DESE possible reorganization: March Board of Ed

UPDATE: the org charts are here as PDFs
Okay, here's DESE as of June 2015 (small, but if you click, you'll make them bigger):

Left then right

Chester: early retirement, RTTT ending, down in staff
seven years into tenure
Parthenon's report on organization
Parthenon now speaking: thank for access
"findings, reflections, and opportunities"
"where we saw opportunities to more strongly align with mission and strategic priorities"

five key areas of opportunity:

1. support for Commissioner: integration of work is "a huge challenge" for any state agency; how can organizational structure of agency better support work? ; identify areas of related work within the agency and bring them closer together
2. instructional supports: clarify role of state related to instructional support to the field; period of continuous improvement (work is no longer new); standards, curriculum, and assessment seen "as one"; state has real responsibility for educators to improve; "harness lessons learned from within the field"; bring closer together
3. communications: challenge for any agency to balance: internal and external stakeholders; 
4. student supports: socio-emotional learning a goal; challenge to find resources; bring together certain functions related to state support; high quality monitoring and compliance; bring more resources related to socio-emotional goals
5. educational options: diversity of school models; "that creates a real opportunity" for state to take the lead in what are the needs of students; how does access to options vary; helping to inform and in some ways steer in developing a diversity of options across the state

Chester: can see elements that reflect report in new org chart (Below in three photos; no names on chart, just titles):

Left then right

chief of staff handling communications & external relations
single deputy commissioner directly responsible for student assessment
"not expanding, we're down probably fifty positions" compared to last year
"have to be smart about our compliance and regulatory function"
opens floor to question
Stewart: what other sorts of work needs to happen to maximize design?
Chester: have people's attention on expectations on student learning in a way we haven't
MCAS has sort of lost it's relevance in a lot of areas
particularly for districts that were delivering high quality instruction
make standards very concrete and real
organize ourselves in a way that supports the instruction in a way that underlies
much more systematic to support schools in upgrading their instruction
Noyce: direct reports increased?
Chester: yes, to drive alignment, and based on discussions with other states
Willyard: down 50 positions? what happened to those responsibilities?
Chester: some no longer done, some displaced
Willyard: concerned about "littler guys" where don't understand how changes affect
worried that changes like these will affect other things that we're not knowing we're affecting through reorganization
Chester: take stock: how are we organized? What are we spending time and energy on?
Craven: hope there's a chance for department to bolster some of the roles we have here
speaks specifically of vo-tech
Chester: agrees; challenged to offer competitive salaries with those coming from districts
Sagan asks for the chart to be filled in with names

Tenth (apparently) community meeting: Flagg St. May 4

This was a much calmer meeting than one might have anticipated. I don't know if the parents are expecting they can head anything they don't like off later, if they feel they have a plan B, if it won't affect them, or what. Fairly full room, lots of parents left before the end.
Boone is purple, Mulqueen is blue, community (Doherty quadrant) is maroon.

Flagg St. community meeting : 6:10 and the room is at about capacity, out of seats
I see Mary Mullaney here; also Roberta Schaeffer (Research Bureau)

Mulqueen says he's getting out of a budget meeting; the superintendent will follow
"over the course of my nine meetings, I have learned something about starting off the meeting...you're going to have my most expert way of starting off the meeting"
"my inexperience in Worcester led me to headlong dive right into this [the bad news]"
"a lot of people hadn't been exposed to a lot of the data that had been accumulating over time...in my experience in other districts, I've been working extensively with communities so there aren't some surprises like that...I think here in Worcester we have some work to do around that...I need to take some time with you all to talk about where we are"
"since the introduction of NCLB, students have been judged by results...five level system in Massachusetts"
"Level 4 schools need some pretty intensive work"
"indicated that there would be 29 additional schools in Worcester that would be catagorized as Level 3 schools...I think maybe it was accidental that she did it [identified the number]...we're left hanging, we don't know what the schools are, we don't know more details than she shared"
"not just identified by that snapshot approach that states were using in the past...state is using a more sophisticated approach, looking at scores over time..coming along with different formulas that are helpful"
"more work to do around using test data with parents and teachers in terms of getting the word out...we have a lot of work to do there...I was thinking that you folks were tuned up already"
(BTW, I hate these new half cafeteria tables where there is no across the table. They seem really antisocial.)
"not all of our schools are catagorized as Level 4 or Level 3 schools...we have to have Level 1 or 2 schools..I can't tell you which schools are which so we can get on with the work for the schools that need it"
Market share "triggers some business terminology...new language since I was teaching, certainly...no other choices, no other options...now we have lots of other options...it's about choice. Choice is the new value in our society that people are really tuned into...issue that we have to contend with that we haven't had to in the past. Charter schools being introduced into the city will stream off students from the schools; that will hurt us...we have families...that can choose communities for different reasons"
[speaks of his son and the art high school]
"want to maintain our market share"
"this student result thing has really caught on...re-authorization of NCLB is coming up...one of those changes is that they are considering making entitlement money...competitive based upon your results"
"if you have to compete..rather than the needs you've identified in your district...that could be a hardship"
"I wouldn't be a kid these days for anything, particularly a teenager...they are learning things we never had to learn...they're competing for the global economy...I feel pretty bad for them, because they have a pretty big job ahead of them"
"as close to real time instructional changes as they can to improve instruction"
"the sun comes out on the next page"
"have substantial strengths in Worcester"
"today we know that no matter which decision, which path we go on, it takes a" lot to get there
"next page has generated a huge amount of contraversy and discussion...Worcester is very engaged in conversation about education, at least recently"
(you know, I'm getting a little tired of this "nothing happened until I got here" bit)
"conversation starter tonight"
"conversations that have taken place in the School Committee in the standing committee over years...have not been resolved, just keep being talked about...either need to take them off the table or not"
"to get feedback about them, to either clear them off the agenda or to get some further talking points for the community...to bring your anxiety level down that somehow that this is going to happen in September"
"no structural changes around grade level or some of these other things in September"
"I can tell you after nine meetings that somebody is going to say to me that you are going to do this or that...the next part will be...'but what about next September?' This is a beginning of conversation...many different forums for conversation..when the plan does come out, any suggested changes will be starting points for conversation...value a grassroots effort for changes in the district"
"trying to avoid surprise, trying to generate some urgency certainly around improvement, but" a beginning conversation
"I have trouble talking sometimes in a language that people can understand...that's Jeff-talk"
"we have strengths, we want to make them better...signature program in the district..doesn't mean every student must take advantage of the program...a strength there that can be developed...to have that kind of intense program avaliable...few towns that could offer that intense program for kids"
"if you think of all of these high schools around the city...kids would have things to choose from"
"here's the elephant in the room...reconfigure grade patterns...we don't have a plan for this"
"the idea was, what about all these different configurations? I've gotten a fairly steady stream of fairly negative reaction to reconfiguring our schools K-2, or K-8"
"I didn't say that it was 100%...some people who are less vocal in public meetings, so I know that there are some people who think" that different configurations are worth consideration
"there may be an outcome of this whole thing that is 'you know what, there are a whole bunch of parents who think that we might want to take a look at some of these plans'...or '..let's take it off the table' "
(he does a 'looking for agreement' sort of pause that teachers get told NOT to do..."we okay? you with me? does that make sense to everybody?")
[speaks of his own teaching: "vanilla across the whole district"]
"not enough to be a really good booklearner, have to be able to apply it across your life"
"increase opportunities for every student...the superintendent and I believe that we have to address the whole range of talent across the city...we think that there's a lot to do with that end of things, too...language development is another important issue for us to attend to"
"I'd like to take credit for them but I can't. They were on the agenda when I got here"
"my language didn't translate in Worcester as I'd hoped..."
"to think beyond whatever negative you can attach to extending the school day"
"real life application of learning...to explore what students might want to learn as a career option..to get them exposed to lots of things, so that when they get to college, you don't experience a child coming home" having changed their minds during junior year in college "after 60,000"
"so that when they do commit, it will play out in a successful way for them"
"don't have a real coordinated effort" on partnerships..."might be able to stretch the day in new ways"
(note, BTW, that he has received no interruptions thus far, which has not often happened)
"part of that might be a lower class sizes across the district...we could have class sizes about 21...we fluxuate about 14 and 30 in terms of class size...if we were to take advantage of shifting some of the students and reconfigure the class size...could have a value if you value class size over neighborhood schools...sense I get is people have a higher value for neighborhood schools over class size"
"partnerships are the only way we can bring our work to scale...lots of learning occasions that we might like to take advantage of"
"see, I don't think I know everything, and the superintendent knows that she doesn't know everything..but we can come up with some ideas for Worcester that might make sense for Worcester"
references the survey, if it's a bad question, tell him

