The Board of Ed April meeting: opening comments

Seal of Wellesley Public Schools as a mosaic on the floor of the high school

 

Today's meeting brings us to Wellesley High School, the school of student member Ela Gardiner.

Wellesley High School

The agenda is here. The livestream will be here (that's a new link).
Expect a significant amount of introductions and welcomes, which I will not be blogging.
Updates as warranted!

Opening with public comment 
Beth Kontos, AFT-MA on the Lawrence receivership
call from Riley that they this would be the last year that Lawrence will be in receivership
"ready to get the work done"
"the school year is nearly complete. We don't see any close to being out of receivership"
"one of his comments was 'they won't take it back'...there is a stall going on"
"the policy is ripe for making the change now; the politics is getting in the way"
superintendent search is dominated by the politics
normally in other districts, you invite people to be part of the process...and I don't see that happening.
members who were invited to be part of the search; their choices are being superceded, and people who didn't make the cut being added
"I believe it is time to bring Lawrence out of receivership"
Do it together
"I would like to reinstate an elected school committee"
Mayor would like an appointed committee, which would involve a change in charter, which is part of the reason for the delay

Kim Barry, Lawrence Teachers Union
there has been reason for those who were on the selection committee to lose faith in the (superintendent) process
"the mayor had his own candidate" and that candidate did not make the second round
LEA wanted to bring four names forward, which is what happened yesterday
Per the Eagle Tribune, the four are: Ralph Carrero (of Lawrence Family Development Charter School) , Dr. Alma Gonzalez de Castillo (of Pflugerville Independent School District, TX) , Ligia Noriega-Murphy (of Malden Public Schools), and Dr. Timothy Sippel (of Worcester Public Schools)

missed a comment in there about the cutoff of class size for inclusion in district data

now comment on "worshipping the false god of local control" and arguing that the Department's vision is passive

Mary Tamer, DFER: 
supporting bill requiring literacy materials be chosen from state list
"reflects a patchwork of programs and guidelines which do not ensure all students are reading by the end of third grade"
cites Globe's survey that half of districts were using curriculum "the state deemed low quality"

Beth Trivedi, MTA support literacy launch
clear message from members have been that local districts need to flexibility to choose program "or PROGRAMS" to meet their students needs
"teachers should be included in the provision of all professional learning opportunities"

Heather Peske NCTQ
"have had strong work"
will need even more bold action
don't let other districts off the hook
"maintain and balance the Literacy Launch with accountability"
"to promote coherence and efficacy"
"measured by its ability to compel districts...to shift...using evidence and science to give the best literacy instruction"
citing the NCTQ evaluation of teacher training program
if teachers were properly trained, it wouldn't be up to districts (hm)

Testimony on opportunities for children of color in receivership districts

Chair Craven: scheduling a joint meeting with higher ed for June
National Director of Boards: PD for boards, including an orientation for new board members

Secretary Tutwiler: thanks Wellesley for hosting, Ela Gardiner for her work
know that many students have not completed FAFSA this year; lots of financial aid available in the Commonwealth; thank schools that are leaning into this work
nearly $600,000 in grants going to public schools for FAFSA completion events
Dept of Higher Ed for completion of Mass Grant from May 1
budget: support for early college, universal meals

Acting Commissioner Johnston: 
on receivership districts
Lawrence Alliance for Education (which is the receiver) announced the four finalists; interviews in May
Southbridge: visited yesterday to talk about steps that they can take
subquorum of school committee; town manager; move forward to address local control
"I would characterize [the conversation] as open and honest"
School committee to determine what steps they want to talk in moving forward
Holyoke: local control subcommittee has now met three times
role of the school committee in the budget process; "they came incredibly prepared"
Felix charter: opening procedures to address concerns raised by Board members at vote
May and June expects six submissions to address concerns further
Plan to return in the fall with a recommendation about the tuition
"hopeful about these next steps"
Brockton: support aligned with general...effort
part 1 of the safety audit at the high school has been completed; part 2 taking place
"definitely still time for students to fill out the FAFSA" to apply for this fall
Mass grad supports through August
Perkins State Plan must be submitted for four year periods; deadline May 10, effective July 1