2026-10-05 - School Committee

01:20I think we have a quorum of our members

01:24present.

01:26If we get a quorum of our members around

01:28the horseshoe.

01:32Well, I'm I'm four. There's six here.

01:36We got That's corum.

01:41Solid.

01:43>> All right,

01:44>> we good.

01:50>> All right.

01:51Um, thank you so much to everyone who is

01:55here. Uh, at 6:31 p.m., I'm going to

02:00call uh this October 6th. Nope. Yep.

02:05October 5th.

02:08October 5th. School committee meeting to

02:10order. Uh, superintendent, can you call

02:12the role?

02:12>> Uh, through the chair, Council Davis,

02:16Rep. Beton,

02:19Brett Lipins,

02:20>> here.

02:22>> Rep. Eldridge,

02:25>> Rep. Green

02:26>> here.

02:29>> Dr. Stelman

02:30>> here.

02:31>> Mayor Wilson

02:32>> present.

02:34>> Vice Chair Beton,

02:35>> I'm here.

02:37>> And chair, Dr. Aman

02:38>> present

02:39>> with seven present. We have quorum.

02:42>> All right. I'm going to read the thing

02:44I'm supposed to read. Um, welcome to

02:46this October 5th, 2026 uh meeting of the

02:50Somerville School Committee pursuant to

02:51chapter 20 of the acts of 2025. This

02:54meeting of the school committee will be

02:56conducted via hybrid participation. We

02:57will post an audio recording, video

02:59recording, transcript, or other

03:00comprehensive record of these

03:02proceedings as soon as possible after

03:03the meeting on the city of Somerville

03:06website and local cable access channels.

03:09We have called the role. So, we're going

03:11to take a moment of silence and salute

03:12to the flag

03:36of the United States of America and to

03:38the republic for which it stands. stands

03:40one nation under God,

03:43>> indivisible, with liberty and justice

03:45for all.

03:50>> All right. Um,

03:53we have our student reps here, but Ben,

03:55I know that Laura is coming. Would you

03:57like us to We have a celebration that is

04:00going to be underway that might be

04:01comprehensive. So, uh, I mean, will

04:04joyfully be comprehensive. So, we will

04:06pro we're going to do that and then we

04:09will kick it over to the student reps.

04:10Are we That's all right. Okay. You're

04:12not in a huge hurry. Fantastic. Well,

04:15I'm we're glad that you get to be here

04:16for this amazing celebration. Um so, in

04:20the order of the agenda, uh we have

04:23called items to order. We're going to go

04:25over student advisory committee

04:28representatives right now. To the best

04:30of my understanding, there is no one for

04:31public comment online or in person. Um,

04:35so we get to jump to one of my favorite

04:38evenings of the year. Uh, new

04:41administrative staff and professional

04:43teacher status personnel. Uh, and with

04:46that, I will turn it over for the

04:48district report to the superintendent.

04:50>> Thank you through the chair. And uh, now

04:52I'm going to call our chief of personnel

04:55um, Karen Woods to the podium. she's

04:58going to give us a presentation around

05:00uh the um the introduction of uh our

05:06amazing educators. And so I'll let her

05:08do the work uh of presenting her

05:10department work.

05:18Good evening. Thank you through chair.

05:21My name is Karen Woods and I have the

05:23pleasure and honor of serving as the

05:24chief personnel officer for the

05:26Somerville public schools. We are here

05:28as a personnel team and we're going to

05:30lead you through kind of several

05:31movements of the evening, if you will.

05:33Um, so I'm going to let the team

05:34introduce themselves.

05:37>> Hi, good evening. I'm Mariana Macdonald.

05:39I'm the director of human resources.

05:42>> Good evening everyone. Uh, Chris Glenn,

05:44director of educator development.

