manual regarding the work of the School Committee, now on its second hold, is again on the agenda.
The report of the superintendent this week is on our alternative education programs, which has had a grant-funded outside evaluation. Should you have any interest in our programs, it's definitely worth a read.
The EAW is requesting that we open negotiations for successor contracts with Bus Drivers (Aids to the Physically Handicapped), Bus Monitors, Units A &B, Instructional Assistants, Parent Liaisons, ESL Tutors, abd OT/PT Assistants.
We're being informed a few personnel items.
The North High Alumni Association raised money for a van for the school, and so we're planning to thank them for that.
Mr. Monfredo would like to recognize the South High AP Pep Rally.
There's a conference later this month on "Human Rights and Social Studies" that some may be interested in.
We're being asked to accept a donation from Shaw's to McGrath Elementary of $400.
Mr. Monfredo is recommending that schools share best practices to improve school climate and parent involvement.
Mr. Monfredo is looking to schedule meetings with the delegation.
We're being asked to accept a donation of $250 from JVE for Tatncuk Magnet.
Mr. Foley is calling to our attention the work of the Unified Theater.
Yes, I've been selected for the 2015 the All-State School Committee...
Mr. O'Connell is requesting any update on the school security audit (which we got on Friday).
We're being asked to accept an anonymous donation of $5000 and a $100 donation from Kate Toomey to Tatnuck Magnet.
We're being asked to approve prior fiscal year payments to psychologists of $77.63 and $39.68, respectively.
Miss Biancheria would like a report on the Recovery High School.
Mr. Monfredo wants to talk about Family Literacy Month.

Finally, there are three from Mayor Petty:

• Request that the Administration ask the purchasing agent to prepare documents for a Request for Proposal for a search firm for the selection of the next Superintendent of the Worcester Public Schools.
• To consider selection of Dr. Marco Rodrigues as Interim Superintendent of Schools.
• To approve the timeline for the selection of the new Superintendent of Schools.

Executive session at 6; public session scheduled for 7, at City Hall or livestreaming online.

Mea culpa, moving on, and what's next

First, my apologies. For those of you who have grown used to being able to find out "what does Tracy say" on what's happening in the Worcester Public Schools, I let you down yesterday. When the news broke about Superintendent Boone's acceptance of the position of Norfolk Superintendent at about 10:30 yesterday, my phone blew up with messages, and from that point on, I was returning calls, being interviewed, and otherwise running. I never got to a full keyboard. It's the first time I've experienced quite that as a headlong collision, and yesterday, blogging lost out. I'm sorry.

As much as I know everyone loves a good conspiracy theory, I feel honor bound to point out that Norfolk has had three superintendents in the past five years, with the most recent having his contract terminated in March after 70% of Norfolk's schools failed to earn certification and the district missed deadlines for Title I, resulting in the fortiture of $1.6 million. The board bought out that contract for a full year's pay. The position was posted in May, with applications due in July. This wasn't a recent decision (or reaction).
And, yes, in Virginia, the entire process can take place in executive session.

As a side note, I should point out that the current Norfolk school board is appointed by their City Council, though this current board is the last that will be, as Norfolk voted overwhelmingly to move to an elected board starting this coming spring.

So did I know? No. Am I surprised? No. I follow the national press on school districts, and Norfolk has had a rough couple of years. It's the district in which Superintendent Boone had much of her prior experience, and it's where her family lives. Seeing that district struggle would I think give any of us cause to think twice.

Let's be really clear: the Worcester Public Schools are an excellent argument for hiring anyone involved in what we're doing. From the graduation rate gains (nine points in six years) to the dropout rate declining to the largest number of innovation schools in the state to the pulling schools out of Level 4 status (ourselves, not by outside providers) to gains in kids taking APs and going to college to rising enrollment (yes, they're rising) to millions of dollars in building repairs to expanding programs (and I could go on, and that's all in the budget...)...we're a good argument for hiring her. We--any of us involved in public education in Worcester--should be proud of the job we're doing here. We're a city with a strong parochial school system, two charter schools, and a homeschooling community, and we in the public schools educate 85% of the kids who live in the city. That's an argument of itself.