Question:"outside of all of this, is there an opportunity to hire more teachers or aides" for Level 4 schools to lower class sizes?
some limitations are actual numbers of classrooms in buildings
"our highest value is around the teacher...highest value is the teacher" (how does this jive with parent being most important?) teacher, student, curriculum
"I just came from a budget meeting, maybe upper twenties as a general max...this way was just one way"
Dr. Boone just came in

Question:"has there been any consideration to doing half grades? 2 1/2 or 3 1/2...can get what they need before they fully move on?"
suggests that she write it down
"I'm for breaking through the traditional structures to serve the students...I'm up for those kinds of ideas"

Roberta Schaefer: "why not think in terms of the structure for different kinds of kids?...need longer school day for Level 4 schools, not for everyone...since the issue of money just came up about teachers...why are we talking about putting down opportunities when you may be raising expectations that you can't meet...for parents, I can provide opportunities for my kids, rather than throwing this out for everybody to talk about, rather than throwing it out for everyone to talk about...mixing apples and oranges...various kinds of kids in the district, can't afford choices"
Mulqueen: "not knowing who is who, presenting all these options, and based on feedback...getting general flow"
on money: "I was talking, I think, about using current resources..shift some resources to do it...there may be a way of shifting some of the resources to do it"

Question: "one thing that concerns me is you are talking about numbers next year...'upper twenties and that's reasonable." Upper twenties is not reasonable. Sharing an aide" (applause)
Mulqueen: when I see what towns are thinking of, thirties and up, reasonable for what is going on right now. "what's reasonable given our context"
(he's twice referenced $17 million cut out of the budget...I don't know where that number is coming from)
"things are tough, things are tough in the classroom..central office for support role for school improvement...I agree with you, I think we should have very low class sizes...how do we preserve a comprehensive school system...a careful balance"

Question: "I don't see anything here about the special education students...a lot of great ideas and you did a great job selling them...realistically, if you aren't meeting the needs of students" how can you do both?
Mulqueen:"cuts that are driven by student load...differences in those two things...looking at the need for the teacher as a target for that cut"
partners providing things outside..."wouldn't be a way for me to trade that in to get more...math assistance...way of augmenting what we have...not in competition with it"
parent says "not adding to...just keeping what they have here"
(there's a concern here at Flagg, as one of their two special ed teachers are slated to be moved next year, due to the number of kids that teacher is carrying, compared to the rest of the district. It's an equality issue. We've been getting emails about it.)
(Brian O'Connell is here, as is Dianna Biancheria)

Question: is there a chance that we could get a non-special ed teacher back?
Mulqueen: two separate areas: class size a trigger, that would cause a teacher to be added
"when we look at class size across the district...considered regularly...sometimes we can't afford it, but that doesn't mean we don't look at it regularly"

Question: when are we getting Level 3 schools and how will we know? What about Level 3 schools and next year?
Mulqueen: Level 4 schools, changes are happening right away (first stakeholder meeting is from 12-4 at Worcester Tech), plan goes to superintendent, then to SC, then to commissioner
We don't have a list that has come out, and we don't know when it will come out. "I'm not encouraged by the way the Level 4 schools come out...I've learned from that experience not to hold my breath. It will come when it comes."
"Level 3 schools, we'll have things the next year...we're not going to wait...funds...here's the hitch...four models"
"in order to access funds, we would have to choose one of those four models"
"in order to be safe as a principal, you'd have to be in a position for two years or less"
"innovation schools planning funds...not having to connect to a particular model of school improvement"

"certainly agree with what you've said with planning for students to get ready to compete for 21st century...European system far superior to ours...so much emphasis on the score, the score..taking away time from students for students to become well versed as they prepare" (applause)
Mulqueen: "yes you're right, I agree..what we'd like to see..that creativity of teachers really coming back to the classroom...we have to get back to some of those really great practices...we may have taken a side step in terms of what is important to the whole child and get back to that...you won't hear from me that we should be doing lots of test prep in the classroom...I don't think we have to be so focused on a narrow slice of what we have to do"

Comment: more afterschool programs for kids, and a variety of them
(is it possible that Flagg St's cafeteria doesn't have a clock? Or an American flag?)

