Board of Education: Southbridge

Higher Ed board has moved out. K-12 board is set to take up Southbridge first

BESE hearing public comment as draft motion to declare #Southbridge PS chronically underperforming distributed to members #MAEdu

— Mary Ann Stewart (@MAStewartMA) January 26, 2016

Chester: do believe very strongly that where we have institutions who are not getting the job done, we need to be decisive about that
despite a dozen years of being an underperforming district, little progress
little to no confidence that given a year we'll see any progress
test scores, graduation
leadership turnover is outrageous
recommending that you vote receivership; would take effect immediately
"not only should be doing better than they are now, can do better than they are now"
Sagan: almost no argument falling short
"I think that we need to be careful that we're ready to take it over"
"once we take it over, we cannot fail"
update on finding a receiver
Chester: have already sent out an RFP, expect that we'll recieve a number of interesting proposals
may be an individual or a non-profit organization
expect that by early to mid-February it will be identified
Chester would be interim receiver; would take effect immediately as of the vote
Stewart: accelerated improvement to recommendation to take receivership
Chester: shortcut explanation
"astonishing how little guidance teachers are receiving" in curriculum development
district could be on verge of fourth senior administrator
"parade on non-continuity"
Sagan says that they'll call the question today
Willyard: don't want to see a search that's expidited but loses a quality receiver because of that
"individual rather than an organization"
initially planned to abstain
recently have gotten into trending topics on Twitter: national holiday in India, celebrating electing people to represent their views
was elected to represent students votes
people in Southbridge want the reciever to come in and help with their problems of leadership
Stewart: real privilege to hear people come out as they did
"in the absence of stable leadership, it's very difficult for staff to feel supported"
"school systems are ecosystems"
"think they're very concerned about holding onto the soul of their community"
"kept hearing 'we need your help'"
Moriarty: identify closely with Southbridge
divided political class
"pretty solid degree" of support among parents, teachers, students
"when non-profits came into our schools in Holyoke, it did not work well"
will vote for receivership
McKenna: painful to listen to
"very, very different than any community we've heard about"
even more issues than we've heard about before
there are those that are well-intentioned
"usually reluctant to do this in many instances, but not at all" in this case
Morton: I don't think you're going have a problem establishing a local stakeholder group
Noyce: I hope that this will be a short recievership
Doherty: opposed to section of law that allows dropping of collective bargaining rights
teachers are willing to risk collective bargaining rights and are willing to work with recievership
will abstain
Craven: best intentions of people...people are very different sides agree that assistance of state in a receivership would not be determential
unique situation in Southbridge: this has never been a resource issue, but has been a resources issue
"once we are successful...what is the road map to make sure these tools are sticky?" that change stays
"might be the fastest in and out this Board has"
tool kit to keep it going
Peyser: consistent message, that partnership with the state was essential
"at least being open to a non-profit entitity" leading receivership
"making sure that we're bringing the best talent"
early success in Holyoke and Lawrence
engage successfully, cummulative success
Sagan scrambles to back up Peyser on being open to Chester's appointment, organization or person
Recievership carries 9-0-1