05:46>> All right. Um, and thank you. I share

05:50the sentiment uh chair Aman that this is

05:52one of the most exciting uh nights

05:54particularly for our team where we get

05:55to introduce new team members and

05:57celebrate our amazing educators. So we

06:00are going to start with introducing 18

06:03new administrators um to the Somerville

06:06public schools. Of these 18, exactly

06:09half, so nine of the 18 were previously

06:13Somerville public schools employees who

06:15are taking on new roles in the district

06:17this year. um five were teachers last

06:19year who are stepping into administrator

06:22roles for the first time and we are

06:24thrilled. Thank you. We are thrilled to

06:26introduce them today.

06:30So, as I said, we're honored and humbled

06:32to be introducing our new cohort of

06:34administrators. So, we're going to start

06:36right away in our schools from the

06:38Argento. Please join me in welcoming

06:41Jeff Lapen, the new special education

06:43department coordinator at the

06:44Argenziano.

06:52Jeff joins us with experience as a

06:54paraprofessional, science teacher,

06:57school adjustment counselor, supervisor

06:58of therapeutic and clinical services,

07:01special education coordinator, and

07:03director, and was most recently the

07:04director of student services in the

07:06Medway Public Schools. Welcome, Jeff.

07:13>> There's going to be a lot of people

07:17Okay, next up from the East Somerville,

07:19please join me in welcoming Jasmine

07:21Guara Alvarez, the new assistant

07:23principal of the East Somerville

07:25Community School.

07:32Jasmine brings experience as a

07:34paraprofessional, social worker,

07:35educational consultant, adjunct

07:37professor, and was most recently a high

07:39school adviser in the Brooklyn public

07:41schools. And we're thrilled to have her.

07:49Now from the Healy School,

07:58>> please welcome Sheila Hakobo Ahmed.

08:10Sheila is the new assistant principal at

08:12the Healey School. Sheila brings more

08:15than a decade of experience in

08:16counseling, social work, and school

08:18leadership. And most recently, the

08:21assistant principal of the Southside

08:23Middle School. Her background in school,

08:26I'm sorry, her background in school

08:27social work shapes her commitment to

08:29strong instruction, student well-being,

08:32and meaningful partnerships with

08:34families and staff. Welcome Shield.

08:43Please join me in welcoming Nathan Host,

08:46the new special education department

08:47coordinator at the Healey and the Winter

08:49Hill.

08:55Nathan comes to Somerville with

08:56experience as a special education

08:58teacher, supervisor, MTSS coach, and was

09:01most recently the assistant principal

09:02for student support at the Brook Charter

09:04School in Boston. Welcome.

09:11>> Okay, we move to the west. Please join

09:13me in welcoming our very own Lindsay

09:15Weaver, the new assistant principal at

09:17the West Somerville Neighborhood School.

09:25Lindsay has been a teacher in the

09:27Somerville public schools for the last

09:2813 years with experience teaching grades

09:301, five, six, seven, and eight, most

09:34recently in the newcomer Academy at the

09:36Winter Hill. And she has held many

09:38leadership positions throughout her

09:39tenure in SPS. Congrats

09:48>> from Next Wave Full Circle. Please

09:50welcome Jennifer Long.

09:59Jennifer Jennifer is the new special

10:02education department coordinator at

10:04NextWave and Full Circle Brown School

10:06also and specialized programs at some

10:09high school. Jen joined the Summerville

10:10public school last year and brings prior

10:13experience as a special education

10:14teacher and team chair. Congratulations

10:22Also from Next Wave and Full Circle,

10:24please join me in welcoming our very own

10:27Pat Melo, the new interim assistant

10:29principal at NextWave and Full Circle.

10:36Pat is starting his 10th year in the

10:38Somerville public schools, most recently

10:40serving as the dean of students at the

10:42Healey School. Pat has also been a

10:44career adviser at scale for the past

10:46eight years. And it is also significant

10:48to note that Pat was a scholarship

10:50recipient in our very first cohort of

10:52the administrator lensure pathway of the

10:55Somerville educator leadership model

10:56during the 2223 school year.

10:59Congratulations.

