Worcester School Committee meets Thursday, April 7

The Worcester School Committee meets Thursday, April 7. You can find the agenda here.
The report of the superintendent (and the big thing on the agenda) is setting budget priorities. It's worth reading the backup for this (the PowerPoint you've already seen from the preliminary presentation in February). It lays out what you probably already know if you've been watching this: the increases in the budget ($4.6M) don't come close to covering a level budget ($11M), never mind the increases the district actually needs ($11.7M at least!).
The meat of the message (from the memo) is here:

 Given uncertainty as to student enrollment and demographics, the state’s foundation budget inflation factor, adoption of the Foundation Budget Review Commission Report, fixed cost increases, and additional contractual or compliance spending demands, it is likely that a reallocation, reduction, and deferred spending on positions and non-salary items will be necessary in order to have a balanced budget. This means that while some areas of the budget will see increases, there will be other parts of the budget may also see a reduction of teachers, other positions and non-salary spending.

So, pay attention. I'd further note that the time frame on all of this is going to be somewhat compressed due to the superintendent transition (just the fact that they're setting priorities in April is late).

That's the big one.

There are a few recognitions.
There's a communication coming in from a citizen regarding the MOU between the schools and the police department.

There are several midyear resignations.
The School Committee is being asked to approve a prior year payment for  $3,536 for McKinney-Vento transportation for homeless students.
There are several requests for recognitions.
It looks as though the School Committee got an email on the Goddard Scholars program, as there are not one, but two items regarding expanding it.
Mr. Monfredo wants administration to create an early learning committee to consider lobbying for full-day preschool funding, discussing a two year kindergarten program, and "gradually advancing 4 year olds yearly, based on readiness" (and I don't know what that means).

The vet tech program at Worcester Tech is getting a grant of $347,882.

There are donations of $500 for the Worcester Tech robotics team; $100 for the CPR project; and $1000 for the CPR project.

There is a Rice Square/Lake View sharing best practices grant coming in for $6658.

There is an executive session before the meeting for negotiations with the incoming superintendent (no contract as yet); collective bargaining (no group specified); and two grievances.

The policy handbook is going off to subcommittee. 

I do not plan to be there; here's hoping the press coverage is good!

Finance and Operations meets Monday at 5

You can find the agenda here.
It's time for the first quarter budget update. First, note that once the city does the tax recap, the School Committee will have to reduce the budget by half a million dollars. 
And why?
Charter school reimbursement is underfunded. It was underfunded in the budget we passed, but it got worse, rather than better. I ranted about this briefly yesterday on Twitter, but to recap: A district that serves 25,000 students is going to have to cut their budget by half a million dollars in November/December, because the state can't get its act together enough to fulfill their basic LEGAL responsibilities on school funding. Don't talk to me about "stealing possible" when this is your funding pattern.
In other quarter one news:

• personal services is up quite a bit, as we continue to bring more special ed services back in house, as the Recovery High School tuition is up (good for other reasons, but tough here), and as translation services continue to rise. This is also the line item where the superintendent search is budgeted.
• workers' comp is already projected at a deficit. Again. We'll take Mr. O'Connell's item on a workers' comp update with the quarterly report, but the answer, again, is that we aren't budgeting enough here. 
• nurses are also projected at a deficit, because we need subs when they're sick.
• and in a possible (I'll ask) "chickens coming home to roost," you might remember that we didn't replace school buses on the same schedule this year, because our city capital funding remains SO tight. Guess what's up? Contractual transportation services. If we don't pay for the capital expense, we'll pay for it in operational expenses.

Note also the that the Title I grant being up means that some IAs and preK teachers could be moved back to grant funding, which will assist with some of the above. 

The full rundown on where accounts are currently projected is here. 

In other "clearning the decks" items, we have the South High pool item, which is recommended to referral to the South High building committee (do we have a South High building committee?).

We have the request to see the bid on Lake View's asphalt repairs; the proposal is we get it in a Friday letter.

The ads on buses item is on with a recommendation that it be filed. It turns out that looking at an external object, like an ad, is more distracting than putting on makeup or dialing a phone when you're driving, which is dangerous enough. So putting a known danger on buses to make relatively little money...

