Worcester School Committee meets Thursday

Let me note by the way that we've entered the biannual "city council takes up school committee items" that happens every election year; that was last week, but there are more items on this week's agenda. We're also seeing the school committee agenda flooded with items, as happens every election year. That'll get a lot of reports generated (maybe) but it doesn't get work done.

In any case, the Governance subcommittee has a meeting scheduled this week on Tuesday (it says Thursday, but I'm going to guess the date is what's right) with a number of items that...look like they belong in finance? However both a possible lunch policy and adherence to the recess policy are the agenda, which I know is of interest to many.

As a side note, having to click through means one can miss meetings; Teaching, Learning, and Student Support met on March 20. This report on Hanover Academy raises more questions than it answer. There was also a report on snow day remote learning (which looks mostly as though it is another copy of DESE's information on it).

The full Committee meets Thursday. The agenda is here. The superintendent's report is on AVID.

The mostly-online back and forth over a post by Mr. Comparetto (see the first Worcesteria item here) is being taken up by the EAW president Roger Nugent, who calls Mr. Comparetto's comment "racist."

Mr. Nugent is also requesting additional speech and language pathologists.

There are appointments and recognitions.

The same backup is coming back on online grading and has anyone yet asked about doing it in house?

Mr. O'Connell is suggesting the use of Confronting White Nationalism in Schools: A toolkit. I'll just leave that there.

Somehow we're still seeing prior year payments, this one for $60.00 to the LearnWell for in-district tutoring.


There is a request that the committee accept a donation of $5,700 from the Goddard Scholars Academy PTO for Chromebooks.

Mr. Monfredo is collecting books and suggests that administrators highlight programs in their schools during the report of the superintendent.

Miss McCullough is proposing "Adulting Days."

Oddly, Mr. Monfredo and others are suggesting now that the Committee send a letter requesting "Foundation Funding Bill that would benefit the GateWay Cities," which is odd coming from a committee that received the clear comparisons they did.

There is a request for dates and times of spring cleanups.

Mr. Comparetto is proposing: district school committee seats; mentorship opportunities; a report on teacher diversity; a grow your own teacher program; a report on One City, One Library; a report on farm-to-school programs; an internship program; a moratorium on high-stakes testing; a report on progress of the strategic plan; a request for additional budget hearings; a report on wraparound coordinators; an update on immunizations; after school and out of school programming.

Mr. O'Connell is asking for information on Stembus.org

Miss Biancheria is asking for a report on "Stand for the Silent."

And there is an executive session on a grievance, a workers comp case, possible litigation around a teacher, and Jane Doe v the Worcester Public Schools.

Worcester School Committee "Community and Schools Forum" at Worcester State

I'm blogging tonight from the "Community and Schools Forum" at Worcester State University tonight. It's co-sponsored by the Latino Education Institute, Adelante, CENTRO, Southeast Asian Coalition, and African Community Education. This is a good one, because Worcester is a majority children of color system; the stats for last year are: 

Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity (2016-17)
Race	% of District	% of State
African American	15.4	8.9
Asian	7.4	6.7
Hispanic	41.8	19.4
Native American	0.2	0.2
White	31.1	61.3
Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander	0.0	0.1
Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic	4.1	3.4

Worcester has--and will continue to have, regardless of the results of the November election--an entirely white school committee.

Worcester School Committee meets Thursday at 7

The Worcester School Committee meets Thursday, December 3 at 7. You can find the agenda here.
The report of the superintendent this week--the first report Dr. Rodrigues is giving as interim--is his entry plan.

There are no subcommittee reports this week.
We have a response coming back from administration on the updated numbers on the state cherry sheet (worse than they were when we passed the budget in June) and what the final cost on gas will be, as that contract was still being negotiated when we passed the budget. And while it's lower than the projection, skim down to the utilities line in the first quarter update on where we're expected to be on building utilities for why we won't be hearing a recommendation to move funds. 

In the ongoing settling up of the student activities accounts, we're being asked to accept a donation of $6,261.81 to Doherty. 
We're being asked to accept $400 from Shaw's for Heard Street School.
We have several requests for recognitions.
Mr. Monfredo is asking that administration work to get more mentors for AVID.
Miss Biancheria is asking that the security audit be discussed at the December 17 meeting and also at the February 25 meeting.
She's also asking a number of questions around textbooks: how many are rebound, how many we have versus need, how many are on the computer, how many students don't have textbooks, and if there's a central inventory.

I'm clearing out old items (lest I linger on agendas!), so I have a list of items I'm pulling off of subcommittee agendas and out of administration (many of which have been answered, anyway).

