expanding PD for instructional assistants

The Mayor has asked about expanding professional development for instructional assistants. Some of our HR people met with the IAs in November regarding this.
"they are eager to have some professional development" and we get a list of issues that they run into in their daily lives. "Definitely enthusiasm"
Something to roll out for the next school year
The Mayor comments that some IAs have trouble taking courses, as many have second jobs (because the IA job does not pay a living wage).
"would like to propose that the committee consider...that they could gain points as they take these classes...they could become highly skilled"
"they can learn more..and they can earn a little bit more"

Questions on MCAS report

Mayor: "while the President is mentioning UPCS as one of the best schools in the country, it's a Level 2 school"
failure of this data
"doesn't tell the whole story"
Boone: "Much better way of recognizing the sound progress in our schools"
"overly cautious that we not use one measure but multiple measures" O'Brien

O'Connell: appears that we've had success with our tenth graders
"seeing some declines" in grades 5-8
notes different cohorts
Any plan to review curriculum in those grades? issues that need to be addressed?
Are we not preparing our students to excel the appropriate level?
Boone notes that science has not been taught
Mulqueen: "new literacy in each of the content areas"
to think like scientists, to think like mathematicians
curriculum review will do that

Monfredo:"in past years...emphasis on math and language arts"
letters to Level 1, to commendation schools
"lack of growth in math"
Boone: "more alignment with the standards of the expectations across the board"
"nationally mathematics continues to be a concern"
Monfredo asks about after school programs
Mulqueen cites innovation schools

Novick: sorry, I had quite a few...
whiplash to be spending all this time on this after all the criticism heaped on the MCAS at last night's forum
 there may well be new Level 4's; we don't know for sure, and we don't know when
Yes, there were schools that dropped from Level 2 to Level 3 (three, I think was said?)
Motion to bill the state for resending MCAS to 10th graders
Motion to for an update on common assessment and on NCLB waivers

Foley: comparison group would be other urban districts for CPI
question of whether we will have 72 schools statewide that are Level 4; so far we have 36

Mullaney: are you mailing to every tenth grader, or just the ones that had the change?
probably just the new ones, Perda
Boone points out that there is  parent information on the department website
"why does the state think that any parent really cares?" asks Mullaney

Biancheria: what are we doing for middle schools that aren't innovation schools?
"alignment between the frameworks and the standards" says Boone
Biancheria questions what we are getting from Focus on Results for all the money we are paying
"we still have a tremendous amount of work to do"
science and social studies shouldn't be an afterthought; asks what we can do to bring science to the same level that math and English are
Boone: "we shouldn't have to have a test to teach social studies"
Mulqueen: essential lab components

Continued budget

Athletic budget OM
O'Brien wants the locker rooms redone
Novick: Hockey budget is underfunded by about $3000; can we get someone to ante up here? We don't rent a pool for swimming...
Sales at the concession stand at Foley Stadium are down (that's run by school nutrition...who knew?)
Ticket sales are up, though
O'Connell asks about equipment replacment cycle
O'Brien asks about the Foley Stadium rental account: most of the rental fees go to the personnel
rest is used for upkeep and repairs at Foley Stadium
O'Brien asks about the turf replacement: that account won't cover it, Allen says
renew sponsorship to fund replacement
outdoor advertising funds also go through the revolving account: it's still in RFP, though
Biancheria asks about transportation: it's gone up
Allen: it's a contractual increase (3%)
Monfredo wants to know if we think we're going to have a contract soon on the sign
Allen says it's been bid out three times, comments that he's "optimistic"

Crossing guards: $486,636
all are out Worcester Public Schools (Novick question)
O'Connell asks if there's any need for more: Allen none at this time

Bus monitors: all are on special education buses
Luster: they work an eight hour day
O'Brien asks how this works: morning, midday preschool drop-off and pick-up, afternoon