We also have the conversation we started during budget on how much of security spending comes out of the facilities budget (which is funded at 61% of foundation).

The proposed 2016-17 and 2017-18 calendars are on here, along with comments from schools. Two notes: both years would start with a full five day week for students over the week that goes from August to September (with teachers coming in for two days the week before), followed by Labor Day (and thus a four day week); there is no change to vacations, though considerable interest expressed in a March break. 

Finally, the Foundation Budget Review Commission's final report is on the agenda. More, I suspect, to come on that. 

5 o'clock, 4th floor of the administration building or livestreamed on the web!

Capital priority projects for FY15

This list is not exhaustive and does not include MSBA projects; this is from admin responses to items involving the budget.

• Jacob Hiatt roof top units (this is their HVAC system, which was already supposed to be done, that you might remembering my mentioning at our last meeting. We've had a holdup in the crediting of reimbursement)
• Worcester Tech compressors (two of them)
• Boiler replacements for the Taylor Building, Foley Stadium, Mill Swan (none of which are MSBA eligible because of not having students in the buildings) and West Tatnuck (where the boiler broke after this winter and must be replaced before fall).
• Tatnuck Magnet wall replacement (outside)
• Parent Information Center paint trim (the PIC is made of brick but has wooden gingerbread trim)
• Jacob Hiatt front plaza and side stairs (stonework)
• Lake View wall replacement (outside) 

New principals and assistant principals appointed

We've just received the new principals and assistant principals appointed by Superintendent Boone in our Friday letter.

Jessica Boss, Principal, Chandler Elementary Community School 

 Yeu Kue, Principal, City View Discovery School 

 Mary Labuski, Principal, Flagg Street School 

 Martha Dewar, Principal, Lincoln Street School 

 Caprice Kopka, Principal, Rice Square School 

 Josephine Robertson, Principal, Sullivan Middle 

 Carenza Jackson, Principal, Vernon Hill School 

 

 Michael Dunphy, Assistant Principal, Belmont Street Community School 

 Lynne-Ann Handleman, Assistant Principal, Chandler Magnet School (ACT) 

 Renee Powers, Assistant Principal, Lake View School 

 Nancy O’Coin, Assistant Principal, Quinsigamond School 

 Caryn McCrohon, Assistant Principal, Tatnuck Magnet School 

Mary Ellen Scanlon, Assistant Principal, Thorndyke Road School 

You can find out more about them at the above link. Nearly all are internal hires.

Worcester School Committee meets Thursday

The FIRST Worcester School Committee of the new term is on Thursday at 7pm. You can find the agenda here.
First of all, we have (as usual) an executive session at 6 pm. As I mentioned, the reasons for the executive session now are posted as part of the agenda (it's the final item). On Thursday, we have three disciplinary hearings, a grievance, negotiations with the Coordinator of Nurses (one on that list of positions whose contract is with the School Committee), and negotiations with the union of the administrative secretaries.
At 7 pm (or thereabouts), the public session begins.
We have a public petition regarding the naming of the new North High softball field.
We'll have both the Joint (F&O/Education) and Finance & Operations subcommittees reporting out (Remember, F&O meets tomorrow at 5 pm).
We have a beginning-of-year flurry of personnel items: resignations, appointments, transfers.
We have a response to some queries Mr. O'Connell had on preschool, including a list of service providers and options for the other half of the day.
At Miss Biancheria's request, we have a list of STEM events (she asked for February and March, but it looks as though this is the year).
We have a response on middle school sports.
My One Library item is on again, so I can ask a few questions (still no MOU, though, so I'm going to ask that we hold it again).
We have an extensive answer to Mr. Monfredo's questions on summer school and its efficacy.
We also have another preschool item coming back.
We have an answer to my question of where the $1 per pupil recess money went. (Bonus points to whomever put the chart together and added relevant clip art!)
We also have an answer to which schools have bike racks: Claremont Academy, North, South, Worcester Tech, Burncoat Middle, Sullivan Middle, Chandler Elementary, and Flagg Street. (Anyone out there who wants to work on this?)
We have a response from administration on dealing with increasing enrollment, as well as one on questions about items at North.
We also have the awaited FY14 additional budgetary allocation! And, sorry, it's not an exciting recommendation from administration, but it's a necessary one.
We have items coming in asking for honors and thanks!
We also have items asking that admin work with CPPAC on their annual expo and on parent enrichment activities, that the POW/MIA chair be available to schools for programs, that the process for using School Dude be reported on, that the WPD set up a text line for reporting unshoveled sidewalks, that we get a list of every school to which graduating seniors have been admitted, that we get a report on fitting out of North High (and remaining funds), that safe routes to schools be reported on, and that teachers get their retroactive pay in full at the next check.
Administration will be sending along new courses to subcommittee!
We have a prior year payment of $1072 and one of $3088.20 up for approval.
We also donations: $6408.01 to Lake View School from the parents; $1000 from National Grid for Doherty robotics; $500 from a Mobil retailer to Grafton Street.
And Mr. Monfredo wants to be sure that we celebrate Read Across America Day!
At City Hall at 7 pm and live on Channel 11!