11:05Patrick was also a student in my

11:07government and politics class at

11:08Somerville High School.

11:12Um, we're staying at Next Wave in full

11:14circle. Sorry, I'm very proud. U, please

11:17join me in welcoming our very own Jack

11:19Havery. Uh, who

11:26Jack is now serving as the interim

11:29principal of the Next Wave and Full

11:30Circle Schools. Jack has served as the

11:32AP and the special ed department

11:34coordinator at Next Wave and Full Circle

11:36for the last 10 years. Prior to that, he

11:38was a special educator, an ELA teacher,

11:41and a physics teacher at Cambridge Ring

11:43and Latin. And we are very happy he's

11:46here with us.

11:51>> Thank you. Oh, Mariana, sorry.

11:55>> She's not here.

11:56>> She's not. Okay, you go.

11:59>> Okay.

12:00Yes, you can.

12:02>> I'll just still read it. Okay. Um, now

12:04we go to Somerville High School and it's

12:07Patricia Brady. Please join me in

12:10welcoming Patricia, but Patricia is not

12:12here right now. So, she is the new

12:14department chair for multilingual

12:15learner education at some high school.

12:18Patricia brings experience as an ESL and

12:21an ELA teacher, a university instructor

12:23and researcher, NSEI coach, and most

12:26recently was the supervisor of

12:28humanities at Lawrence High School.

12:36Okay. Um, moving on, also at Somerville

12:39High School, please join me in

12:41welcoming, although she couldn't be here

12:42tonight, our very own Beth Okconor, the

12:44new assistant principal of the Elm

12:46community at Somerville High.

12:52Beth has been a teacher in the

12:53Somerville public schools for the last

12:5513 years, serving as a social studies

12:57teacher and dean of students at

12:58Somerville High School, an ESL

13:00instructor at scale, and has held many

13:02leadership positions throughout her

13:04tenure. Additionally, Beth was also a

13:06scholarship recipient in cohort three of

13:08the administrator lensure pathway of the

13:10summer Somerville educator leadership

13:12model during the 24-25 school year. Um,

13:15and congratulations to Beth.

13:22Okay, we're moving to central office and

13:24districtwide administrators. And first

13:26up is plea uh Christopher Bruno. Chris,

13:30please come on up.

13:34Chris is our new payroll operations and

13:36analytics manager. Chris brings

13:38experience as an ELA teacher for eight

13:41years and for the last four years has

13:42served as the dean of operations and

13:44strategic initiatives for Spark Academy

13:46in Lawrence. and we are thrilled to have

13:49him.

13:56>> So from central office also please

13:58welcome Jennifer Ooa.

14:06Jennifer is the new director of basic

14:08needs and housing support services. Jen

14:10is starting her seventh year in the

14:12Summerville public schools and brings

14:14experience as a family liaison, a social

14:16worker and board member for the welcome

14:19project. Congratulations, Jennifer.

14:25Please join me in welcoming our very own

14:28Antella Damo, the new assistant director

14:30of multilingual learner education.

14:33Antella here.

14:37>> I'm still going to share with you uh a

14:39little bit about Antella. Antella just

14:41completed her fourth year as the

14:42multilingual learner education

14:44curriculum and instruction specialist in

14:46SPS. She's also an adjunct professor at

14:49Boston University and has prior

14:50experience as an SEI dual language and

14:53ESL teacher. Congratulations, Antella.

15:00Okay, please join me in welcoming Amelia

15:03Gorman, the new director of early

15:05education and care.

15:11Amelia joins us with experience as a

15:13teacher, inclusion specialist, special

15:15education director, principal, and was

15:17most recently an instructional coach and

15:19MTSS coordinator for the Boston public

15:21schools. And we are happy she's here.

15:29Next on the list is Stephanie Lugo.

15:33Please join me in welcoming our very own

15:35Stephanie Lugo, the new assistant Oops.

