Everett School Committee
Monday March 18, 2024
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 Item III. 1.
During the meeting, Cristiano prompted the superintendent, William Hart from Everett Public Schools, to announce the agenda item Roman numeral III, which involved the reading of records from March 6, 2024. Committee member Marcony Barros proposed a motion to waive the reading of these records and to simply place them on file. Cristiano confirmed the motion was made and seconded, and after calling for a vote, determined the motion passed with the majority in favor.
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Agenda Item IV.
At a public hearing, the committee moved to allow public comments, with two speakers on the agenda. Jocelyn Solis, representing La Comunidad and an Everett resident, commended the committee for proposing the inclusion of interpretation and translation services in school committee meetings, highlighting the benefit for non-English speaking parents in the community. She emphasized how this move would foster a more inclusive environment and encourage active parental involvement in school matters. Following Solis, Myra Gutierrez, a junior at Everett High School, shared her appreciation for the reintroduction of interpretation services at meetings, expressing the challenges faced by her Spanish-speaking parents in staying informed about school district matters. Gutierrez underscored the significance of this initiative in eliminating language barriers, enhancing parental participation, and ultimately contributing to the community's well-being. The session concluded with a unanimous vote to close public comments.
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Agenda Item X. 1.
Samantha Lambert proposed to prioritize discussing the unfinished business with the full student advisory council in attendance, which received unanimous approval. The student representatives from Everett High School presented several initiatives and concerns. They advocated for more partnerships with local businesses to provide internship and job opportunities for students, starting as early as 8th grade. They also emphasized the importance of community-building activities, maintenance of school facilities for student safety, and the necessity of teacher training to better communicate with students who are non-native English speakers. The need for updated classroom technology was highlighted due to the shift from paper-based to online work. Plans were mentioned for high school students to guide younger students making the transition to high school. Concerns were raised regarding the organization of final and midterm exam schedules to avoid confusion and disruptions. Specific issues mentioned included the maintenance of indoor stairs for safety and the potential for a mentorship program between high and lower-grade students. The committee members inquired about specifics of these proposals, with suggestions made to expand and refine these initiatives. At the end of the discussion, a motion was passed to reconvene with the student advisory council in two months, thanking them for their contributions.
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Agenda Item V.
Sal de Domenico Jr. reported on recent and upcoming events involving students from Ever High School and its middle schools. A successful vocal night featured 250 vocalists, drawing an audience of 100. Upcoming events include Everett band night with 350 student musicians, a competition in New Jersey for the percussion ensemble, and the theater company advancing to state championships for the first time in 35 years. Additionally, tennis, softball, and baseball seasons are commencing with tryouts. The community recently celebrated Mr. O'Brien's award with performances by the Ever High School choir and marching band. The motion to accept the report was made by Barros, seconded by Cristiano, and unanimously approved.
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Agenda Item VI. 1.
The superintendent, Hart, provided a comprehensive update on the status and initiatives within Everett Public Schools, covering a range of achievements, events, and challenges. These included commendations for the Everett High Theater Company for advancing to drama festival finals, acknowledgment of Gene O'Brien for receiving awards for his contributions to the music program, the success of the recent Bi-literacy Night led by Genevieve McDonough and the EL team, and a successful job fair represented by staff from every public school. Hart also announced upcoming spring enrichment series, preparation for summer programs, and an advisory committee meeting. Most of the discussion, however, was devoted to addressing the overcrowding issue in schools, detailing the exploration of various solutions such as conducting a space utilization study of public buildings, considering rental spaces, and the potential for installing modular classrooms. There was a recognition of the importance of community input and collaboration, particularly with city officials, in seeking both immediate and long-term solutions to accommodate the growing student population and enhance the learning environment. Committee member inputs highlighted concerns about the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of modular classrooms, inquiring about other potential solutions, including the exploration of alternative buildings and the impact of these decisions on applications for new school constructions. Hart emphasized the commitment to finding viable solutions, recognizing it as an ongoing effort that requires thorough examination of options and community partnership.
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AGenda Item VI. 2.
This segment covers the discussion and approval process for the Everett Public School's Student Opportunity Act (SOA) Plan within the context of a public hearing. The presentation, led by Ann Auger, the Director of Instruction, outlined the strategy for using SOA funds to primarily enhance educational outcomes for English learners in grades K through 8. Auger detailed the effort made to gather community input for the plan, including surveys and meetings that engaged various community groups and discussed the preference for investing in evidence-based practices focusing on early literacy and targeted academic support. Committee members questioned and discussed aspects of the plan, including its focus areas, community feedback highlights, and the implications for middle and high school students. There was a particular concern about continuity for students moving through different educational stages. The discussion also touched on the reporting and assessment mechanisms to gauge the plan's impact. Ultimately, the committee moved to approve the SOA plan, emphasizing the thoughtful, data-informed approach behind it and its alignment with broader district budget considerations and community needs.