And anyone telling you otherwise doesn't know much about education.

So what does that mean for us now?

If you look at the agenda that was posted this afternoon for Thursday's meeting, we have two items in executive session. The first is to discuss Superintendent Boone's contract, as there's a clause regarding notification of her leaving that a December start date in Norfolk conflicts with (I should perhaps point out that's my assumption based on what I've seen reported from Norfolk; I know no more than is the item). The second is connected to Mayor Petty's recommendation, which appears on the public section of the agenda, that Marco Rodrigues be appointed interim superintendent. We also have items on the public section to send out an RFP for a search firm and to set a timeline for the search.

Only a bit more from me, lest I stray into predeliberation and thus violate the Open Meeting Law:

The Worcester Public Schools are the third largest employer in the city, with nearly 4000 employees. We have 50 buildings, 44 schools, 25,000 students. We have a budget of $350 million. That's a lot to oversee. More than anything else, the actual administration of all that is the job of the superintendent, and it needs to be done, daily. It can't be put off. It can't be ignored. And it isn't something you can pick up overnight.

Executive session is scheduled for 6 on Thursday night, with the public meeting scheduled (I use the word deliberately) to begin at 7.

CPPAC

Superintendent Boone:
look forward to being here in September and talk about what's exciting and connect with you
throughout the year, members of the district leadership team will be here
CPPAC expo: see programs showcased, give parents a chance to see what's going on
"Great opening of schools"
today was tenth day of school
had heat issues last week as well as this week: principals pay attention to the conditions; water available to all students;
situations in particular schools with windows being replaced
use DPH guidelines on heat and humidity: have never reached that
have had uncomfortable areas
"if we send the students home, we send them in many cases to conditions similar to where they were leaving"
very pleased with what's happening in our schools
monitoring enrollment numbers: enrollment increases after Labor Day
look at enrollment by classroom and by school
report to SC next year on general trend on enrollment
MSBA projects done this summer: West Tatnuck, Clark Street, Union Hill
windows still left to be done at Goddard being done overnight and evening
"see what a real difference that new windows and doors make"
Community Eligibility program: free lunch and breakfast to every child in WPS
encourage your children to participate in this program
balances will be refunded if you like
we are in this for several years; USDA supported
free and reduced lunch status used for many things
working on the quality of our meals; hired a chef last year to work on food quality
school safety: schools are safe
things sometimes happen in our schools
headlines in our schools unfortunately grow legs and tentacles and take a life their own
broad view of safety (as heat, above)
only shift was end of last year was deployment of police liaisons
in conversation with the national school resource officer association
they are not there as armed sentries, not as first line
support school administration when called upon
two additional officers for 7-12 schools and middle schools
"very exciting with what has happened with our liaisons"
school safety audit: review policies, practices, and procedures to see what we're doing well and where there are gaps
we have a number of steps in place
date has closed on RFPs, then reviews take place
15 of our schools (1/3) will be reviewed; schools in every segment and type
all to be reviewed
addressing safety in a broad based and authorative manner
IB school: leadership position is posted, will be named soon
International Baccalaureate program to be put in place
Still figuring out where to put it for now; affiliated with Doherty, still looking at space options
FY16: delegation aided us in returning the Quality Kindergarten grant, funding 22 of our IAs in kindergarten
balanced budget based on enrollment growth
"do we have everything we need? Absolutely not."
end of staffing that we held for enrollment
waiting for Foundation Budget Review Commission coming out in November
what will they recommend to the Governor and Legislature
"strongly urge you to stay tuned into the Foundation Budget Review Commission"
will take voice of parents to push that
Central Mass Recovery High School: opiate issue is not demographic specific
only region of the state that did not have a recovery high school was central Mass
took at long time for the state to issue the RFR
opened on August 26 the first recovery high school
students to suggest some names for the school
ribbon cutting coming this fall
"not one of those places where if you slip, we put you out"
going back into the recovery mode
a health crisis, see it across all demographics
opiate addiction through athletic injury and availability in the home
majority of students enrolled have been through organizations providing care or direct referral by families

CPPAC note: it always meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7 pm. Generally meetings are at the Worcester Public Library. For October, however, CPPAC will be hosting a forum for the candidates for School Committee, place TBA.