15:42Stephanie is the new assistant director

15:44of student services. Stephanie has

15:46served as the assistant principal at the

15:47East Summerville Community Schools for

15:49the last three years. And prior to that,

15:52joining SPS, Stephanie was a bilingual

15:55school guidance counselor in Lynn and

15:57Salem. Congratulations.

16:01All right.

16:04Please join me in welcoming our very own

16:06Margaret D. Pasquali as our new director

16:10of student services.

16:15Margaret may be new to the central

16:17office team, but she is starting her

16:1827th year in the Somerville public

16:21schools.

16:24She has spent the last 14 serving as the

16:27principal of NextWave and Full Circle

16:28and was a math teacher counselor at Full

16:30Circle for 12 years prior to that.

16:33Little did Margaret know when she

16:34completed her student teaching at Next

16:36Wave 28 years ago that this is where her

16:39journey would bring her today.

16:40Congratulations, Margaret.

16:46Okay, please join us in welcoming Dr.

16:49Michelle Shannon, director of equity and

16:51excellence.

16:58Michelle brings extensive experience in

17:00educational leadership, equity, and

17:02instructional excellence, having served

17:03as a teacher, social worker, school and

17:06district leader, adjunct lecturer, and

17:08leadership development facilitator. Most

17:10recently, she served as director of

17:12deeper of the deeper learning institute

17:14at Harvard. So,

17:22>> please join me in welcoming Dr. Miker

17:24Lee Sanon.

17:34Miker Lee is the new chief strategy and

17:36operations officer. Miki joins us with

17:38experience as a science teacher,

17:41curriculum and instruction leader,

17:42principal, leadership development

17:44consultant, and most recently the

17:46executive director of the Boston Prep

17:48Charter Public Schools. Congratulations.

17:57>> And with that,

18:00we just want to reiterate that we are

18:02humbled and honored to welcome these new

18:04administrators to the Somerville Public

18:06Schools.

18:14Okay. Shall I move us on to the second

18:16motion movement, if you will? All right.

18:19Wonderful. Okay. So, now we're going to

18:21turn our attention to a celebration of

18:23educators that have earned professional

18:25status in the Somerville public schools.

18:28This is a a really huge milestone for

18:30our educators who are celebrating. It

18:32really means that these educators have

18:35chosen the Somerville public schools and

18:37the Somerville public schools has chosen

18:39them. Um, and so we we are deeply

18:41excited and honored to welcome these

18:43administrators to welcome our educators.

18:46So, please to start us off, I'm going to

18:48ask Lenda Sodto, the principal of the

18:50Arjen Argenziano School to come on up.

18:53Just a few logistical things. When you

18:55come up, please stand um to be

18:57recognized by the committee. And if you

18:58face this way, you'll have the camera.

19:00And then after your statement is read,

19:02turn around and I will be there with a

19:04camera and you'll take a picture. All

19:06right. Okay. All right. So, Glenda,

19:11thank you.

19:11>> Thank you.

19:13>> Good evening and thank you for having us

19:15tonight. I'm more than thrilled to be

19:17here to recognize the staff members in

19:19our building that have gained

19:20professional status. And I would like to

19:21call Natalie How

19:30We are pleased to recommend Miss Natalie

19:32How for professional status. Miss How

19:34creates a warm, nurturing, and inclusive

19:37classroom environment for all students

19:39to feel safe, valued, and supported to

19:42take risk in their learning. She

19:44thoughtfully differentiates instruction

19:46using scaffolded materials and

19:48multiensory strategies so every child

19:50can access content and demonstrate

19:52understanding. Her engaging centers,

19:55realworld experiences, and consistent

19:57routines foster independence,

19:59collaboration, and self-regulation. Miss

20:02How is a dedicated and dependable

20:05professional who brings positivity,

20:07care, and collaboration to her work each

20:09day. She works closely with colleagues

20:12across the district, building strong

20:13relationships, and contributing to a

20:15cohesive, supportive learning community.

20:17Her kindness, professionalism, and deep

20:20commitment to her students and school

20:21community make her highly deserving of

20:23her professional status at the

20:25Argentiano School. Congratulations.