Question: "it takes resources, and you're cutting teachers. How will you do it?"
Mulqueen: "we can offer things that you don't currently offer students" (partners) "we could look for restreaming resources..not saying we could offer everything to everybody,..but may be some opportunities to offer more choice"
Question: who are the partners?
Colleges, cultural arts, businesses

Question: can you point to any districts similar to ours that have done reconfiguration and how it has worked?
Mulqueen: can't point to any particular...not to look at which ones are successful in the community that it's in..but what would work here
Question: that information would be improving our thought process

Mulqueen: next step

Question: "I think it's difficult at least for me to say without that information...If you can do it better for cheaper, sure, even if I have to pick up at three schools...but if it's just gonna be one of those, let's throw a dart...I can't do it. I have no information."
Mulqueen: "conversation starter...doesn't mean that 'you said'...not what we're going to be doing...If you check off 'gee, I would be curious about reconfiguration' I would be coming back with more information" (note: that is NOT what the survey says. It says 'I am in favor of')

statement: "we don't have your expertise..I would feel more comfortable in the school system if you and Dr. Boone would come to us and say that this is what we've looked..have no confidence in the Worcester Public Schools right now, if you're just throwing these out there.."
(Dr. Boone just walked to the front)
Mulqueen: "open the door to some conversation"
hands mic to Dr. Boone: "thank everyone for coming out tonight..sharing your thoughts, your questions and your concerns...pushing on our thinking...but without the front end input, it's simply our plan, someone else's plan..tease out thinking of the community...how can we go from a good school system to a great school system..asked people what works for you" (cites CPPAC roundtable again)
what are your priorities?
"to come back and fully vet, for whatever sessions of schools, then we can talk about the values we learn from these sessions, every value is going to be used to frame and shape this work"
"what we are going to be doing ...establish a parent and community survey...we needed to know what questions to ask..an email link..help us use this...plan is in mid-to-late September to come back to the community"
(note it's now 7:30. A few parents are leaving.)
"our community only gets strong if we are all part of it...then the community owns what happens with the schools and their success"
(applause)
Comment: "I'd really like to thank you for the opportunity to fill out the survey...shows a philosophical change in the administration..what is on with teachers and principals to buy in?"
Mulqueen: "want to get there with our staff...meeting principals regularly...breakfast four mornings a week, I have Fridays off...Fridays off from breakfast..." catches himself ("Oh, that would be a good one, Mulqueen has Fridays off; look at that contract!")
someone will be meeting with teachers at schools

Teacher comment: "concern...if that is our goal, then I think that this is a phenomial beginning. If our goal is to raise test scores, then I don't see how we're going to get there..." (applause)
Mulqueen: "I think you hit it on the head. Teachers and principals have an incredible job ahead of them, and I get that. To look across the various states and see that there are states that have our challenges and are doing better than we are."
(note: if this is comparision by number of kids passing a state test, the MCAS is probably the hardest test in the country. Not comparing the same things.)
"how can we apply our good thinking...for too long haven't been able to express their creative ideas"

Questions: "ideas around partnership...there are several things I've seen fully fleshed out in the system...a very robust program of magnet program in the city when we moved here. Do we have data on that? Worcester one of the first school to career partnership...at one time, 20 was the class size, schools were built...so many of these things, I'm surprised that these are things on the table. I hope that any data that the system has is made avaliable to us..we need some base from which to work from."
Mulqueen: "grew up in Gardner.In recent conversation with principals...we sort of have been de-magnetized." Technology school with no workable computers...have to strengthen them...some aren't brand new ideas...some pockets of excellence..not really well-coordinated across the city
Boone: "for all of the value of the programs that we've had, we've not taken the approach of evaluating the programs that we've had...so that when we've had budget cuts" we've cut those "I've never judge my predicessors, who led in the context of their day...get to a point where we can barely meet bases" (I'm not as sure about that...I think that if we ask around, we might find some of that data. The previous full time superintendent was known as a data czar.)
"creating efficiencies"
(7:47: parents are leaving)
"using data to drive decisions that we make on a regular basis...if we've invested in particular programs, how do we know that they are working.."
"a lot of what we have is anecdotal"

Follow-up question: "I think it's fabulous..you've just listed a lot things that people think are important...are those numbers avaliable? Is there a place that we can look at?"
Boone says we can make it avaliable
"a firm believer that special education students should have access to the curriculum at a level where they can be successful"

Comment: "with all due respect with all that, decreasing support and increasing class size" will hurt that. "really behooves that how we place in the best way how we place those special support"
Boone "work to make sure you can look at the data" over time

And that is it! Things to keep an eye out for:

1. That survey that should follow this up
2. (for North quadrant) a Worcester East Middle meeting
3. more South meetings around innovation
4. more Level 4 meetings

And if your concerns are budgetary, let me point out again that 7 pm, next Wednesday (May 12) at City Hall is your best bet!

Tonight's double header

A reminder that there are two meetings tonight for interested community members: the final "Listening and Learning" session for Doherty quadrant elementary parents at 6 pm at Flagg Street Elementary, and the CPPAC meeting at the library with the ever-informative Brian Allen on the FY11 budget.

This week in WPS meetings

• The final two WPS reorg "Listening and Learning" sessions are this week. Monday at Clark Street--that would be Burncoat quadrant elementary--and Tuesday at Flagg Street--that's Doherty quadrant elementary. Please come!
  
• Tomorrow night is the Citywide Parent Planning and Advisory Council (CPPAC) at the library at 7pm. This week's presentation is by Brian Allen, CFOO of the Worcester Public Schools, on the FY11 budget. Here's your chance to ask questions!
• School Committee meets in regular session at 7pm on Thursday evening. The superintendent is doing her presentation on Level 4 schools that night, and I believe it may include information about next year's principals.
  

Sixth restructuring meeting: April 28, Roosevelt Elementary

And because I know there are lifelong Worcesterites who don't know, let me add that Roosevelt is the school at the south end of Grafton Street which mysteriously has no sign.