Transportation: Boone commends Hennessey for his work in getting kids home yesterday during the storm
Biancheria asks for a report...breaking down how many buses for public, private, charter
Allen speaks of isolating private/parochial/charter: about $750,000
she's like it spelled out by lines to discuss with legislature
Boone agrees
Biancheria asks about the closing of Putnam Lane
increase of one bus is partly the closing of Putnam Lane, also St. Mary's and Notre Dame Academy have asked for bus services
there is excess bus capacity to pick up North High students due to Putnam Lane closure for the rest of this year because the seniors are done
Foley: more than 10,000 students in our system...responsiveness
McKinney-Vento: federal mandate to bus students to their home school, unfunded
"typically suburban communities will not bear that we have to"
Monfredo most patient when parents call..speak to legislators
Novick asks that WRTA changes be reviewed for impact of WPS students (that's partly why we're adding bus: Notre Dame students don't have an RTA bus to catch) for comment by committee members

Educational support passes

Vehicle maintenance:
we buy gas from the city
226,000 is for fuel of transportation
O'Connell asks how much we're being charged for gas
and asks how much we think we're planning on being charged...we're exempt from some taxes, Allen points out


Back to exec...finishing the budget on June 16

Public comment on evaluation

Jennifer Davis Carey on "appreciate the hard work and commitment that service in the administration and on the School Committee requires"
"support elected and appointed officials in their work"

Mayor O'Brien comments that the School Committee will appoint an ad-hoc committee for development of an evaluation instrument, similar to that which was done by Jim Caradonio during his time as superintendent. Mullaney, Biancheria, and Foley will be working to develop such an instrument in concert with the superintendent for next year's evaluation.
(As the Superintendent is evaluated in June or thereabouts, it's too quick to do for this year.)
O'Brien further explains that subcommittee meetings sometimes need to be scheduled quickly due to the work that is done there, giving the example of the closing of the alternative school program.

O'Connell further points out that the public is always welcome to share their thoughts around the superintendent with the members of the committee. 

Renaming North

Arthur Tomasotta wants it to be "North John Tivnan"
"it'd be an honor for him"
The mayor comments that the process has been that these are referred to the school site council.
Site council at North has reported back that they would like to keep the name as North.
"There could be some other way of honoring Mr. Tivnan in that building."
O'Connell recommends asking the site council if there is some other place in the building that might honor him.

School choice

this is the annual required hearing...we've now got three people in the audience, so I'm guessing there's not going to be a ton of public comment
Monfredo cites choices for kids, money brought into the district
O'Brien asks for a report on how many kids went out and how many came in
School choice passes.

Spirit of Knowledge profile (and Seven Hills, too)

so, let's all remember: New charter schools were to serve UNDERSERVED students to close the achievement gap.
So we asked about Spirit of Knowledge...
You can find the charts here. Admin has included information about Seven Hills, as well, as we had an outstanding motion on that as well. Go look at the numbers!
Spirit of Knowledge serves 31.2% low income students; WPS serves 70.1%
SoKA serves 11.9% special education students; WPS 20.9%
SoKA serves 15.6% ELL; WPS 24.3

Grant fees legal opinion

Legal opinion on grants:
Rushton: think it's probably right. Open communication. Hoping that it continues.

Mayor O'Brien comments on the difficult times and pulling together.

Lukes: process the city has gone through at the federal level, prior to the grant even being conveyed.Hoping that this process had to be followed in all prior years. "only became an emotional one when we increased our request from 1% to 3%"
Manager: "yes"
Lukes:"did the School department have notice of this process then?"
Manager: "yes"
Lukes: amount of money, rather the process. Asks that the legal opinion that School Committee requested be forwarded to the Council as well.

Mayor O'Brien

"there might not be a consensus number" this year
(there often is...might not be this year)
Spirit of Knowledge charter school: looking for the data on closing the achievement gap
information is requiring "a hand match"
"as they look to grow it's going to cost us dearly"
Boone points out that the Commissioner has recommended 17 new charter schools (none in Worcester); Board of Ed votes next week

sorry, losing track here: Race to the Top

I had to look up the Act Relative to the Achievement Gap
Mayor O'Brien argued that much of this is going to happen to us anyway (even if we didn't take the money)

O'Brien rises again

O'Brien rises to defend the Commissioner
...and the kids (I think?)
and ties Boone and Commissioner together, I think?