Worcester School Committee meets on Thursday

The Worcester School Committee has its final school year meeting this Thursday, June 18. You can find the agenda here.

We meet at 4 pm for budget. The sequence of accounts is here; we'll start with school nurses salaries this week (and have to go back to utilities, as that was held last time). I would think that we could get through what remains before exec...but then one never can tell.

This week at 7, we're recognizing the Bravehearts for their support on reading, and the Worcester Tree Initiative (and supporters) for new trees at Roosevelt Elementary.
We'll also be recognizing our Teacher and Nurse of the Year (and you're invited to tomorrow night's celebration at which they'll be announced).
And, it's our final meeting with Stacey Luster, who's leaving WPS to join Worcester State.

We have the Superintendent's midcycle report on goals, as required by the state evaluation system. There won't be a particular vote associated with that; it's a midyear check-in.

We have our report back on motions from last budget session, as well as items from throughout the year that were refered to budget. These will probably actually be taken up during the budget session.

We have a response back from administration regarding suggested policy language on homeschooling (including allow students to participate in extracurricular options). We also have the report requested by Miss Biancheria on the number of students currently being homeschooled in Worcester.

We have the held item on funding for crew travel.

Mr. O'Connell suggests honoring Hanover and others for AVID.

We also have the annual "let the administration make transfers to close the fiscal year" item (which gets reviewed in the fall by the F&O subcommittee).

Finally, we do have two items on for executive session: consideration of negotations on contracts for Chief Academic Officer and Chief Finance and Operations Officer. While the renewal of the contract of the CAO doesn't directly fall under our purview, it can be discussed with regard to allocation of resources (renewal is entirely the superintendent's decision). The CFO, per MGL ch 71, does fall under School Committee purview, jointly with the superintendent.

Not-at-all liveblog: WPS budget before Council

Taken from my longhand notes, thus quite possibly less detail than usual; the Finance and Operations subcommittee (that's Foley, Ramirez, and me) joined Superintendent Boone and Mr. Allen at the table for questions this year

Student Discipline report

and we have a PowerPoint which isn't online; I'll post photos later. Backup we had ahead is here. 
Boone: important to implement ch 222 with fidelity; direction to Legislature and examination of our procedures

The new student discipline law has the express purpose to: 

• Limit the use of long-term suspension as a consequence for student misconduct until other consequences have been considered and tried as appropriate. 
• Promote engagement of a student’s parent/guardian in discussion of the student’s misconduct and options for responding to it. 
• Assure that every student who is expelled or suspended, regardless of the reason for suspension or expulsion, has the opportunity to receive education services to make academic progress during the period of suspension or expulsion. 
• Keep schools safe and supportive for all students while ensuring fair and effective disciplinary practices.

Rodrigues: educational services must be provided to students during the disciplinary period; make sure they can make educational progress
schools must develop an education service plan for all students who are suspended from school for more than 10 consecutive days
Communciation to parents has to include offense, basis of charge, potential consequences, opportunity for hearing & information about hearing (including interpreter)

yearly report to DESE on students excluded for more than 10 days (broken down)
districts and schools with significant disparities in explusion shall develop and implement a plan

Suggested revisions:

• student on student assault should be considered under 37H (latitude to suspend for longer)
• long term suspensions should carry over to the next year (thus a suspension in spring now goes only to the end of the school year; suggestion is to carry over to the next year). Boone notes further than those suspended in the first half of the school year have to serve the full time; those in the spring don't.
• emergency removals cannot exceed two days; due process hearing may need longer for contacting guardians; conducting hearing; takes assistant principals away from other duties. Need more flexibility in timeline to ensure due process
• 10 days for in-house; but in-house keeps them in school
• right to appeal within 5 days: not enough time for parents or for Superintendent to schedule

District suspensions have been in decline for a number of years already; predates the law change

has been a steady decline in single suspensions, 2-4 day suspensions, 5-9 day suspensions, and 10 or more

same is true in elementary

highest ranked in infractions (not suspensions) inappropriate behavior (both elementary and secondary schools)

Boone: principals have been an integral part of influencing, implementing policy
sorry, no notes on comments tonight

Notes from the Superintendent on proposed academy

You can find the backup here. Also the Superintendent's PowerPoint presentation is here

Boone: will be establishing a tab on the website so that all information is available to the public
Ad-Hoc Committee report .
Note that this is not designed to supplant or replace any of our existing programs
"those programs serve a very viable function and a very valuable role"
students grade 9-12, maximum of 250 students
admission based on ability and interest in a rigorous program of studies
international baccalaureate program recommended
a clear match for the humanities focus recommended by Ad-Hoc
admission still being developed but will include criteria and process include: application, grades, MCAS and other state assessments, transcript, student essay, teacher recommendation, discipline and attendence history
rubric for scoring will be developed
blind application process
algebra, pre-algebra, and foreign language will be weighed in admission
budgeting scheme includes a planning year with assistant principal and the IB coordinator plus an innovation program
Advisory council will be established to guide planning
program evaluation led by Research and Accountability
staff looking at site survey in February and March plus innovation academy plan
School Committee to vote at second meeting in April
budget is submitted to School Committee in May (and this will be included should SC vote in favor)
assistant principal and IB coordinator hired by July, along with appointment of Advisory Council

some FAQ
Why Doherty? Cetnral location
Where will students be enrolled (at their home school or at Doherty)? Not yet determined
Why a 10th grade, possibly? Fiscal economies of scale (same number of staff needed)
Private school students? It is designed for students who are enrolled in WPS at the time that they apply for admission
Assistant principal? for infrastructure work
Transportation? Provided, no cost estimates til we know which students are coming
Students removed? Only for violations of Code of Conduct, then can return to home school after suspension
Why IB? It is a well-established full curriculum (which AP is not; those are stand-alone courses)
Where are there IB programs? 16 in the state (including Abby Kelley Foster Charter in Worcester)
Financial viability? "This will require additional funds, as we are not looking to take any programs offline to do this." Thus that does need to be considered.
Why humanities? That was the proposal of the Ad-Hoc committee; students have to have math and science to graduate

Superintendent's contract

a few details:
Three year contract (through June 30, 2018)
base salary increases by 2% each three year
vacation to 25 days (from 20 days)
tax deferred compensation increasing to 4% from 3%

O'Connell: concerned about a three year contract for a variety of reasons
would support a one year contract
performance had many areas of strength, need improvement on many areas of concern
parents involved in schools
well-staffed, well-populated site councils
CPPAC
is able to have time to meet performance goals
$400,000 golden parachute

Biancheria can't agree to a one year contract for reasons mentioned

Foley: professional environment; appropriate contract is three years
infamous golden parachute is very unusual, has an opt out for us; able to end contract WITHOUT cause

Vote 5-2, Biancheria and O'Connell opposed

Update from Superintendent Boone

Earlier this evening, the School Committee received the following from Superintendent Boone:

The Blizzard of 2015 is holding on and not letting go of its grip!  Our snow plow crew has been working all night and throughout most of the day to keep emergency access open to our schools during the storm. Obviously, this is a very difficult storm to stay ahead of due to the winds creating major drifting of the snow. We are also currently experiencing one of the heavy snow bands that is increasing our snow fall total!
We have been working very closely with the city's Emergency Operations Team and DPW. City Manager Augustus and I have been in regular contact throughout the planning for and now through the storm itself. We supported WTHS as an emergency shelter and  provided a custodian, nutrition helper and nurse onsite. The city closed that school as a shelter at approximately 1:30 pm today.
Due to the ongoing storm and what will be significant cleanup requirements, schools are closed tomorrow for WPS. If the travel ban for Worcester County is lifted by 6:00 am tomorrow morning, DAB will open on a two hour delay. I wanted to be sure that full year employees would have ample time to clear snow to allow them to head to work tomorrow safely and not attempt to rush for early opening.  If the travel ban is not lifted by 6:00 am tomorrow morning, DAB will be closed. This information has been sent out via Connect Ed messaging, provided to TV and print media, posted on Facebook, Twitter and the district's website.(Note: as the travel ban ends at midnight, that means DAB opens on a two hour delay tomorrow.)
I am so appreciative of the efforts by facilities and operations leadership and staff in helping us successfully navigate what will be an historic weather event for our city! Thanks also to City Manager Augustus and all of the city's leadership in what has been great collaboration throughout this storm.
My next update will be sometime tomorrow after the full impact of the storm on the schools has been determined and to provide information on school operating status. Stay safe and warm!

Report of the Superintendent: Exam School

I have this only in print; I'll post photos of it once I get home; posting as we go
Petty: we will hold the item so people can think about it for the December 18 meeting
"I think this is very important...going to be another offering...committee is very sensitive to how it will affect the other Worcester Public Schools"
Boone: working on this for the past 18 months
"spent a lot of time...doing additional research of what's happening with advanced learners"
important that the School Committee and the public had a chance to see it without the public already vetting it
Ad Hoc committee working from January 2013 to June 2013 for a final report
state of Massachusetts is virtually silent on gifted and advanced learners, but Worcester has such programs:

• Goddard Scholars at Sullivan and South: have been continuously accepted to excellent colleges across the country; innovation academy at Sullivan
• Burncoat quadrant arts magnet program
• 23 AP courses offered across the district 
• dual enrollment through colleges and universities locally

"I want to be clear...This pilot innovation academy is not designed to replace, supplant, or undermine any of our existing options...The district will continue strong support for and enhancement of those existing programs."

"this is in addition to, not instead of"

key recommendations of Ad-Hoc committee that are being included: 

"Students who have demonstrated exceptional interest in and ability to be successful in a rigorous high school program of studies leading to advanced college readiness"

No grade level to exceed 63 students; total student population of 250

beginning with grade 9 (possibly 10) and adding a year

recommendation is to have it be an IB school

ninth and tenth grade prepares student for IB courses in 11 and 12 grades
strong liberal arts component and Theory of Knowledge
students have either a certificate or diploma option

Admission:

• application
• grades from prior and current year
• MCAS or other state assessment scores
• transcripts
• essay
• teacher recommendation
• attendance history
• discipline history

application process coordinated by district BUT reviewed and processed by local higher ed institutions to keep it a blind to politics process

a rubric will be developed

weighed scores for honors classes, pre-algebra, foreign language

"we see this as an opportunity for the readiness aspect of this program"

lottery will be held if there are more students than slots

proposed budget is a planning year then rollling out from ninth grade
planning year: appointment of assistant principal, IB coordinator (which is required by IB) and clerical position
"there is a process for admission to IB...they will vet us"
"this planning year is significant to get that IB piece up and running"
will finalize admission process and criteria
support marketing and recruitment process and materials
budget assumes dedicated teachers for the cohort (which is more or less required as well; teachers have to be IB certified)
first group of students for 2016-17 school year
advisory council to be compromised of community members, higher ed, ex-officio SC member, and parents
to advise district on the start up
program evaluation for the pilot will be designed in partnership with higher education, led by Dave Perda

timeline: on December 18 agenda
at least one public hearing late this year
looking at facilities for site survey and early spring
SC votes in April
included in May 2015 budget proposal
June: assistant principal and IB coordinator appointed
July staff positions
August: Advisory Council appointed

