Everett School Committee
Monday November 6, 2023
Clickable Transcript Printable Transcript Agenda
The order of items in transcripts appear in the chronological order in which they were taken up. Some Agenda items may have been skipped.
Agenda IV
The public hearing featured various residents and stakeholders sharing their concerns and opinions on different matters relating to the Everett Public School system and the actions of the school committee and city officials. Mark Puleo highlighted the alignment of school committee members with the mayor's decisions and the potential misuse of additional funding for public education. Peggy Serino, Samantha Lambert, and David Rivera voiced concerns regarding the treatment and evaluation of the superintendent, parliamentary procedures, and the educational system's transparency and accountability. Residents like David Fortin and Mary Fortin criticized the school committee's actions and the handling of complaints against Superintendent Tahiliani, calling for fairness and transparency. Jocelyn Alsira Solis, on behalf of La Comunidad, emphasized the importance of transparent and inclusive decision-making processes for the betterment of the school system. Paula Sterite and Gianna Martin expressed dissatisfaction with the committee's actions and the perceived corruption and lack of focus on student needs. Fred Capone, Carlo DeMaria, and other speakers criticized the political motivations behind decisions affecting the school system, highlighting issues such as educational funding and the prioritization of students' well-being. The testimony collectively underscored concerns over political influence, accountability, equitable education, and the need for constructive change to support students, teachers, and the community.
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Agenda VI. 1
During the public hearing, MANGAN first introduced the topic by summarizing Malden Transportation's request for a two-year contract extension with the school department, highlighting the need for wage increases for drivers and monitors and additional funds to cover rising costs of new vehicle purchases, maintenance, insurance, and fuel. Despite obtaining quotes from other transportation companies, none could match Malden's service coverage, leading to a negotiation capping most requested rate increases to a maximum of 13%, with exceptions for certain schools requiring more specialized services. LAMBERT raised concerns about not being previously informed of the request and presented an alternative proposal leveraging the Inflation Reduction Act for potential savings and environmental benefits through school bus electrification, asking for time to fully present this option. MARCUS mentioned an unrelated issue about transportation costs for immigrants housed in a hotel, which MANGAN clarified had been addressed with no concerns. ALMEIDA-BARROS suggested considering the contract extension further in the finance committee, given the ongoing budget process and potential upcoming funds that could affect the decision. SARNIE supported hearing more about LAMBERT's findings before making a decision. The discussion involved various opinions on whether to extend Malden Transportation's contract, with some members highlighting the company's long-standing satisfactory service and others calling for exploration of alternatives that could offer financial savings and environmental benefits. The debate touched on the legalities of contract extension and the potential impact of federal funding opportunities on the decision-making process.
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Agenda VI. 2
The request for approval of four grants was presented, including three competitive grants: the Innovation to Pathways grant ($50,000), the SEL and Mental Health grant ($48,434), the SALT Lafayette after-school program ($107,700), and an earmarked grant of $50,000 secured by Senator Di Domenico for the Everett High School marching band to attend events in Florida. Lambert queried the specifics of the Innovation to Pathways grant, to which Hart clarified that it offers transportation for students to internships, marking the third year based on the performance in the first two years.
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Agenda VI. 3
The discussion focused on the approval of the district's annual medication delegation form, which permits school staff, other than nurses, to administer specific medications to students. The speaker suggested postponing the approval and laying the item on the table since the application process was still being finalized. They intended to resubmit the application to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and proposed revisiting the matter in the next meeting.
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Agenda IV 4
The superintendent presented a proposal for the approval of renting the Lafayette School Gymnasium to the Charles County Youth Soccer organization, a request that has been granted in the past. The organization contributes financially to the city of Everett for the use of the facility.
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Agenda XI
During the public hearing, Mangan introduced an unexpected but necessary agenda item to grant new powers to the newly appointed interim superintendent, William D. Hart. Citing the rules that allow for emergency or unforeseen items to be added to the agenda, Mangan proposed to authorize Hart as one of the district's four authorized signatories—a decision driven by the unforeseen timing of Hart's appointment. Despite a minor verbal stumble on the last names, Cristiano's motion, seconded by Sarnie, to add this authorization to the agenda passed unanimously. Consequently, Hart was granted the authority to serve as an authorized signatory for the district.
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