Where the money is coming from (and a few more updates)

If you read carefully this morning or were listening last night, you got this, but for those who were wondering how the projected budget gap will be covered, Mr. Allen has the answer in today's Friday Letter:

It is expected that the City Manager will recommend to the City Council that an additional $1,258,321 be appropriated to the Worcester Public Schools to reflect the tuition assessment change.

The Administration will provide a full report and the recommended use of these funds for the December 19th School Committee meeting. These recommendations will primarily focus on (a) identifying resources necessary to reflect increased enrollment at schools resulting from the SOKCS closure, (b) address the FY14 budget shortfall identified in the First Quarter Budget Report, and (c) make strategic investments to best position our resources in anticipation of the FY15 budget.

Look for this on the Council agenda when that comes out later this afternoon. 

In other news, there have been heating issues across the city; this year, whether you're too hot or too cold appears to be almost random. Here's the latest from Mr. Allen on that:

The Facilities Department has been working to address a number of heating issues at schools this year, whether too hot or too cold, with many of the issues likely related to the implementation of ESCo projects with the City and Honeywell. The WPS is fully aware of each of the issues in the school and the Facilities Department is working daily with the City and Honeywell to rectify these situations.

And if this is affecting you, believe me: your frustration is heard. And shared!
And speaking of Facilities, the latest on the repair projects:

New Citizens Center: The boiler replacement portion of the project is complete. The window replacement portion of the project is essentially complete with punch list items remaining.
Lake View: The window replacement project is nearly complete with some trim work and door replacement work remaining
May Street: The window replacement project is fully underway at the school and is progressing towards completion in the next 45-60 days.
Chandler Magnet: The window replacement project will begin (as scheduled) in the Spring 2014 and continue through the summer vacation period.
Nelson Place: The building architect has been selected and the feasibility study process will commence with building committee meetings/input as well as the input from other building stakeholders.
Worcester East Middle Science Lab: The project continues with expected completion in the next 45-60 days.
Heard Street Roof: The project continues with expected completion in the next 45-60 days.

And new computers are on their way!

Facilities projects update

Worcester East Middle: bid out, permits going into place, construction will begin once permits are in place; plan is to have it done by the end of the calendar year
Heard Street roof: bid awarded, permits going in place, 6-8 week window (but depends on weather)
Vernon Hill masonry DONE: had to take the Vernon Hill sign down as part of that

MSBA:
New Citizens has all new windows, caulking, new shades, new boiler, just final punch list items; just need to do the doors, that will start next weekend
Lake View windows are in; still doing caulking and trim, happening second shift; then will start doors in
May Street some windows are out for masonry work (lower level); gym windows are in; window work will begin again once Lake View is done, then doors after that
Chandler Magnet gym windows are in, finishing work now; main building is for NEXT year; intending to get windows in on site, try to do some work during non-pupil periods if possible, then finish next summer
Jacob Hiatt: new boiler and such is IN

Next summer's projects are in schematic design phase, and that's due this week to MSBA (that's Columbus Park, WEMS, WAMS, and Tatnuck Magnet)

Nelson Place: Tishman Construction is the OPM, working on the architect, proposals are in
reviewing for architect: meeting is on October 22
Once that happens, then the building committee will be meeting
then review of all options, taking three or four months; narrow down to three choices from which city and schools will choose (looking to submit to MSBA in March)
that will go to MSBA Board vote