Mulqueen is in blue, community comments in orange (we're back in the North quadrant here), my comments in black italics

Maybe 60 or more at Roosevelt Elementary, possibly 20 teachers (?)
Mulqueen here, presenting
Mulqueen cites 2 Level 4 and 29 Level 3 schools (we still don't know which schools are Level 3 or above, BTW)
"you may have heard that charter schools are in the new legislation...just had a new one approved...we have to compete now about
the choices parents have for their children...when I was teaching...was like a capitive audience"
(I think this ignores the huge role that Catholic schools in particular have played in education in the city of Worcester; WPS has always had competition)
"state and federal funding may be tied more to" assessment
"how do you compete for the money? You show that your kids are doing better every year...may be tied to a more competitive structure"
"standards are very rigorous, very challenging"
"I can't even imagine what the homework is like for all of you, because it was pretty challenging ten years ago for me and my wife"
data is a new driver in the system
"sense of urgency so we can generate good thinking...we've gotta do somethings differently to get to the next step"
"...so that we were no longer under threat from charter schools"
"partnership meeting..certain partners hadn't met with each other before"
"every student prepared for college and career...want every student to have the choice"
speaks of hierarchy of tracks
"you have to be smart in everything you do, no matter what you do"
"these are the ideas that have been coming up on the standing committee on the School Committee for a number of years..items that hadn't been addressed yet...it seemed that since we had to start thinking about how to improve...so with your feedback, we could
start thinking about which ideas had potential and which did not"
"so we could outcompete people based on the strengths we have already in the city"
"if you had some high-interest areas, it might be a hook for some kids"
(how does this work with the curriculum being citywide,which has been a city concern?)
Mulqueen cites the city he currently lives in, where they moved so his son could go to a high school associated with the art museum
grade patterns: "every grade pattern you can think of"
"there are no changes coming for September in grade patterns...I think that was even in the newspaper"
concept is "there would be a cost savings affliated with that" ; cites subcom agenda again
"if that's something you feel very strongly about one way or the other, then write that down, so I can take that back"
equity, excellence, to which we "now are adding choice"
"haven't paid attention to until they were under threat, like a charter school" (really? then why do we have magnet, community, and other options in Worcester?)
"providing levels of choice in the system, so they don't need to wait for a charter school and they don't need to go outside our system"
"it's not to make your kids go to school longer, or on Saturdays, or during the summer"
"if I were a student, could I choose to do some learning outside of my regular school day" week or year
"today book learning is not enough; you really have to apply your learning to real life situations" "the horror stories from the parents I hear whose kids are in college...a really expensive kind of a life decision" if they change their minds
areas of high interest that run right through the system
Mulqueen notes that people are already writing as he talks about school grade reconfiguration
"with Level 3 and 4 schools being identified, we don't want to be caught short"
Opens the floor to questions
"the idea is to get your good ideas and hear what is meaningful for you"

a mom whose son is on the cusp of middle school: "one of my biggest concerns is conduct issues, right now for me, East Middle is not an option"
Mulqueen: "all of this is tuned to exactly what we are talking about...working with principals to make those improvements..some of them can be made pretty easily"
"maybe in a quadrant there might a leadership track...a whole school might have a leadership focus..you're exactly right...it's a high interest area for me"

a mom wants to know if we're "going to have to fight to get kids to go to a different school" (she cited Forest Grove, and Mulqueen explained an out-of-quadrant placement, which is based on space avaliable)

another mom: "after you read all of these surveys, do we get asked to come back, after you may have a plan?"
Mulqueen says there's going to be surveys online "more formal than these" and an email bank "ideas or feedback for your particular things"
plan "to give us some pushback about"
"again, when we do that part, it's not THE PLAN that we're going to implement"
"to fine tune a plan to what would really work here in Worcester"

"is it the future of the next few years for sure things are changing?"
waiting for Level 3 schools. "We'll need to make sure we're on the right track for improvement...next year coming up, September through June...that following year, we'll have made some decisions about what we're going to do"
Level 4 schools, getting it together for September
more time for Level 3 schools

another mom: "you also talked about anxiety here; it's coming from all the rumors. Rumor here is that Grafton would be K-2, Roosevelt would be 3-5, East Middle 6-8..."
Mulqueen: "we have no plan for..." that..."I can't even tell you what the grade configurations were we were playing with"
she wants to know what the savings would be..."not possible if we do a small number of schools" level out class sizes at 21..could bump teachers around the system according to the number of rooms, could re-allocate teachers in the system
$1 million in grade reconfiguration, $1 million in transportation
"will have to be looked at for a broad scale of things"
"will all due respect, there's going to be a huge loss of market share if that happens"

21st century standards for special needs...did you take into account their choices for all of this?
Yes, "we want to provide the adequete resources to do it"

Is there going to be something to do with the discipline for the junior high?
"it's a phenominal education, but because of the discipline" not planning on sending kids to WEM
Mulqueen: "it's middle school...elementary is the cutoff point...not something I came prepared to talk about tonight...I know it's something that's on your mind"
mom says "my child would end up in private school, instead of in high school, in middle school..it's unfortunate, but that's what it would be"

Question: what's the root cause of the low performance and has there been study done about that?
Mulqueen: what we've been accustomed to in education, is that when something didn't work, we'd bring in a program, and if that didn't work, we'd bring in another program, but we've found that didn't work (this is the first I've heard of that being the root cause of low performance)
"human capital development...when we are more effective at what we do, we get better results"
Focus on Results...teachers and principals are very focused on particular strategies that we're doing
principals are tracking MAP data across the system across time
for the first time this year, all of the MAP data was middle of the road (with one grade exception)
"starting to get traction for improvement..one of the most significant pieces of data we're seeing"
Question: so if we're seeing improvement, shouldn't you give it another couple of years to have it continue?
Mulqueen: if we continue at this pace, we wouldn't be making enough progress
"have to align the system to support that in new and different ways"

Question: why all of the schools, rather than just the schools that are just in danger?
"schools that are currently a high-performance school would have more autonomy"
"even in those 29 schools that are Level 3, some are in more danger than others...focus on some schools more than others...high performance schools would be the last on the list"

"if we're making progress, why change it?"
Mulqueen: depends on how much progress how fast

"what is the benefit of letting tutors go?" (I wish I'd gotten over to the person who said this: please come to the budget hearing on May 12!)
Mulqueen: budget question: calculate how to keeping a comprehensive school system (cites keeping art and music)
"at the end of the day we have to meet our budget"

"toxic at Worcester East Middle...look hard core at where your problems are...pushback is falling on teachers..you guys are looking at a lot of the wrong places here..where is the wellbeing and safety of children? I believe in public education...families need to step it up...I might as well read them a story, put them in their jammies and put them to bed and keep them as my own...you're worrying people with rumors"
Mulqueen "not my ideas, have been on the table for years" (They've been on the subcommittee agenda for years; that's not common information)
"history is that we're going to have a fluffy forum and in 2012, we're going to hear that this is a community decision and this is our directive...you need to reach out and grab the parents..you have to go hardcore for family engagement..if you don't like that your kid got suspended here, you hightail it over there...we have families move multiple times in a year"
Mulqueen asks that they write down what's on their mind
she wants to know why the state is withholding Level 3 schools
(the short reason is that nobody knows)

parent is confused about "higher level performance schools that aren't going to be touched because they're performing well, the other hand you're talking about" changing programs for schools that might be performing well
"you said it's the city or nothing..so how are you going to leave some schools untouched if you're doing it citywide?"
You had to look across the whole system, Mulqueen says, 'though some schools would not need to be touched
"you're talking out of both sides of your mouth"
Mulqueen: reconfiguring some schools to get a saving out of it...that took into account the whole city...if a school is high-performing, we'd leave a school to continue the good work
"yes,and that's what I was trying to get to...not trying to give you doubletalk"