Comments
Monfredo: would you like questions in advance?
Boone: yes, that would be very beneficial
"sounds like a great plan...my concern would be the funding of the mechanism"
O'Connell: asking for the siting of the program specifically at next meeting
"raise concerns as well if the school would have the space to handle that"
Boone: will not have that information available by the 18th; is intent to have that in concert with public hearing
"we are not at a place to have that available in two weeks"
O'Connell: look at criteria for admission
"not an exam school in any respect...I'm just going to point out here that Mr. O'Connell is recapitulating his (minority view) arguments that he made at the Ad-Hoc committee when we were having this conversation. Essentially he's convinced that anything other than an exam as an admission requirement is "less rigorous."
Petty: I disagree with some of that..timeline is very clear, going to have a meeting at Doherty
disagree with you on the IB program..."there is no way that someone could go through this program"
Boone: "passing an exam is not a 100% indicator of future success"
"we can bounce that tennis ball across the court any number of ways"

Sorry, no full notes from me, but two main points: appreciate that this work isn't being put on the shelf and YOUR VOICE IS NEEDED IN THIS CONVERSATION! PLEASE PLAN ON WEIGHING IN!

Biancheria: admission, worked on community piece
student essay: would we determine what the topic would be on, or would it be a choice?
Boone: single essay topic, changing from year to year

HELD

Funding the Worcester Public Schools: WEC and Research Bureau presentation

I'm at Mass College of Pharmacy for the second presentation on funding the schools. Live blogging as we go

School funding part II tomorrow

Tomorrow is Part II of the Worcester Regional Research Bureau/Worcester Educational Collaborative sessions on school funding (and I'm told it will happen, whatever the weather!):

Part II: Balancing the Needs of the Schools and the Needs of the City 

Wednesday, December 3, 2014 - 7:45-9:00 a.m. 

MCPHS University, 25 Foster Street, Worcester 

 Panelists 

Edward M. Augustus, Jr., City Manager, City of Worcester 

Melinda Boone, Ed.D., Superintendent, Worcester Public Schools 

June E. Eressy, Former Principal, Chandler Elementary Community School, University Park Campus School, Claremont Academy 

Joseph M. Petty, Mayor, Worcester City Council & Worcester School Committee 

Moderator Jennifer Davis Carey, Ed.D., Executive Director, Worcester Education Collaborative

Agenda this week!

A quick note, first of all, on tomorrow night's Worcester City Council agenda: the City Manager's portion of the agenda requests Council authorization for use of the revolving funds. If you look at the backup, quite a number of these are WPS accounts, many associated with Worcester Technical High School programs.  Revolving funds set aside the money brought in by a program for the use of that program.

The Worcester School Committee meets on Thursday at 7 pm. You can find the agenda here. 
The report of the superintendent this week is the administration's response regarding an exam, or limited admission, or, as it's called on the agenda, "high school for advanced learners." There is as yet no backup; I'll post it once we get it.
We have a number of recognitions and thanks coming forward, including students who are in the Central Mass Senior Music Festival.
Miss Biancheria would like to discuss the use of silent lunches.
She is also looking for an update on the School Facilities Master Plan (still in subcommittee).
We are being asked to approve two prior year payments: one to a nurse for $5,698.70. and one to the Stetson School for $20,381.22.
We have a report on the Level 4 work being done at Elm Park Community School. 

We will be having an executive session before the meeting for two items: one for an update on negotiations with cafeteria workers, and one to open negotiations for a renewed contract with Superintendent Boone (while her contract runs through June, the School Committee must inform her of intent to not renew by January). 

Looking for more on the Superintendent's evaluation? updating with comments from members

It was early in the meeting; scroll down!

Let's take a look at comments from members!