20:35And just FYI, she opens up the building

20:37with me at 6:15.

20:41Um, next I would like to call Margaret

20:43Simeone.

20:50We are pleased to support Miss Margaret

20:52Simeone for professional status in

20:53Somerville public schools. Over the

20:55years, Miss Simeone has consistently

20:57demonstrated the instructional

20:58expertise, collaborative leadership, and

21:01reflective practice that make her an

21:03exemplary teacher. Miss Simeone is a

21:05dedicated and thoughtful educator who

21:07consistently reflects on her students

21:09needs and how to support them while

21:11maintaining high expectations that

21:13encourage perseverance. Most

21:15importantly, Miss Simeone creates a

21:17classroom environment where students

21:18feel safe, supported, and confident to

21:20take academic risk. Miss Simeone is a

21:23deeply valued member of our school

21:24community, a tremendous asset to

21:26Somerville public schools, and we're so

21:28happy she serves our Jensiano School.

21:38I would like for Isabelle Baros to join

21:40us to read one last

21:46Up next is Alyssa Mion, who's a Capoano

21:48cub but now at the Argentiano.

21:55Uh we are pleased to offer our strong

21:56support for Alyssa Monone, speech and

21:58language pathologist at the Den Capawano

22:00Nar Jenziano for professional teacher

22:03status. Alyssa is a highly skilled and

22:05knowledgeable clinic clinician who

22:06consistently demonstrates expertise and

22:09evaluating student needs in designing

22:11effective individualized intervention.

22:13Her work reflects a deep understanding

22:14of speech and language development and

22:16she thoughtfully tailor her approach to

22:18meet to meet each student where they are

22:20ensuring meaningful progress across

22:22settings. Alyssa has an exceptional

22:24ability to truly understand her students

22:26including their strengths, areas of

22:27need, and learning profiles. She uses

22:29this insight to drive her instruction

22:31and therapy. Above all, Alyssa is

22:33respectful, kind, and deeply committed

22:35to her students and their families. She

22:36builds positive, supportive

22:38relationships that create a safe and

22:40encouraging environment for learning and

22:41growth. Her dedication, expertise, and

22:43collaborative spirit make her a

22:45tremendous asset to the asset to the

22:47school community. Congratulations.

22:57Thank you so much. I would like to pass

22:58the microphone to Christopher Ames,

23:00principal of the Benjamin G. Brown

23:02School.

23:10>> Good evening. It's my pleasure to call

23:12Mark Cerllo to the podium.

23:22Mark Cerllo is a dedicated educator at

23:25the Benjamin G. Brown School, an

23:27educator who pours his energy and

23:29passion into teaching. Mark is a key

23:31member of our ILT and has been integral

23:34in the composition and carrying out of

23:35our school improvement plan. On top of

23:38that, Mark consistently shows that he is

23:40always ready to assist any teacher or

23:42administrator who might need a hand.

23:45Mark marries the art of science and of

23:48the Mark marries the art and science of

23:50teaching by using solid pedagogical

23:52methods in the classroom and in

23:54preparation for lessons while also

23:56showing great skill in how he builds

23:58relationships and trust with students

24:00and families. For me, it's a joy to work

24:02with Mark as he is always eager to talk

24:04shop, get feedback, and adjust

24:06approaches for the maximum benefit of

24:08students. Mark is an incredible teacher

24:11and person who absolutely deserves this

24:14recognition and praise.

24:28And I would like to call Amelia Gorman,

24:31head of early childhood education, to

24:32the mic, please.

24:41I am pleased to invite Narali O'Neal up

24:44to the podium, please.

24:51We are thrilled to recommend Nurali for

24:53professional status as an exemplary

24:55board certified behavior analyst. Nurali

24:59brings exceptional e expertise in

25:01designing, implementing, and monitoring

25:04individualized behavior and learning

25:06plans for preschool children. She

25:09conducts thorough assessments, develops

25:11measurable goals, and creates practical,

25:13developmentally appropriate strategies.