Mayor O'Brien

O'Connell takes the chair
"disappointed to hear" Chester's decision
"we are going to be working to address the concerns" of the state
"I personally have tried to express my strong support" for those who work at Goddard
"countless numbers of children...remarkable reputation"
"remarkable progress" over the past few years
believe this year's MCAS scores with reflect great work being done
"how did we get to where we are now?"

"it has been a disturbing time for me as a member of this body"
"what are the facts? ...they're pretty clear here...state exhaustively looked at this issue"
their job to do this...at the end of that process...had three basic choices

1. done nothing
2. significant sanctions
3. "mistakes were made"

"that should have been it"
"we're entering...with some members...a dark and concerning place for me..insert themselves into the role of the state and the superintendent"
"I don't think it's right...does a disservice to those who teach and work in our system"
"People work hard every day...dedicated staff deserve better than what this is about"
"a lesson learned by what this is about..roles of superintendent"

Budget reduction

O'Connell rises to oppose
doesn't object to the administration's recommendation, but "a reduction of our budget by vote of the City Council"
(this is only sort of true)

School Committee for Jan. 20: EAW president addresses the committee

Len Zaluskas (as is becoming a tradition) addressing the committee on PCBs:
"we need support from the members of this committee...to clean up dangerous levels of PCBs" at four schools...
The PCBs are in cauking at Doherty, Mill Swan, North, and Burncoat Middle...
"told that there is no proof that PCBs cause cancer in humans"
"especially concerned about the preschool students at Mill Swan"
"recently filed an unfair labor practice" with the state...union has the right to test a workplace for hazards
contaminated dust...ventilation
asking for testing, asking for results of testing...in accordance with EPA
asking that Mill Swan and Burncoat Middle get new windows
cleaning ventilation system..twice..plan on taking care of issues


Boone responds that the district has created and is implementing the environmental plan for the district (and that includes PCBs, among much else)
also the five year plan (with increased capital funds voted by the committee and by Council) for rehab allows for much to be done on aging buildings

O'Brien mentions that there is a grievance pending and thus comment must be limited and circumspect.
O'Connell makes a motion for an update on the environmental plan...also mentions the consideration of specific buildings
Monfredo asks if we can have the ventilation of those four schools cleaned out...O'Brien points out that we have a grievance pending and this deals with that issue

Travel

motion from Biancheria and O'Connell asking for a report on all travel, basically, for this year
also, we appear to have a police officer here tonight
Boone wants to walk through the back-up of this item
"provide some information that was provided to the T&G"
Boone points out that all out-of-state travel has been expended only from external sources
backup is not what Biancheria asked for: wants a full report
"we discuss the budget every single time we have a meeting"

State of Emergency

closing DAB during a state of emergency
the mayor asks that DAB be closed during a state of emergency....with all due deferral to administration on running day-to-day operation
"when the governor says 'don't come to work' and closes state buildings, we take it seriously"

NEAS&C priorities

putting priorities of the New England Association of Schools and College into the long-term capital or operating budget
concern from the mayor at how this dovetails with the five year

Summer bookmobile

a suggestion from the mayor that the bookmobile visit youth programs and parks this summer. Forwarded to administration for discussion with the library.
Monfredo stands to talk about having tried to do this in past years.
Boone comments that she's been speaking with the librarian regarding this.
Biancheria asks how kids can get books off the bookmobile: do they need a library card?
The mayor says we aren't there yet, but both the librarian for WPL and the City Manager are working on it.
Boone points out that every WPS student has a library card by the end of third grade.

Goal setting

Core values and operating principals..and goals separated to be approved
"less is sometimes more..no more than five goals (recommended by MASC)"

Discussions with the city

In speaking to the F&O report, O'Connell makes a motion that Medicaid and the grant share (that the city takes out of school grants) be raised in conversation with the City Manager.
Mayor O'Brien suggests a joint meeting with the City Council for late January, early February.