Thursday, November 19, 2009
Details on the bus contract
The one point I forgot to put in my summary of the bus contract was the question of garaging. Traditionally, it's been required that WPS buses be garaged in Worcester, thus guaranteeing the city the bus excise taxes. The financial side of the schools and the city discussed dropping that this year, to see if it would get us a more competitive contract. The standing committee decided against dropping it, so the requirement is back in.
Lowe's charitable foundation
Parents at Midland Street presented a proposal for grounds
Lincoln Street also needed some work done
put in one grant for both which came in for $101,082
According to the woman from Lowe's this one of 25 such grants around the country awarded
volunteers from the local Lowe's stores will also be helping out with work on the project
Lincoln Street also needed some work done
put in one grant for both which came in for $101,082
According to the woman from Lowe's this one of 25 such grants around the country awarded
volunteers from the local Lowe's stores will also be helping out with work on the project
Public weighs in...
suspend rules to allow citizen to speak
Amy Olaes (co-chair of SpedPAC) would like qualifications of teachers available to parents, would increase public and parent trust.
Currently, parents can have that written into a child's IEP, but even then it doesn't necessarily happen.
Amy Olaes (co-chair of SpedPAC) would like qualifications of teachers available to parents, would increase public and parent trust.
Currently, parents can have that written into a child's IEP, but even then it doesn't necessarily happen.
HR report: School Committee weighs in
Mr. Monfredo says that he would agree with hiring year-round.
"what was a difficult episode in WPS was resolved with reason, was resolved with professionalism" according to Mr. Bogigian.
Mr. O'Connell is most concerned, he says, with the licensure obligations. "We're at the beginning of this process," he says. "Do we hire the very best people avaliable, or do we hire the people who know" people?...beyond the scope of this task force. "Hiring based on merit, quality...do we de-politicize the process as much as possible for public employement?"
Mr. Foley cites this as a "great example of how non-profit and business entities" can help out WPS. In eliminating the teachers involved last year, "we cut two great teachers" and incurred unemployment costs. Hiring strong people more quickly ("though that point may be moot for FY11")...motion to admin to compare our HR to ours..."on our administration side, we are lean across the board"
Ms. Hargrove "said last April that we had a very competant HR staff...we do have a very good school system"
Mayor Lukes "collectively grateful to you for undertaking" this task. Calls this medicine "to cure what ails us...good guidelines to follow" Have to dispell those perceptions..bring transparency to the process. Most important is to move forward with this..."will hear over and over again 'we need reform' " She'd like to see the task force stay around "and tell us whether we've passed or failed"
"what was a difficult episode in WPS was resolved with reason, was resolved with professionalism" according to Mr. Bogigian.
Mr. O'Connell is most concerned, he says, with the licensure obligations. "We're at the beginning of this process," he says. "Do we hire the very best people avaliable, or do we hire the people who know" people?...beyond the scope of this task force. "Hiring based on merit, quality...do we de-politicize the process as much as possible for public employement?"
Mr. Foley cites this as a "great example of how non-profit and business entities" can help out WPS. In eliminating the teachers involved last year, "we cut two great teachers" and incurred unemployment costs. Hiring strong people more quickly ("though that point may be moot for FY11")...motion to admin to compare our HR to ours..."on our administration side, we are lean across the board"
Ms. Hargrove "said last April that we had a very competant HR staff...we do have a very good school system"
Mayor Lukes "collectively grateful to you for undertaking" this task. Calls this medicine "to cure what ails us...good guidelines to follow" Have to dispell those perceptions..bring transparency to the process. Most important is to move forward with this..."will hear over and over again 'we need reform' " She'd like to see the task force stay around "and tell us whether we've passed or failed"
Human Resources: Boone on next steps
Superintendent Boone on next steps in HR:
prioritizing recommendations, figuring out costs, suggesting a timeline to implement
prioritizing recommendations, figuring out costs, suggesting a timeline to implement
HR task force
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a PowerPoint!
The task force is here this evening, doing a presentation of their report, followed by next steps from Superintendent Boone.
Focus on licensure, waivers, hiring and recruitment, professional development
Both of the superintendents, all of HR, 3 principals, tech involved
Changes in licensure during 1993 and since then. 1.7% of WPS educators are working under waiver.
On licenses and waviers, recommendations:
The task force is here this evening, doing a presentation of their report, followed by next steps from Superintendent Boone.
Focus on licensure, waivers, hiring and recruitment, professional development
Both of the superintendents, all of HR, 3 principals, tech involved
Changes in licensure during 1993 and since then. 1.7% of WPS educators are working under waiver.
On licenses and waviers, recommendations:
- automate licensure and waiver process in HR
- train principals and supervisors on licenses and waivers
on hiring, recommendations:
- formal procedure manual
- hiring year round
- current employees tracked into recruitment pool (promote from within)
- "multi-faceted recruitment strategy"
- redesign website (FAQ, etc)
- HR annual report
- increase involvement with professional associations
on technology, recommendations:
- more fully use systems that are in place for information sharing
- HR and IS should meet to plan and review
- combine databases into one
"Human Resources is professional, competent, and commited to adhering to regulations, policices, and procedures while providing quality service to all employees of WPS."
Much praise now for Boone and for HR
School Committee meets tonight
The School Committee meets tonight at 7pm in City Hall. You can find the agenda here.
The big news is the Human Resources panel comes back tonight with their report. I have not yet seen it (member-elect does not rate you that!), but I will be there and liveblog it!
The big news is the Human Resources panel comes back tonight with their report. I have not yet seen it (member-elect does not rate you that!), but I will be there and liveblog it!
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