25:16Her generosity, patience, and

25:19collaborative spirit makes her

25:21colleagues naturally turn to her for

25:24guidance and support.

25:26Congratulations to Nurali on achieving

25:28this important professional milestone.

25:31SPS is fortunate to have such a skilled,

25:33compassionate, and collaborative

25:34professional in our community, and we

25:36look forward to her continued

25:38contributions in the years ahead.

25:50And next, I'm thrilled to invite

25:52Elizabeth Dean up.

25:57Liz,

26:00we are thrilled to invite Elizabeth

26:02Dean. Um, we're wholeheartedly

26:05recommending her also for professional

26:07teacher status as an exemplary speech

26:09language pathologist.

26:11Over the past three years, Liz has not

26:13only met our district's standards, but

26:15has greatly enriched SPS and the broader

26:18early childhood community.

26:20Working within Somerville's early ed

26:22system, she's demonstrated deep

26:25expertise in supporting children with

26:27diverse speech, language, and

26:29communication needs, guided by a strong

26:32understanding of child de development

26:34and a heartfelt commitment to each

26:37student's growth. Her dedication,

26:39reliability, and collegial spirit make

26:42her a deeply valued member of SPS, and

26:45we're so fortunate to have her on our

26:47team. Congrats to Liz on this

26:49well-deserved professional milestone.

26:52SPS is so lucky to have you and we look

26:55forward to your con continued

26:57contributions and the lasting impact

26:59that you are surely to bring to

27:01students, families, and colleagues.

27:03Thanks, Liz.

27:13Oh, next I am excited to invite

27:17Principal Mace Diaz.

27:25>> Good evening. Um, I have two

27:28introductions today and these are very

27:30special to me as we started our journey

27:33here in Somerville together. Um, so they

27:35hold a very special place in my heart

27:37and I would like to invite Sam Jensen to

27:40the podium please.

27:43Um, Sam Jen, Miss Jensen is a wonderful

27:46teacher and the East Summer Emerald

27:47Community School is lucky to have her.

27:50As a sixth grade ELA teacher, she

27:51creates a classroom environment with

27:53high academic expectations while

27:55ensuring her students feel valued and

27:57encouraged to grow. She's thoughtful and

27:59collaborative colleague who works

28:00closely with her team and families to

28:02help students succeed.

28:05Miss Jensen is committed to build strong

28:06relationships with her students and

28:08consistently goes above and beyond for

28:10her community. In addition to our

28:12classroom work, she she actively

28:14supports her schoolwide initiatives and

28:16is value member of the PBIS team. Miss

28:18Jensen truly embodies the Phoenix Rice

28:20values of resilience, inclusivity,

28:22safety, and excellence in all the work

28:24that she does. Thank you, Miss Jensen,

28:26for continuing to help our community and

28:28rise every day.

28:40And our next is Angelica Peace.

28:48I am so grateful to have an Angelica as

28:51a member of a reading team here at the

28:52East Summer Community Schools and the D

28:55and in the district. She has contributed

28:57us so much to the team and to the school

29:00overall during her time in Somerville.

29:02She coll she collaborates greatly with

29:05both Sorry, I don't have my glasses

29:09today. She collaborates greatly with

29:12both her reading team and her classroom

29:13teacher. She works hard to develop trust

29:15and relationship with her students so

29:17that she can use what they already know

29:20with her team as she reads. She's always

29:22looking for ideas to improve her

29:24practice and her students reading

29:25skills. I am delighted to to welcome

29:27Angelica to professional teacher status

29:30in summer public schools.

29:42And

29:44sorry. And I would like to invite next

29:46to the podium Sarah Wall, the principal

29:48at the Arthur at the Healey.

29:58Hi everyone. I am very excited to invite

30:01up to the podium uh Mr. Gali Armira.