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Agenda Item VI. 3.
The section discusses the approval of a request for Everett High School to have a delayed entry on March 26th and 27th to accommodate English Language Arts Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (ELA MCAS) testing. The motion was moved by Speaker 5 and passed unanimously with a 10-0 vote.
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Agenda Item VI. 4.
The session discussed Item number 4, which involved a request to start contractual negotiations with the custodians' union, SEIU Local 888. A motion for favorable action to initiate the negotiations was made, seconded, and followed by a vote. The outcome was in favor, with all ayes and no opposition, indicating unanimous consent to proceed with the negotiations.
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Agenda Item VI. 5.
Item number 5 discussed at the hearing involved accepting the donation of a baby grand piano from Mister Scott Taylor of Everett for use at Everett High School. The motion for the acceptance of the donation, along with sending a letter of thanks to Mr. Taylor, received a favorable response. The motion was seconded and, after a vote where all were in favor and none opposed, was approved.
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Agenda Item VI. 6.
The public hearing discussed and unanimously approved a request from STEAM Academy to hold a robotics competition at Everett High School on Sunday, April 13th. This event was confirmed to not conflict with any other scheduled events, and it was noted as a rental situation. Members BARROS and CRISTIANO were involved in presenting and motioning for the favorable action, which received unanimous "aye" votes from the attendees, demonstrating full support for the proposal.
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Agenda Item VII. 1.
In a detailed public hearing, Vice Chairperson Lambert proposed the development of an RFP for interpretation and translation services for school committee meetings and materials, emphasizing the necessity due to families' diverse linguistic needs. Lambert shared memorable encounters that highlighted the importance of accessibility for non-English speaking families, advocating for welcoming and inclusive communication. Various members and city officials deliberated on the proposal, exploring alternatives such as employing family liaisons or utilizing students for translations, while considering cost implications amidst budget constraints. Concerns were raised about the professional level required for translation and interpretation, especially for legal documents, with suggestions to investigate utilizing family liaisons in conjunction with seeking external professional services. The discussion surfaced diverse viewpoints on leveraging internal resources versus professional services and the potential role of students. The motion for developing an RFP was approved, alongside a directive to explore the feasibility of using family liaisons and the suggestion of engaging students, emphasizing the broader goal of enhancing participation and inclusivity for non-English speaking families in the school community.
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Agenda Item VII. 2.
During the public hearing, Lambert proposed that the finance and negotiation subcommittee should take over the review and recommendation of bills and payroll, a process that was previously managed by a single designee due to the Municipal Modernization Act enacted during the pandemic. This proposal aims to revert to the pre-pandemic practice where the finance and negotiations committee had more involvement, thereby increasing oversight and familiarizing new members with financial processes. This change is intended to enhance financial fluency among committee members, especially since half of the finance and negotiation subcommittee consists of new members. The motion, which was later seconded by Cristiano, suggested the implementation of this new procedure from the second meeting in April, in line with DeHaan's schedule. An amendment was made to ensure this procedure would involve the subcommittee rather than a designee, effective from the specified date, with the motion eventually passing with unanimous approval.
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Agenda Item VII. 3.
The discussion entails the proposal to appoint an individual committee member to authorize bills and payroll consistent with the specified mass general law, suggested by Vice Chairperson Lambert. Following the presentation of this motion, it received affirmative support after a call for votes, indicating a consensus for further consideration or action as suggested by returning the matter to its sponsor.
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Agenda VII. 4.
Mr. Barros requested the committee's approval to organize the annual pride flag-raising event at Everett High School, emphasizing the significance of supporting LGBTQ+ students, especially in light of recent events of discrimination, including a tragic incident involving a non-binary student. He stressed the importance of respect over acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community. The committee discussed ensuring all members could attend the celebration set for June 4th, aiming to convey a message of support and celebration for the entire month. The motion to host the event with full committee sponsorship was unanimously approved, along with the authorization for Everett Public Schools to organize the celebration and for the administration to provide necessary support to ensure its success.
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Agenda Item VIII.
During this section of the public hearing, the HART committee discussed Roman numeral VIII concerning subcommittee reports, where it was stated that there were no reports to present.
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Agenda Item IX.
Lambert presented bills and payrolls totaling $1,793,306.57 for approval, which was then seconded. Following this, a roll call vote was conducted. Cristiano confirmed that the motion to pay the bills and payrolls in the stated amount had passed.
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