Allen notes that we may not submit four projects to MSBA next year, as we have work that cannot be covered by MSBA that is most urgent
Bedard notes removal of oil tanks, for example
Allen: estimate on those projects will be brought back to joint committee

Summer capital projects and Nelson Place

update from Bedard and Moosey
Mr. Moosey from DPW
boiler at New Citizens and Jacob Hiatt virtually done
new windows: Chandler is a two year project "very large amount of windows"
New Citizens should be done in the next few weeks (doors and such ongoing)
Lake View and May installed in the fall during non-school hours
those projects have to be done at the end of this year
October for Lake View, early December  for May Street

Extensive update from Finance and Operations today

You can find this Friday's letter from Superintendent Boone here; most of it is an extensive update from Mr. Allen regarding Finance and Operations.

• Not great news on the budget (that Governor Patrick signed today): due to the way that the charter assessments shake out, we've got $265,984 to make up in FY14. Expect an "adjustment" (that's a cut that'll go to Worcester's charter schools) sometime this fall.Not in the memo, but on the good news front: the state budget took the Senate's number for McKinney-Vento reimbursement, which was the higher of the two. As the city has now recognized this as a reimbursement for a service provided by the Worcester Public Schools, but used the House number to do so, we have a conversation to have with Council.
• We don't know about federal grants yet, but we will later this month.
• We'll be leasing four classrooms from the YMCA this fall for Chandler Magnet students; no word on which classes yet.
• The city is transferring 6 Claremont Street (a tax-title property) to the Worcester Public Schools for Woodland/Claremont use. The plan is to use the current (Woodland Street) parking lot as a playground (Woodland only has a teensy paved spot to play on now) and move staff parking to the 6 Claremont lot.Super cool that the city administration is seeing kids having space to play as a worthy use of space!
• Kindergarten is nearly at what we projected already (and there are always more who register as it gets closer to the fall), so it looks as though most of those reserved six teachers are going to be teaching kindergarten.
• On facilities, apparently MSBA is SO successful that we're now backing up window manufacturing! Jacob Hiatt is on track to get their boiler this summer. Caradonio New Citizens is also on track to get their boiler, and should have their windows by fall; if they don't, they'll be finished over weekends. May Street and Lake View are going to have their exterior windows done this summer, all others done this fall over weekends (May Street's gym will get done this summer). Chandler Magnet is having all exterior doors and windows done this summer, which is a surprise: it's a big enough building where it was projected to take two summers! Note that all of the above is MSBA reimbursed work. Vernon Hill's exterior masonry is getting fixed this summer (no more scaffolding!). Heard Street's roof is contracted out, and it is hoped that it will be done this summer. And finally, Worcester East Middle's science labs (at a base level; no reworking of gas or water lines or any other rooms) is being contracted out to be done for next year! In response to a reader question: Yes, we're still on track for Columbus Park, Tatnuck Magnet, Worcester Arts Magnet, and Worcester East Middle work, but those projects were just approved on June 5. That work would be for next (we hope!) summer.

And finally, I'm just going to quote Mr. Allen's final paragraph:

Jack Navin, the district’s Coordinator of Maintenance and Custodial Services and Robert Alvarado, the district’s Working Foreman, both recently retired after a combined 80 years of dedicated service to the Worcester Public Schools. In addition to their “normal” workday, both Jack and Bobby have been critical members that worked tirelessly through hurricanes, blizzards, fires at schools, and other events. Their dedication and support of school operations were certainly second to none, and the combined loss of institutional knowledge will be difficult to replace.

To which I can only add, they will both be missed.

Capital spending: repairs

Allen: $7.7 million work at 10 schools, all complete
ESCo: boiler/chiller replacement, boiler replacements are all completed this past year
SoI's last year on Nelson Place, plus accelerated repairs
5 schools in accelerated repair: work will start this summer

• Chandler Magnet will get windows this summer and next summer
• May Street will get new windows
• Lake View will get new windows
• Jacob Hiatt will get new boiler
• Caradonio will get new boiler and new windows

O'Brien: how much?
Allen: 80% state funding, bids received, contracts being awarded
$9 million in total, we're funding about $1.8 million
Allen reserving some for environmental work, plus Heard Street roof, masonry at Jacob Hiatt and Vernon Hill
Biancheria: additional sixth grades, in Worcester East Middle, which we promised a science lab
Allen: Worcester East Middle science labs should be bid this week, construction to begin by summer vacation to be done by next school year
completed by fall of 2013
Allen comments that getting bids that has been difficult, getting a successful bid will allow work to be completed for school year of 2013-14
"project budget is a little less than $350,000"
complete school painting jobs: not just classroom by classroom

What happens now on school buildings?