"I'm one of the dinosaurs that had prep, college, standard...are we uping the lower performing standards or are we lowering the bar for the highest performing kids?"
Mulqueen: heterogeneous/homogeneous groups "I'm not talking about mixing all of those together...not anything I've thought about at all"
shouts from the crowd.."but that's what you said/it said"
"but if you level everything off, that's integration"
she says "if you took kids from Union Hill and brought them over to Flagg Street, you'd be integrating two different worlds!"
(crowd's getting much more agitated)

instructional aide says: "99% percent of kids were 4 years old in September..with the hour of literacy tutors a day...and, I'm sorry, hiring a data specialist, rather than having people in the classroom" makes no sense

"giving my chilren seventeen pages of homework isn't going to improve the parents who aren't spending time with their kids"
(Dianna Biancheria is here and she points out that the superintendent is not here, for the second time on the east side)

"how do we pay for this?" (how could we have more partnerships if we don't have more money?)
"I'm not knocking volunteers, but unless you offer them some value, they are not going" to show

"my main, main concern is Worcester East Middle..I've lived in Worcester 10 years...my oldest is in first grade, since she's been born, I've had anxiety about that school. Who is thinking about changing...what's going on inside? Financially, I can't afford private school...why should I have to think about "what I'm going to do
Mulqueen suggests that we have a Worcester East Middle meeting

a father points out that the kids from Roosevelt go to Worcester East Middle; his son "was scared to death" about going to WEM; (that it's the same kids, only older)
they need to know that these schools are our schools
"if it's a million dollars for every school, that won't help" if we don't know if it's the parents, kids, or teachers; suggests that the principal meet with school community to figure it out
Mulqueen: each of those schools has a unique community

mother says "you want to focus on the academics, but we're worried about violence"
CPPAC meeting cited: "gives a great range of what parents expect"
there's your resource (research has already been done); also SpedPAC
Worcester Community Connections: where the parents go

asks what it means for the substantially separated students
"my teacher is so undersupported"; if you want my son to do well, support his teacher, so he can perform better on the MCAS

"everyone's against it; are our voices going to be heard?"
"if this already started because we already wanted to get the money and we were afraid we would not, is putting these kids into all different schools going to make their MCAS scores go up?"
Mulqueen "just bringing it here for feedback"
"what's the benefit here?"
Mulqueen cites that UPCS has a K-12 and is doing well, "so the idea of reconfiguring for grade levels" came from there
parent "a salad's a salad; you put it in the spinner, it's going to come out the same every time"
notes that K-2 does not have MCAS, so it can't be a Level 4 school; once they hit MCAS, then you'll have a different result (she wondered if that's why they'd do that: to avoid a number of schools being Level 4. I hadn't thought of that; Mulqueen says they won't "game the system")
parent asks if there are other things going on in that school? Yes
going to Clark for free is incentive for neighborhood school

parent asks if the survey will be going out this year: June, he says, parents will be told through Connect-ED, notices home, etc; need to work out details
parent asks if there are any non-structural changes for this fall
a PE buffer at the beginning of the day, maybe, for example
when will parents know about those changes? will come through principals

are the changes for the program quality review going to be implemented for this fall? Yes, we're on a strict timeline

Concern with four year olds entering kindergarten (gets a round of applause) says that should rollback entrance to kids who are five for August

(note that it is now 7:30 and the questions are still coming)

parent says this is the second meeting on the east side and the superintendent is not here; leaves a bad taste in his mouth
Mulqueen: "my standing committee sent me to conduct these meetings; this is my responsibility...very rigorous schedule"
Parent points out that she was at Doherty
(for those who are curious, I believe she was here)

"this is robbing Peter to pay Paul..the data is there...you're not talking to us...this is just to throw out the water and test it and see how hot it's going to get...the bottom line is we know the schools are in jeopordy here...to put all this in front of us...this information you're talking about is five to seven years old...we shouldn't be talking about stuff that was data-driven five to seven years ago"
"why are we still talking about when 134 teachers or whatever it is are going to lose their jobs?"
"I know you have a history with people like me coming to talk to you and doing whatever they want...not everything will cost us money"
he asks why we are talking about this if we don't have resources to do this
"what are these standing committee talking about it they're doing it month after month when we don't have money to do" what we have to do it
asks that the superintendent come to any other meeting: "if she can't come to the east side once, what does that tell us?"

parent wants to know why extending the school day is on the survey if he said he didn't mean extending the day; but it's on the survey
he explains what he means by extended day: extracurricular programs, internships, music classes
who are the people doing that? one parent asks
"am I in favor? I don't know what the heck I'm in favor for...also, who are the highly-qualified people coming in that door?"
(this exchange is continuing at some length and rather a bit of hostility; several parents have left, most without turning in a survey)

"I take it you haven't been in Worcester long" round of laughter "People like you come and talk to us, and then the next thing we know, we open up the Telegram & Gazette, and here what you're going to do to our children"
He agrees that he doesn't know the history
listening, trying to reverse that:"I'm going to keep doing that"
he's now allowing people to leave

parent points out there aren't nearly enough people here...school of 600 with this many parents"we really need to speak up" (in fact, this is a quandrant of several thousand elementary school children, so it's more than that)

Mulqueen cites that his wife did most of the "parent involvement"; some parents aren't here, because they have to work

Question: if you're going to move the kids, how is that going to improve the scores?
Balancing class size across the city would help

Questions about preschool: preschool is continuing this year, "we're trying to continue every year"

much sentiment that parents don't want to drive from place to place to drop off and pick up various kids

(8 pm, room has emptied a bit, but the questions are still coming)
Mulqueen says he's "looking to you to generate ideas"
a lot more meetings and community input if there were restructuring
has anyone spoken to the students about why kids are underperforming? Kids taken out of class for suspension
"find out why the frameworks don't ask what's on the MCAS"
"there is so much in the city, but you have to dig to find out...it's not given to you...dig it up, start giving it to the parents"
That's a wrap: there's three more meetings next week if you have yet to make one!