We have the annual Head Start report. 
We have the collaborative's audit.
We're being asked to accept an alternative education grant for $20,000 (not clear on what it's for, exactly).
We're being asked to accept STARS Residency grants for Columbus Park and for Jacob Hiatt (for neat stuff, incidently: check out the backup!)
We're being asked to recognize the WPS Foundation for their constuction at the One City, One Library branches, and being asked to accept the donation of the materials and equipment there. 

Every six years, the state comes in and does a Coordinated Program Review (which, inevitably and much to my confusion, gets abbreviated 'CPR') to check on on how the district is doing with adhering to federal regulations. Ours has now come back and it includes:

• the CPR report with sections on special education, civil rights, and career and vocation education
• the CPR review of English Language Learning in the district
• the Title I review (it looks like the backup on this one got scanned out of order; page 1 is page 2) with NO FINDINGS
• the Title IIA review and more here (that's teacher training), with "Commended" status on two categories of professional development
• the safety inspections of our vocational education areas in the high schools

Note that the reports came through a few months ago; I expect that we'll have a report on what has already been changed or improved in a number of these areas.


There is an executive session for a grievance.

Questions on opening of school

Petty: what does a level enrollment do to us?
Allen: level enrollment, would essentially make our budget flat for next year
currently inflation factor is negative "for the second time ever"
that would drive down our foundation budget
once we have the enrollment number and the inflation number, we'll know our foundation budget
Petty: how many have solar panels?
North had them built in, Worcester Tech has them, somewhere between five and seven will either have them on the roof or in the parking lot
Petty: savings?
Allen: still doing analysis
see savings in delivery costs, pay city for supplies costs
Monfredo: comprehensive report
additional teachers in the system
still short IAs
expansion of AVID program: would hope for report from AVID
PD; continuing to up the ante on professional training for this year
facilities improvements: makes a major improvement: "first thing they notice is 'wow' this is a nice building to visit"
Worcester Tech lost 35 students: no waiting list?
Boone: no, they could have lost students in grades 10-12, who may have left the area
Monfredo: how many schools have been involved in MSBA?
Allen: 17 so far

O'Connell: human resources did not have a director this summer, yet managed to fill the positions that existed
major effort by staff
testing: issues in the past and continue to be issues for us
enrollemnt at the Technical high school
waiting list "a bit on the artificial side"
vocational side could absorb more students; academic could not "impression of teachers"
school discipline and maintenance of order

Ramirez: administering APs exam: do we know how many pass?
Boone: part of a full report to the school committee
Ramirez: new contract on transportation this year: changes in routing?
Allen: transportation done in-house
Ramirez : students moved from Caradonio to Clark St: reflected in numbers
Boone: are included in overall enrollment
Rodrigues: those students belong to their sending schools

Foley: applaud comprehensive report
work that the budget staff has done for year end and the audit coming up: great job and continue to do so
not sure people know the extent of the work that's been done in our buildings
"a real sense of consideration of the people in the buildings"
"understanding better what we're facing with our facilities"
Nelson Place work?
Allen: perhaps due to neighborhood meetings, smooth flow
neighborhood contacts
better traffic flow: really going on schedule and very smoothly
credit to people like Julie Lynch for getting out in front

Biancheria: supplies?
Allen: provided by enrollment of previous year
Biancheria: mobile crisis team where?
Rodrigues: provided service to students who are in great emotional distress
intervention within school time
most go to UMass to be hospitalized
Biancheria: increasing AP courses
moving forward on vocational education: "interest of students to continue with school and finding the idea that makes them want to be there every day"
"gives them a pathway"
AVID: brings in partners and that's great
PD: have a number of substitutes: suggestions on how we can, especially for long term substitutes
a number of concerns on MCAS and PARCC: judging about schools and staff
transportation: thought of owning our own buses, a future conversation that needs to be had
Worcester East Middle has a science lab: and UPCS has one: funded how?
Allen: through a block grant
Biancheria: going to compare that equipment to be sure we're on the same level
challenges with operational end of it under safety, something that I consider in process

Novick: appreciate callbacks during past few weeks
making policy in public with input from all involved: hoodie ban came out without discussion and without information. Understand concern from secondary schools on identifying students, but process needed
outstanding concern over science and social studies preparation for middle schools
arts magnet evaluation? coming this fall
recommend orientation for secondary schools for all students 
policy on FERPA, student privacy and data sharing
policy on fundraising
with Office 365: time for paperless School Committee?
Are the schools that are growing the same as past years? Allen: 3 top (Chandler El, Union Hill, Belmont St) remain
No easy place to shift? Allen: no contiguous space 
Where is Facilities Master Plan? Meeting with city first week of October
Compliments on student printouts to be checked and sent back (no identical cards!)
new books in classrooms
new windows, especially with heat wave; makes a huge difference in how the building looks as well
free lunch, revolutionalized mornings, opening up to parents who haven't previously considered
IB program planning: we're working on new things
every kid, every day


Jenkins: SAT day was a success on the weekends, even better during the day
AVID in elementary would be great to set up
AP mindset at South
free lunch and breakfast: milk costs 50 cents

Worcester School Committee meets on Thursday

The Worcester School Committee has its final school year meeting this Thursday, June 18. You can find the agenda here.