What happens now?
We've got two things going on with the state now:

The Accelerated repair projects--May St, Chandler Magnet, Jacob Hiatt, Lake View, and Caradonio New Citizens Center*--are fast-tracked for their designated roofs, boilers, and windows. We'll have to use Mass School Building Authority pre-qualified Owner's Project Manager (who manage any project over $1.5 million, which both Lake View and Chandler Magnet are projected to be) and designers and be ready to move fast.
Note that "fast" doesn't mean this summer--we're a bit too close to that--but we can line things up so they're ready to fly next summer. Really this is internal management kinds of things on both finance and facilities ends, and, as the plan is to use the capital the city allocates for the Worcester Public Schools every year, there isn't an allocation complication, either. Mostly this will be happening behind the scenes.

Nelson Place, because we're talking either MAJOR rehab or a rebuild, is a different case. We've just been invited to the eligibility period for Nelson Place, which lasts 270 days ('though you don't have to take them all. Other districts pull these off in a couple of MSBA board meetings).  During that time, the district must:

1. execute an initial compliance certificate (ICC). This is a sign-off by the (in Worcester's case) superintendent, city manager, and chair of the school committee (thus, the mayor) that we've read the laws and regulations, that we understand them, and that we have and will continue to abide by them. Note that this makes sure that the district isn't replacing a building its sold. Note further that it certifies that the district has been meeting minimum foundation spending on building maintenance.
2. appoint a School Building Committee. This is done by the Chief Executive Officer of the municipality (thus, the city manager in Worcester), and it has some required membership, including the city manager, the superintendent, a school committee member, someone from MSBA, the facilities director, the principal, and others.
3. submit a summary of district funding capacity (basically, "yes, we can pay for this")
4. submit a summary of district maintenance practices ("and we're going to take care of it once it's built")
5. certify design enrollment: in other words, let's agree on how many kids we're building this building for. MSBA has all sorts of experience in this now.
6. confirm community authorization and funding.  This will be a City Council vote that they intend to build Nelson Place and they intend to pay for it. (And they have to get the wording right.)
7. execute the Feasibility Study Agreement. This says we're ready to go...lining us up for putting together the project team (that's lining up the professionals) and (we hope!) another MSBA Board vote on entering the feasibility study.

...which in sum is: several different votes from Council and Committee, some paperwork and evidence to pull together on both city and school sides, and a committee to appoint.

What do we think, folks? Can we pull this together for the October 3 MSBA Board meeting?




*it's windows and roof for Lake View, a boiler for Jacob Hiatt, windows for Chandler Magnet, windows for May Street, and a boiler and windows for Caradonio New Citizens. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

School building projects made it on the agenda!

The Worcester School Committee received notice this afternoon from Mr. Allen that the Worcester Public Schools has six projects, including a rebuild/major rehab for Nelson Place, on next Wednesday's Massachusetts School Building Authority agenda!
As Worcester is an 80% reimbursement community, this is BIG news!
The other schools are:

            Chandler Magnet (Windows)

            May Street (Windows)

            Lake View (Windows)

            Jacob Hiatt (Boiler)

            New Citizen Center (Boiler and Windows)

Note the meetings of the MSBA board are public meetings, and thus anyone may attend. Next Wednesday's meeting is 10am to noon at the MSBA at India Street Conference Room on the second floor of 40 Broad Street, Boston.

Yes, I am going. If I can work the wifi, yes, I will liveblog.
Full email from Mr. Allen after the jump:

priorities?

Jenith Charpentier, parent at Lakeview
priority if additional funds found: listed in order?
No, they are not
we'd identify the amount of money first, then look how it could best be used
pay attention positions that were previously cut at small schools
parent liasons were cut at small schools: administrative position to float at small schools is her suggestion