Worcester School Committee meets Thursday: FY21 discussion starts NOW

I mean, at least publicly it does...

If you want the one thing on Thursday night's agenda that you should note, it is the report of the Superintendent, which will be the first look at the FY21 budget numbers. The backup is not yet posted. Do note that this is, of course, the Governor's proposed budget, which is not usually--certainly never in this administration--where the numbers end up.

Do also note that the Department's requirements around reporting out on Student Opportunity Act spending was shared yesterday. I would say that they have rather aggressive definitions of what constitutes the "new" funding on which districts need to report. More on this to come

There are of course recognitions, retirements, and such...

Also on the agenda: not one, not two, but three subcommittee reports! The only one we're missing is Governance, which meets next Tuesday at 4:30 pm at the Administration Building (the agenda isn't posted yet; I'll share once it is).
Reporting out is the standing committee I chair (School and Student Performance; agenda here), TLSS chaired by Ms. McCullough (agenda for that here), and Finance and Operations chaired by Mr. Foley (agenda here; my notes here). As F&O had the second quarter report, there's about half a million dollars in transfers coming through there (transfers by cost center require a vote of the School Committee).

Reports coming back:

• a report on the condition of the crew boats, 'though Miss Biancheria was specifically asking about the one named for Brian O'Connell (the answer is that others are in rougher shape)
• a backup on the grants we passed last week (tough to read, I know)

We are being requested to accept donations :

‑ $66.00 from American Life Insurance Company
‑ $79.60 from Box Tops for Education
‑ $500.00 from Big Y
...to Canterbury Street
‑ $118,200 from the Worcester Technical Skyline Fund to support the Innovation Pathways Program
‑ $2,000.00 from Worcester Historical Museum/Pow Wow Worcester to WPS Visual Arts
‑ ‑ $700.00 from Scholarship America/Target Field Trips to Flagg Street School to help with the cost of field trip expenses
‑ ‑ $1,514.00 from fundraising efforts to Lake View School
‑ ‑ $1,000.00 to Lake View School from donors
‑ ‑ $452.90 from Box Tops for Education to Tatnuck Magnet School

We are being requested to approve prior year payments  (and hey, we're getting actual explanations for why they're late now):
--in the amount of $367.50 to AA Transportation Company because the invoice "was not received or misplaced this summer when school was not in session"
--totaling $13,010.98 for JROTC instructors for whom no monthly minimum instructor payment for March through June 2019
--totaling $1103.02 for a teacher and an instructional assistant

We are being asked to approve grants:
--for Teacher Diversification for $74,482
--from UNUM for Strong Schools for a total of $20,000 ('though it's a bunch of different projects; check it out)
--for Targeted Assistance twice: one for $150,000 and one for $200,000 (aside from it being spent on professional time, it is difficult to figure out what is going on here)

New items:

• Mrs. Clancey is requesting updates on CPPAC, ELPAC, SPED-Pac meetings and ways to include parental participation
• She is also requesting that social media be translated (I co-sponsored, so I think I'm cleared to say HEAR HEAR!) and that we make certain Connect-Eds are going home in home languages
• Ms. McCullough is requesting an update on what the impact of the merger of St. Peter-Marian and Holy Name will have on our buses (yes, Worcester students who attend those schools ride WPS buses)
• We're being asked to DECREASE the mileage rate in line with the IRS (from 58 cents to 57.5 cents; no I am not kidding)
• Miss Biancheria is requesting what new Ch.74 programs there are going to be
• I've asked the City Solicitor to advise us on the legal "hey this is a public document" boilerplate to go on the bottom of our emails (No, I didn't phrase it that way)
• I've also asked for a list of all fees associated with coursework in the schools
• I've asked that we discuss this proposal of the City Council's that they move polling places back into schools without discussing with the School Committee
• I'm sending the dress code not only to Governance but to the Student Advisory Council (This is going to be another one that only works if folks show up once it is being discussed in subcommittee; I'll let you know.).
• I've also asked that we pass a resolution calling on the City Manager not to supplant our capital allocation for FY21 or future years with whatever work is done on Foley Stadium or Duffy Field as was discussed at the Doherty building committee meeting. We still need to be able to fix schools!

There also is an executive session at 6: 

• To discuss strategy with respect to litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the public body and the chair so declares – Janie Lanza Vowles, Personal Representative Estate of Suzanne F. Miville v. Worcester Public Schools, MCAD Docket No. 1785CV00162
• To discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the public body and the chair so declares – International Union of Public Employees, Local 125 - Plumbers and Steamfitters. To discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the public body and the chair so declares – International Union of Public Employees, Local 135 - Tradesmen
• To discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the public body and the chair so declares –Massachusetts Laborers’ District Council for and in behalf of Worcester Public Service Employees Local Union 272 of the Laborers’ International Union of North America, AFL-CIO, Unit D, Computer Technicians
• To discuss strategy with respect to litigation for Worker’s Compensation- Instructional Assistant, if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the School Committee and the chair so declares.
• To discuss strategy with respect to litigation for Worker’s Compensation- School Nurse, if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the School Committee and the chair so declares.
• To discuss strategy with respect to litigation for Worker’s Compensation- School Secretary, if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the School Committee and the chair so declares.