We meet at 4 pm for budget. The sequence of accounts is here; we'll start with school nurses salaries this week (and have to go back to utilities, as that was held last time). I would think that we could get through what remains before exec...but then one never can tell.

This week at 7, we're recognizing the Bravehearts for their support on reading, and the Worcester Tree Initiative (and supporters) for new trees at Roosevelt Elementary.
We'll also be recognizing our Teacher and Nurse of the Year (and you're invited to tomorrow night's celebration at which they'll be announced).
And, it's our final meeting with Stacey Luster, who's leaving WPS to join Worcester State.

We have the Superintendent's midcycle report on goals, as required by the state evaluation system. There won't be a particular vote associated with that; it's a midyear check-in.

We have our report back on motions from last budget session, as well as items from throughout the year that were refered to budget. These will probably actually be taken up during the budget session.

We have a response back from administration regarding suggested policy language on homeschooling (including allow students to participate in extracurricular options). We also have the report requested by Miss Biancheria on the number of students currently being homeschooled in Worcester.

We have the held item on funding for crew travel.

Mr. O'Connell suggests honoring Hanover and others for AVID.

We also have the annual "let the administration make transfers to close the fiscal year" item (which gets reviewed in the fall by the F&O subcommittee).

Finally, we do have two items on for executive session: consideration of negotations on contracts for Chief Academic Officer and Chief Finance and Operations Officer. While the renewal of the contract of the CAO doesn't directly fall under our purview, it can be discussed with regard to allocation of resources (renewal is entirely the superintendent's decision). The CFO, per MGL ch 71, does fall under School Committee purview, jointly with the superintendent.

Opening of School Report

Boone: thanks all those who did work throughout the summer and those who came back in August for "a very successful school opening"
to put it all in one place to address what it takes to open the schools
posting as we go: report here

Worcester School Committee meeting tomorrow

A reminder that due to the construction at the City Hall parking garage, this meeting will be at Worcester Tech, 4th floor, Harrington Room.
The Worcester School Committee meets at 7pm. You can find the agenda here.
There are two reports of the superintendent this week: one on AP and AVID, and one on the new teacher evaluation system. The backups are not yet up.
TLSS has a subcommittee report, at least in part regarding school safety.
We're getting a new math liaison.
The North High punch list is up.
There have been some suggestions made, and now there's a revised edition of the superintendent's goals to consider.
And we've got $190,000 up for an acceptance vote.

AVID

AVID program:how increased funding has increased student opportunity
Boone highlights an item that came through earlier this year on AVID, which answered a bunch of these questions already
end of year report on expansion due to increased funding (from outside sources)

AVID program

Ten pages on this one, too, including citation of Hanover Insurance for their help in funding

"prime example of how we can narrow the achievement gap" according to Mr. Monfredo

Mr. O'Connell is asking about expenses and prioritization in continuing AVID

School Committee tomorrow night

Yes, there was an election yesterday, but the calendar goes on as usual.
The agenda for tomorrow night is up.
A few items of interest:

• the administration is coming back with two reports, one on community partnerships and another on AVID students. There was some discussion, both in School Committee and in CPPAC, about the AVID students: were they in fact doing better than there peers? Did we have data to back that up? The report is in the backup. AVID does seem to be getting those kids through school and more of them are going to college (as compared to the whole of their graduating class; is that their peers, in fact?)
  
• several members of the School Committee are asking for a report on the number of 504 plan students in the district. A 504 plan (the number refers to the section of the ADA that deals with it) allows for modifications for a child who has a physical or mental impairment; it can include anything from physical accommodations to speech therapy. I'm guessing that this is a direct result of a question asked at the Special Education Parents Advisory Council forum a few weeks ago: members were directly asked how many kids on 504 plans we have, and the short answer that was no one knew. As 504's are handled through the principal, there is no central database of that information.
• Both the marketing of WPS and the family involvement plan are back on the agenda.
• And, yes, there will be an update on the budget. If I'm reading that first page right, the good news is that we have smart people on this who assumed that things would be even worse than we are, so we weren't planning on the money we lost, anyway.
  

There will be a liveblog!

AVID donation

AVID in all high schools, expanding into all middle schools
goal is to make Worcester a demonstration site on the east coast
more work to document success rate
Motion to school committee to seek more structure and data to see what success is
designed for students who are seen as having high potential but medium work, but that it will permeate the schools ('though only a targeted group is getting the program)