What happened at Worcester School Committee on January 5?

The agenda of the meeting is here.  I've shared the slides of the Report of the Superintendent here.

The themes of the entry plan listening and learning

I don't always note this, but I do want to note that the Worcester School Committee always has executive session before public session, and almost always it is negotiation-related. There were five different bargaining units on Thursday's agenda.

There have been discussions in the past about what community groups we have relationships with; Thursday's agenda gave us a list.

I always find the elementary class size report fascinating, and this year, really amazing in terms of progress. Worcester has generally fought hard to keep elementary class sizes--even as we were/are hundreds of teachers short--smaller; the average has generally hovered around 22. To see it below 20 this year AND to see how few of the class sizes in the high twenties and into 30 we have is really great. This is directly as a result of ESSER funding; in past years, if we had had the sort of enrollment drop we did during the pandemic, because our budget is so closely tied to our enrollment, we would have had to cut positions. We didn't; we used federal dollars to keep teachers on. We're now picking that cost up with the increases in our budget due to the Student Opportunity Act (as was the plan), and we're seeing that benefit in the numbers.
Two notes; this is a 'real' report on elementary class size. This isn't fudged with total adults in the building. This is the general ed elementary teachers class by class and the actual number of students they had for the October 1 reporting. Also, as I mentioned both during the meeting and online later, the places where there are those larger classes, as a result of lack of space in buildings to split them, very often are next to places where class sizes are much lower. That's a district assignment issue (which I know isn't news to the administration).

Likewise, the October 1 enrollment report is revealing. First, our numbers continue to go back up from the pandemic drop. In particular, the Head Start enrollment doubled last year, as parents came back to that program. The grade that was the drop, which now is second, continues to be lower, but the grade 1 and K numbers are back up. We also didn't seen a drop from eighth grade to ninth grade (often we do, as families send students to private high school) last year. Overall, we're up over 583 students (that will matter in the FY24 budget!), and our total enrollment of 24,318 makes us the second largest district in the state (after Boston; we're back ahead of Springfield).

The position description for Assistant Director of Intramural and Interscholastic Athletics was approved; expect to see that posted soon.

I really recommend anyone involved in the district at all review the report of the superintendent. The major themes she's brought forward from listening and learning are:

• Acquiring and retain talent
• Modernized and safe facilities
• Student behavior and safety
• Communication and ongoing engagement
• Wellness and mental health
• Equitable resources and educational programs

Dr. Monárrez also moved us forward into planning for the next strategic plan, reminding us of the current one, and providing a (proposed?) plan for the next one. This all will go to Governance for oversight there.

She also provided us her proposed goals for the remainder of this school year, on which she'll be evaluated in June. Those are: 

• District Goal: Refine and calibrate district-level systems ensuring safety, efficiency, consistency and coherence to positively impact school systems
• Student Goal: Amplify & strengthen inclusive learning environments for WPS staff, families and scholars
• Professional Goal: Participate in the New Superintendent Induction Program (NSIP) to refine skills and knowledge related to DESE expectations of new superintendents

I believe the only feedback specific to the goals was I suggested that the verb in the student goal needed tweaking to accurately represent what was planned for this school year, as it's more like laying the groundwork needed to "amplify and strengthen." Those are now also in Governance for what editing may be needed; they'll come back to us for approval. 
In every case, the above are linked to indicators within the superintendent's evaluation rubric (remember, this whole process is VERY structured by the state), and under each goal is a list of the evidence we'll be receiving. The question on superintendent evaluation is always "how will we know we got there?" and that's what this is designed to answer.

We had three subcommittees report out--TLSS on ongoing work, Governance on a revised social media policy for staff, and F&O on the joint meeting with Education (which was sidewalks and capital funding). 

There was a lot of money approved at Thursday's meeting: a list of prior fiscal year payments, and a number of donations and grants. As a result, just to pull some: both Burncoat and Tech are having "Credit for Life" type fairs; Tech is getting a lot of updated equipment for the automotive facility; there's more support for both innovation pathways and internships.

Molly McCullough has asked that we look at substitute rates (that's going to F&O); Sue Mailman asked that we look at the time given to the vocational programming side of ch. 74 programs at the comprehensive schools (that's scheduling, and so to administration); Jermoh Kamara asked that we receive an update on mental health services outsourcing (to administration for a report); and I had three items related to facilities and the MSBA which I'm going to give their own post over here. 

We also--and thanks to Molly McCullough for bringing back this tradition--had Burncoat Quadrivium in to sing the National Anthem, and then the Carol of the Bells, as seen in the superintendent's tweet:

Burncoat Choir honored the School Committee with their beautiful voices last night. We had a little fun before the session started. I love my scholars! #allmeansall ⁦@worcesterpublic⁩ pic.twitter.com/qYGdIQUYpp

— Rachel H. Monarrez, PhD (she/her/ella) (@drrmonarrez) January 6, 2023

We next meet on the 19th of January.