Notes from Roosevelt

A few notes from Roosevelt before I post the entirety of my notes:

• There was a crowd of about 60 there at Roosevelt last night, and it was more clear in this gathering than it has been in previous ones that parents that were also teachers were there.
• There's still a lack of clarity on who these meetings are for: one parent last night pointed out that this wasn't much of a crowd for a school of 600. It was even less of one for an entire elementary quandrant, which is what the meeting was meant to be.
• Two school committee members--Dianna Biancheria and myself--were there, as was Councilor Kate Toomey. There was a solid turnout of principals; Dr. Mulqueen ran the meeting; the absence of Superintendent Boone was publicly noted and was not taken well.
• Beyond the common theme of previous meetings--parents have no interest in changing the grade system--there was much expressed concern about Worcester East Middle. Dr. Mulqueen said that subject warranted its own meeting, which he'll be scheduling.
• There was also, better expressed than I've heard it yet, expressed the common fear under all of this: that the city comes out, does these meetings, and then decides what it wants to.

Notes coming next!

Tweets from Sullivan

Family health issues made me late to Sullivan and I left early, but here are what I did manage to get while I was there:

• About 40 people @ Sullivan Middle. 4 SC members. Maybe 15 are teachers
• For a long time educators have felt constrained. Better results=more autonomy. Mulqueen
• Question-autonomy 4 what? Curricula,staffing...finance, too
• Mulqueen of innovation schools as charters under WPS umbrellas
• How would you compare schools? Would not use archaic model of comparing last yr 4th gr to this yr. Mulqueen
• How do we know that our schools are doing well? Mulqueen cites 29 Level 3 schools. Note that is on MCAS
• What happens 2 ones that already work? Not sacrificed
• Question-how can there be autonomy w state frameworks?
• (as I was leaving, I did catch the answer to this from Mulqueen, which was something along the lines of the frameworks leaving lots of room in them.)

Tomorrow night is Gates Lane!

WPS meetings this week

Yep, it's another week like that!

• Monday is the first of two innovation quadrant meetings (South is the quadrant being looked at for innovation), this one at Sullivan Middle at 6 pm.
• Tuesday is the second of those, this time on the elementary end, at Gates Lane, also at 6 pm.(Blogging note: though I will be at both and taking notes, in both cases I have to leave early, so they may leave a bit out at the end)
• Tuesday night also is when City Manager O'Brien is presenting his City of Worcester FY11 budget to the City Council, starting at 7 pm at City Hall (thus why I am ducking out of Gates Lane early). If you're wondering why this matters to the Worcester Public Schools, you might want to read Nick Kotsopoulos from today's paper (and then, if you are so inclined, get in touch with your city councilor).
• Wednesday night is the Roosevelt meeting (that would be North quadrant, elementary) at 6 pm.
• Thursday night is the regularly scheduled School Committee meeting. The agenda is not yet up, but watch for it, because there are some intriguing things in the back-up this week, including an exhaustive list of grants to the WPS for both last year and this year. Don't expect it to start right on time, as I'm told we've got a large executive session agenda.
  

Next week's schedule

Due to the reorganization pressures, both external and internal, there are many meetings in Worcester next week!

On Monday, we've got a double-header: at 6 pm, the Doherty quadrant reorganization meeting is at Doherty Memorial High School. Note that this meeting, as with the past two, is being presented as the middle/secondary meeting. The elementary school meetings are later. ('though I should probably also note that neither of the two meetings so far has in fact focused exclusively on secondary.)
To follow, once we jet across town, is a specially scheduled School Committee meeting at Tech at 7:30. We are having, I am told, Deputy Commissioner Karla Baehr (from the state Department of Ed) come to the meeting to answer questions regarding the use of federal turnaround funds, on which the School Committee will vote at that meeting. It's being held early in part because the teacher bid list goes out over April vacation, and what sort of turnover we see at Chandler Elementary and Union Hill may well depend on how that vote goes. (The agenda isn't up yet, but I imagine it will be later today.)

On Tuesday at 4pm, there is a Finance and Operations subcommittee. I'm told that we have a bid for the special ed bus contract, and we've got a quarterly report to work through as well. That's at the Durkin Administration Building.
At 6pm, the community reorg meeting at Union Hill is at Union Hill School. Please come if you are in any way connected to Union Hill.

On Wednesday at 6pm, the community reorg meeting is at Chandler Elementary. Again, if you have kids there, teach there, live in the neighborhood, please come.

On Thursday at 7pm, there is the regularly scheduled School Committee meeting at City Hall.

Clive's take

And today's paper has Clive McFarlane's column on Wednesday night's meeting.
(You might also read the comments, as it looks like some of those who are posting were at the meeting.)

Second restructuring meeting: April 7, Burncoat High

Someone asked after the first meeting if anyone is taking notes. I am, 'though not in an administrative capacity. Here follow my notes of the meeting, to which I came in a bit late. As the meeting largely took the form of a series of exchanges between Chief Academic Officer Jeff Mulqueen and the audience, I've colored Mulqueen's comments in blue and those of the public in (Burncoat) green. My comments, as per usual, are in italics. While I did not get every word, I did get the jist of every exchange.