30:12We are thrilled to support Mr. Armira

30:15for professional teacher status in

30:17Somerville public schools. Over the

30:19years, Mr. Armira has been a vibrant and

30:22deeply valued member of the Healey

30:23community. His genuine warmth and

30:26kindness create an inclusive classroom

30:28environment where students feel valued,

30:30respected, and empowered to take risks

30:32in their learning. As a multilingual

30:35Latino educator, Mr. Armira serves as a

30:37powerful role model for our diverse

30:39student population, particularly Latino

30:41students who benefit from seeing

30:43themselves reflected in their teachers.

30:45We are fortunate to have Mr. Armira as a

30:47part of our community and look forward

30:49to his continued success in Somerville

30:51public schools. Congratulations on

30:54achieving professional teacher status.

30:55Gali,

31:00we're going to hold this up.

31:07>> We planned it.

31:10This is for you.

31:15>> All right. And next I would like to call

31:17up Addie DS.

31:26>> No. Okay. Addie DS is an absolute ray of

31:30sunshine at the Healey School. Her preK

31:33classroom is such a joyful space full of

31:36warmth, learning, and laughter. She

31:38builds strong, trusting relationships

31:40with students and families, creating a

31:42true team approach to supporting her

31:44students. As a result, her students grow

31:46their skills in truly impressive ways.

31:49Students in her classroom navigate the

31:51room with confidence and independence.

31:53They feel like true partners. Miss DS

31:55also knows how to build a strong,

31:56supportive community outside of the

31:58classroom. She has spearheaded and then

32:00collaborated closely with Healey

32:02families and outside partners to launch

32:04Healey's own free food market to better

32:07serve our community in a time of need.

32:09She's also a leader among her colleagues

32:11who trust her to support them as our

32:13building's union representative. All of

32:15that in her first three years as a lead

32:17classroom teacher. I cannot wait to see

32:20what Addie does next.

32:28Take a picture now.

32:33Thanks.

32:39And now it is my pleasure to introduce a

32:42fellow fan of Addy DS, Steve Marshall,

32:44the principal of the JFK Kennedy School.

32:55Good evening everybody. I'm super

32:56excited to invite Abby Smith up to the

32:59podium.

33:08Hi.

33:08>> Hi.

33:10>> Congratulations to Abby Smith on

33:11achieving professional teacher status.

33:14As a valued member of our instructional

33:16leadership team, Abby brings an

33:18essential middle school perspective that

33:20strengthens our collective work and

33:22deepens our understanding of student

33:24needs. She leads common planning time

33:26with a clear commitment to bringing this

33:28work to keeping the work student

33:30centered, ensuring that collaboration

33:33always translates into stronger learning

33:35experiences. Abby is unwavering in her

33:38push for student excellence. She engages

33:41and challenges students to express

33:43themselves, think critically, and take

33:46ownership of their learning. Her

33:48classroom reflects her belief that all

33:49students can meet high expectations with

33:51the right support and encouragement. We

33:54are truly grateful that Abby has joined

33:55the Kennedy School and we proudly

33:58celebrate the well-earned milestone in

34:00her career. Congratulations.

34:13>> Thanks.

34:21>> Next. Next. Next.

34:29>> I am thrilled to be here tonight. This

34:31group of educators that receive

34:33professional uh teacher status are

34:35exactly the kind of youthful, positive

34:37energy and talent that you want coming

34:39into the school. We're really, really

34:40lucky to have them. So, I'll start by

34:42asking Hannah Kaplan Hartlo to come up.

34:52Um, uh, this is written by Miss McDev or

34:55Miss Benelli. Sorry, McDavid's here. I

34:57support Hannah Kaplan Hartlo's

34:58advancement to professional status.

