Address to the graduates of Worcester Technical High School

Note that this is now online. You can catch the speech at about 24:55

Among those we’ll remember tonight is Mr. Ted Coghlin, as the Godfather of the modern Worcester Technical High School, and rightfully so.

I want, however, to take you back to the original Godfather of Worcester Tech. While you’ve passed his image and motto for the school every day, he is someone you may not know much of.

I speak of Milton Higgins, the organizing force behind not only Boys Trade, but much of vocational education in the United States.

Two new principal appointments: Jacob Hiatt and Worcester Tech

Superintendent Boone today informed the School Committee of two principal appointments:

• Jyoti Datta, currently Lower School Head at Bancroft School, has been appointed principal of Jacob Hiatt Magnet School. 
• Kyle Brenner, currently acting principal of Worcester Tech, has been appointed principal of Worcester Tech. 

A receiver for Holyoke: Steve Zrike

Commissioner Chester announced today that he was appointing Steven Zrike, current superintendent of the Wakefield Public Schools as receiver for the Holyoke Public Schools.
(Does anyone else think it's weird how far down on that announcement you have to read before you get to his current position?)
Zrike blogs and is on Twitter. 
Zrike served as the principal of the Blackstone School in Boston for five months (more about his time there here) after finishing his dissertation at Harvard; prior to that he was the principal of the Ohrenberger Elementary for two years. The Globe covered his departure for Chicago in 2011 from the Blackstone, dubbing him a "hero principal" of the mold called for in the turnarounds required by the Obama administration. 
It appears that he was not popular with some in Chicago, where he served in a position that had a number of titles (something like "divisional superintendent" might be right). It's probably good to read his (brief) comments on parent involvement in the Logan Square Neighborhood Association study; he also was interviewed about Experience Corps (a volunteer program) here. Very relevant to Holyoke are his comments on bilingualism, 'though they're oddly non-committal about best practices (which there are some). You can watch him talk about the Common Core and quality pre-k here.
Zrike has been superintendent of Wakefiled since 2013; about all he's been quoted about in the press that I can find is safety protocols.

The only thing I'd note is that he's being held up as a school turnaround specialist. That's based on his time in Chicago (which looks a bit dubious) and his time in Boston, which was (from what I can find) two and a half years.

That's what I've got so far.

Governance: policy

Proposed changes to the Student handbook are here
posting as we go

Rodrigues: three backups: current policy handbook, changes to handbook made in August 2014 (didn't make handbook), changes made in September 2014.
greatest volume of changes are those that were changes in the late summer/early fall of last year
some clarifications and cleaning up the language
others cleaning up language, clarification
Monfredo: legal changes run by principals?
Rodrigues: yes, and some changes made per request of principals

Foley: August and September changes made or marked in yellow are additional changes?
Monfredo: we're all set on the colors
pages through 7 approved
through 19 approved

Biancheria: changes made through pages 27-34: seems like a lot
Rodrigues: most changes already made last year; some details for clarification of which section applies; also need details for code on conduct
search of students or lockers brought to code of conduct section
added as part of the suspendable offenses under code
Biancheria: excluded?
Rodrigues: some of discipline may be excluding a student from extracurricular activities
Biancheria: creating another level of discipline? excluded not suspended?
Rodrigues: if you're suspended from school, not allowed in extracurricular activities; may be times principal may not suspend a student, but may exclude from an extracurricular activity

Biancheria: in reference to the bullying law
"school community members" are we talking about staff and students?
Rodrigues: bullying law has evolved: anyone within the school community
"anyone within the school community could be a target under the bullying law"
Biancheria: is this language that is being used frequently? or is this something we're doing?
Rodrigues:
Biancheria: is there a way to put that definition? not specific
Foley: concerned that it doesn't include everyone, could raise issues
Rodrigues: that way there's no one left...if we're going to catagorize staff
was furnished to us by legal counsel
Monfredo: counsel is agreeing with the statement
Novick: aggressor limited to student or staff; victim may be anyone (volunteer, site council member, parent)
Pezella: could include a volunteer, due to changes in MGL (now has added amendment which includes adults bullying students)
Foley: quoting the state law, talks about how we define bullying, what we're saying in the other paragraph below, not referencing the state law that's there; we're saying the civil rights are guaranteed.
Monfredo: let's leave it as it is, we can always make a change a year from now
Monfredo: not to make any changes about cell phones, motion to address cell phone use with secondary principals, about safety and academic use
Foley: legal counsel on search? Yes
glad to see changes on policy in deliberation with principals
"at a time we're struggling with technology...how do we come up with a plan that allows kids to manage that properly"
supportive of motion
passes
change on athletic eligibility: passing classes
Biancheria: who determines student's average?
Rodrigues: since this regulation, SAGE report can be printed,, shows who is eligible and who is not
athletic liaison lets coaches know
Biancheria: because student mobility is an issue, SAGE follows them? Yes.
approved
changes in school health nursing changes
changes in security measures: physical restraint (per state law)
homeschooling: motion to add language on participation in extracurricular activities
Rodrigues: waiting to have language approved state counsel
Biancheria wants to hold off on any discussion until she has numbers
Foley: may need to approve this book before we have a discussion
Rodrigues: approve the proposal with new language to be approved at a later date
Novick: clarification for our principals as much as anyone; the confusion isn't on the part of principals
Foley: if we have any language ahead of printing, ask for it
if we're following the law, bringing greater clarity to what we're doing
approved with change (pending, somewhat)
testing sections pass
change in time for Elm Park Community School: longer day per Level 4 turnaround plan
changes approved as proposed

Luster: proposed changes from Mass Commission on non-discrimination on Nondiscrimination
addition of criminal record, active military status, genetics, or ancestory (this throughout the section on Nondiscrimination, starting on page 8)
changes in address and phone
"up to and including termination" under finding of discrimination disciplinary action

Changes approved as amendment
this is before the full committee on Thursday night

Nevada is about to go "all choice" (or so they'll claim)

Nevada is poised to pass a bill that will tie funding to each individual student, regardless of where the student goes:

Under SB302, any parent with a child enrolled in a Nevada public school, including charter schools, for 100 consecutive school days would be given the option to leave and take the state's education funding with them.

You can read coverage of it here.
As always, it will be only those with resources who leave, and this will be hugely damaging to school districts that need steadiness in order to run.

Even Homer nods: Governance today

Apologies for my complete failure to point out that there is a Governance subcommittee today at noon to consider the proposed changes to the WPS student handbook for the 2015-16 year.
You can find the proposed changes here.

Graduations!

Our big schools all graduate between now and next Monday at the DCU Center. You can expect lots of seniors in caps and gowns with happy families downtown, heading for a 6 pm graduation every day except for Thursday (when we have our School Committee meeting).
Enjoy, but don't expect there to be much parking!