first page doesn't take into account "positive things going on"
outcompete every surrounding district
"coming to bring to bear partnerships" to lighten load
at graduation "I choose to this or that"
"work of School Committee has brought us to this point"
generating ideas over time: "timing is perfect"
"make sure that you are as anxiety-free as could be"
"I'm the last one to hear the rumor": "happy to respond to what the facts are"
heterogenous groupings question: answer that it's a school based question, nothing coming from the district on that
college-level mixed with honor-level classes: the same question
where did these ideas come from? whose ideas are these?
Standing Committee on Curriculum: ideas suggested over some years: finding out from public what they think of these ideas
Has there been any sorting of ideas?
"I know the ideas are good ones because they line up with ideas coming from the state department"
"and some are from the state and federal department...but I think it does represent some good thinking..." (protest "that doesn't mean it's necessarily a good idea" to which I can only add "Amen!")
"Is it safe to assume that someone is recording all of the questions and comments to bring back?" Pointed to form on the back: protest that isn't what she meant
ideas don't have to be publicly expressed: Mulqueen says he doesn't "want to multi-task" (I just want to note that this would be the equvilant of a teacher writing on a blackboard while leading the class. Or one might request a volunteer.)
what are all the grade patterns that could be used? Mostly K-6, 7&8, 9-12
others: "early literacy skills" at K-2 school (also financial benefits): if we did that, we could level the class sizes around 21 throughout the district (right now we go from 14-30)
it would save about $1 million
rumor that it would involve transporting children from one school to another: yes, K-2, 3-6, 7-12 "clear pathways as students aligned"were some shifts in neighborhoods, but not switching schools from Doherty to South quadrant (as per rumor)
what sort of reconfiguration would you see in this neighborhood?
savings only comes if you do it in the whole district:"draft map for the whole district..some of that...some of K-6"
asks feedback for whole district
question about children walking to school: "how does that [busing]save money?" saves $1 million across the district"
in the event the city says we have to make a big cut..."I'm trying to think about other sceanerios that would figure
out"
"trying to float some ideas"
is the 21 student class K-6, or would it increase as they get older?
It's across the whole system, K-6
tying back to marketing our district as other towns' class sizes go through the roof
does it eliminate school choice? No "need to have more options for kids, not fewer"
"increase number of choices..not any kid goes to any school, but trying to get" to more choices
wondering about the data shows for what works?
teachers have few partners at a particular grade level, "structure has to shift on data-driven"..more partners to do that work with
interruption: what does the data show? "I'm explaining it in pretty easy terms"Mulqueen
"what's good for children"
question"is there data showing that this is a good idea?"
"looking for sound data showing how this idea works"
Mulqueen: "What data do YOU have that neighborhood schools work?"
what shows that this works?
"data-driven improvement works..."
"so you're just looking at the numbers"
"get the sense that you're trying to pin me down...
"question regarding class sizes: if class sizes decrease, but we're going to be busing kids around the city..."it's not that we're busing kids all around the city"
talking about budget cuts, how can you maintain class size when teachers are being cut?
excess staff capacity: level class size across the city
"I'm not saying you get rid of them...saying that you use them in a different way"
for those schools that 13 or 14 gets kids from the school that 25 or 30
having 21 is not a huge burden
how do you get the K-2 teachers to talk to the 3-6 teachers?
"don't do all the problem solving right away...""if we think about all those barriers right away, we'll never get to it...it will just be barriers all the way"
"not new to education"what do we do with middle school?
Small learning communities..."personalization is a key component of successful
education"
parent involvement : am I going to sit on more PTO's? being able to focus my efforts on a single school"
"are still some possibilities for the K-6 model to be up and running...all the different configurations could be up and running...there might not be a change for you" ('though earlier it was pointed out that the cost savings and the smaller class sizes would only happen if it changed across the district)
multiple schools would be multiple PTO's
what about how teachers feel? are they embracing it as a saving grace?
"change is always difficult"
question: have you spoken to teachers?
principals are doing it school to school
talking today to principals about extending the school day..."we know that without ownership it's not gonna fly"
"lived in this neighborhood for half a century....just because I'm older doesn't mean I'm not very interested in the system...when you say, we, what do you mean? Who is we?"
he asks for an example: "which time?"
she asks if the school department has autonomy...no, he says
will these things that the school committee would have to vote on? "very likely" he says
forwarded to larger school committee for a vote
"you must understand the fears and the concerns" (from the woman who's lived here for half a century)
what's the timeline?
changing configuration of schools would have to happen over a long time
extending day could happen next year
what for middle and high? maybe 7-9
small learning communities to individualize instruction
idea generating stage: are there any ideas on the table now?
yes, for South
more cohesive ideas for middle and high
do we have a small academy model at Burncoat? would you mess with it? "Only to enhance it, only to enhance it"
"I hear what you're saying that this is a gradual approach. This doesn't feel gradual to me...I appreciate your sense of urgency...the questions raised seem completely appropriate to me...lose the vertical alignment. You're saying we need to make our decisions, but there is no data avaliable."
"Not prepared tonight to share data to defend any of those ideas"
"For us, what I want to know as a parent that these ideas that are being considered...that there is some darn good data"
"I can come back and we can have a conversation about the data"
"maybe you should say that for future meetings"
murmur that it wasn't clear from the letter, didn't understand the letter
"I don't know that people understand...I'll learn from that...I did my best even at the beginning of the meeting to say that I'm here to listen...if you have a low-tolerance for reconfiguration, let me know; I won't be offended."
"kids need more time to eat" and he exits to applause
what if the pairing is not schools at the same academic level? My kid goes to a good school, I don't want him to go to a school that's underperforming (this was not answered)
what about class sizes on high school level? You aren't going to send kids to other schools
"no draft work on middle and high school...students drive class size"
need to have more conversations about priorites"How do we get more classes if we are cutting teachers?"
"How are we going to offer more options?"
community resources: what sort of community resources?
question:what about stretching the day?
(it appalls me to type this, but this was said in a voice that mocked the question which was asked at Monday's meeting)"not sitting there from 7-4"
...not to require kids to come...opportunities to learn..some could enrichment, some could be credit-bearing"
"what are the wraparound supports we can bring in? We don't have the resources to do that."
Why can't a child go into a classroom and learn from a teacher? "I'm round enough"
Question posed by Mulqueen "can we do a Classical High for our kids?"
"Is international travel officially not sanctioned by the school district?" Hasn't been brought up this year
push to have that ban lifted to "take advantage of international travel...if we are global "
"when you are considering this...to me, that is just mechanics, it's not what the kids are going to get out of it...Consider them as if they...challenge them to be the best they can be" several sports analogies "parents can buy into and kids can achieve and people will come back...this is just merchandising, packaging.
"math program is "maddening" curriculum holding back kids
Maddening when we dumb down AP, honors..."then MCAS that's ...have the data that shows that one option is better than the other?
"I don't care about the MCAS quite frankly. It narrows them down and doesn't allow them to excel."
"treat their brains as if it's a physical gift"
(that last all from the same parent)
transition to gifted and talented by Mulqueen "we can't do it with the same lockstep structure"
"this isn't the convincing meeting" Mulqueen
"when you're fortunate enough to have a child that has some artistic strengths and some other strengths" would like to go abroad and get her credit: question to get her credit..."struggle about what you're going to give to her...I see my daughter going to have a full, rich life, but only if the school tells her [she can]..beyond the MCAS, and I know that's a lot to ask. All kids should have these opportunities."
Mulqueen "we're trying to make the system more flexible"
question: might we want to see about how NCLB changes before we make our changes?
"this is the direction it's going, that's the message we're getting" cites going to Washington "coming from several directions"
suggestion that we get in touch with federal legislators if we are concerned about it (yes, this suggestion was from me. It's the only time I spoke.)
question about scheduling conflicts and after school choices: putting it outside the school day so there can be another section of AP or something else
"if we adjust the sports teams a half hour, timing wise" it might give enough time for the course"
some of these things might not happen
"Is virtual high school already available? wouldn't that be a good idea for gifted and talented? Not like you can't be enriched now"
"expanded opportunites"
Conversation that parents don't know about these options
Our guidance counselors are overextended as they are; need additional guidance; need more, particularly with all of these new choices
"have to figure a way to make the job do-able"
"implementing them will be the problem-solving part"
"kids have to learn to advocate for themselves too"complacency from kids... kids "already know that it's okay to knock on a door and ask a question"
"awful lot of people in this building that are tripping over themselves to offer...not always a lot of people taking us up on those options"
"envision core courses that kids are required to take"
"If we're talking about the core, it's a lot of things"
"The way you see it, it's fully choice...so kids who do need remediation" could go after hours
"a way for principals to be instructional leaders" and not be outside the buildings
"before we go changing everything, let's look at the things we're doing that's good, and build on that"
talking with principals about "trying to do both"
"the system needs some changes in it..unless we do things differently, not getting there"
request to write down all those good ideas
rumors about elementary schools that have paired up sister schools; his draft document that nobody has seen (he swears)


I should also perhaps point out that Clive McFarlane, Telegram and Gazette columnist, attended. The meeting ended right at 7:30, 'though people stayed to fill out their forms, which Mulqueen said would be typed up and compiled by his secretary.

First restructuring meeting: April 5, North High

What follows here are a compilation of my tweets from the meeting at North High. Please bear in mind that I was limited to 140 characters and that I was texting this on a phone!

• Competition 4 fed grants cited. 'continuous improvement' 5:17 PM Apr 5th
• 'have resources other communities don't' 5:20 PM Apr 5th
• Signature programs @ each school. 'Brand outcompetes other' 5:23 PM Apr 5th
• 'the system has not been managed in a way that's helpful' 'smooth out class sizes' 5:28 PM Apr 5th
• Question about current disparities among schools. 5:43 PM Apr 5th
• What would we be losing 2 do this? 'dead-end courses' (example?) 6:03 PM Apr 5th
• Query if we can depend on volunteers. Mulqueen asserts we can & must try. Asserts we must. 6:07 PM Apr 5th
• Mulqueen says if not every child can choose to go to college, we have failed. 6:09 PM Apr 5th
• 'Not a matter of going from zero to 60 says Mulqueen. At the start, he says. 6:11 PM Apr 5th
• If you do not have the buy in from the staff you will go nowhere. Biancheria 6:13 PM Apr 5th
• How are we going 2 handle the disciplinary issues? 6:22 PM Apr 5th

CPPAC

Much talk tonight about the first community meeting on reorg last night at North High. Let's sum up by saying that people are not happy.
Parents are not clear on why they should come, where and when they should come (elementary/middle/secondary/quadrant), what is or is not being suggested, what things parents should be prepared to bring with them to discuss, and what (if anything) is being recorded to be used for future use.
Forwarded to administration.

Handout on reorg/redesign

I've posted the handout for the reorg/redesign meetings.

Nine more to come!

While last night was the first of the community meetings on the possible redesign of WPS, there are plenty more to come! Tomorrow night's meeting is at Burncoat High School.

Unfortunately, there's still a mixed message coming from the administration. These are "community meetings" but they've been poorly advertised. They are "the beginning of the conversation" but there's a presentation on changes that administration wants to make, and no notes being taken on community suggestions. There is "nothing decided" but there's a schedule of changes to be made.

And community pushback was not welcomed or taken politely last night.

Live-tweeting at North

North High doesn't have wifi (come to think of it, will the new North?), so I won't liveblog the meeting tonight. I'll tweet it, though!

Meetings

It's a big week for meetings.

First the community meetings on the redesign/reorganization start this week. Tonight is the first one, at North. On Wednesday there is on at Burncoat.
This is also CPPAC meeting week: tomorrow night 7pm at the library. I haven't seen an agenda yet, but I'd imagine that will come out today.
There is also a hearing on Latino education at Worcester State (in the science building) on Thursday at 5:30 pm. This is a statewide meeting sponsored by the Governor.

Come speak!

Meetings

Just a reminder: I've posted the dates of the reorganization meetings to the right--->>>>

Please come!

Administration asks that those interested in secondary/middle schools attend the meetings at those sites; elementary parents (and those interested) at the elementary schools.

Please spread the word!

TLSS Subcom report

including, of course, the report on reorganization

TLSS subcommittee report
new dates for meetings : innovation schools: collaborate around redesign in South Quadrant
other quadrants: flexible staffing, community partnerships (for increased programming)
Level 4 schools: adding a meeting to the process (state doesn't include a meeting, we thought it should)

Mullaney: what does the flex-time do to athletics? When she asks is this a done deal, the Superintendent shakes her head and says "no"
looking to free up the schedule: so kids don't have to make the choice btn AP and band...will they have to choose btn AP and sports? (asks Mullaney)
a zero bell: time before school, virtual class, after school
Mullaney asks how staggered time will work in elementary: community partnerships, says Mulqueen
If some teachers come in at 8, and some come in at 9, what happens with the kids?
tutoring in the morning before the school starts, for example, says Mulqueen
what about people who don't need services? asks Mullaney
Boone says we "heavily laden our day" with remediation
foreign language, says Boone, should begin in young grades, for example
"well planned and specific" requests Mullaney
on summer reading, Mullaney says that the reporting requirement is touchy-feely

Novick: question about what summer reading is for? Get the kids reading
get that TLSS meeting easily accessible : the 4th floor of a locked building is not a public meeting
motions from Mr. O'Connell going back to 2004 all moving forward all of a sudden
don't lose the good in chasing the better: we do good work, don't lose it

EAW encourage more participation with teachers, right now subject to rumor
Boone says EAW has been at the table
"our investment in our people is the best investment we can make" says Boone

Foley: it must be a deliberate process

Boone envisions the groups breaking up into smaller groups by school
elementary parents should go to elementary school for conversation around elementary ed; likewise secondary ed
"to get initial conversations in a larger group forum"
agenda: 20 min explanation of why we were here, 20 min to have groups of parents to talk, 20 min to share together
not one-on-one conversations, but scale for conversation

Mulqueen:
"the message is not 'this is what the central office wants' this is a conversation starter"
"a way of bringing out good thinking in the district"
one "non-negotiable that I'm bringing to the meeting...we have to improve results, and I need your help to do it""these are conversation starters"

SAVE THESE DATES INSTEAD!

You know how you thought those dates were coming up too quickly? You've been heard! Here are the NEW dates:
All meetings are from 6-7:30 pm

• South Quadrant: April 26 @ Sullivan Middle
• South Quadrant: April 27 @ Gates Lane

• Union Hill: April 13 @ Union Hill
• Chandler Elementary: April 14 @ Chandler Elementary

• April 5 @ North High
• April 7 @ Roosevelt Elementary
• April 12 @ Doherty Memorial
• April 28 @ Burncoat
• May 3 @ Clark Street
• May 4 @ Flagg Street