35:00During her time at Somerville High

35:01School, Miss Kaplan has consistently

35:03demonstrated the skills,

35:05professionalism, and commitment to

35:06student learning that exemplify an

35:08effective educator. Miss Kaplan creates

35:11a classroom environment that is both

35:12rigorous and supportive, encouraging

35:14students to think critically and take

35:16ownership of their learning. Her lesson

35:18planning reflects a clear alignment to

35:20standards, thoughtful scaffolding, and a

35:22commitment to meeting the diverse needs

35:23of all learners. In addition to a strong

35:26instructional practice, Miss Kaplan is a

35:28collaborative and reflective member of

35:29our school community. She actively seeks

35:32feedback, contributes meaningfully to

35:33team discussions, and demonstrates a

35:35willingness to grow professionally. Her

35:37ability to build positive relationships

35:39with students, families, and colleagues

35:41has made a noticeable impact on school

35:43culture. I am certain Hannah Kaplan

35:45Hartlo will continue to be an asset to

35:47our school community and to the students

35:49and families she serves.

35:58We really are lucky to have you. Thank

36:00you so much. Uh I would now like to

36:02welcome up

36:05uh Jovita aka Vitaorio Fielder.

36:12Hi.

36:14>> Again, written by your supervisor. So,

36:17when I say I, it's Megan here in spirit.

36:19I wholeheartedly support Vita Soloro

36:21Fielder for professional status.

36:23Throughout her time at SHS, Miss SF has

36:26demonstrated a deep commitment to

36:28student success, particularly in her

36:30work supporting incoming nth grade

36:31students during the critical transition

36:33into high school. Miss SF excels at

36:35building meaningful, trusting

36:36relationships with freshmen, helping

36:38students feel welcomed, supported, and

36:40confident as they begin their high

36:41school journey. Her ability to create a

36:43positive, structured classroom

36:45environment lays a strong foundation for

36:47both academic achievement and social

36:49emotional growth. Beyond the classroom,

36:51Miss SF is an active and valued

36:52contributor to the school community.

36:54Miss SF brings a consistently positive

36:56and collaborative presence to both the

36:58department and the broader school

36:59community. Her attitude and energy

37:02meaningfully impact staff morale and

37:04student engagement, and she will

37:05continue to influence students and

37:07colleagues at Somerville High

37:08positively.

37:17>> Thank you.

37:20>> I'd now like to call up uh Maggie

37:22Tersovich.

37:29Constantine is here in spirit. Okay. Uh

37:31Maggie is a special education math

37:33teacher at Somerville High School who

37:34has taught both geometry and algebra 1

37:36across a variety of settings including

37:38co-taught inclusion and resource

37:40classes. As a case manager, she works

37:42closely with students and their

37:44families, providing support throughout

37:46the e process and across their

37:48educational experience. One of Maggie's

37:50greatest strengths is her ability to

37:51build strong, meaningful relationships

37:53with both students and colleagues. She

37:55consistently contributes to a positive

37:57collaborative team environment and is

37:58always willing to support others and

38:00lend a hand where needed. She's an

38:02active member of the broader school

38:03community, enthusiastically

38:05participating in school events and

38:06activities, including Somerville staff

38:08holiday show. We are incredibly grateful

38:11for Maggie's dedication to her students,

38:13her colleagues, and the Somerville High

38:14School community. Her commitment,

38:16compassion, and willingness to

38:17contribute make her a valued and

38:19appreciated member of our school

38:20community. Congratulations

38:31We expecting one more, but I don't think

38:33they made it. I want to ignore Oh, there

38:34he is. Matt. Great. Sorry. I want to

38:37call up um Megan McDev, who is our

38:39assistant CTE director and our director

38:42of workbased learning to present this to

38:44Matt.

38:51Okay. Matt is an experienced uh HVAC and

38:55refrigeration instructor at Somerville

38:57High School in the career and technical

38:59education department. Matt is passionate

39:01about teaching HVAC and refrigeration

39:04students the technical skills and work

39:06ethic necessary for success in the

39:08construction industry. He does a

39:11wonderful job of bridging the gap

39:12between theory in the classroom and

39:15hands-on skill in the shop area. Matt is

39:18dedicated to providing a positive

39:19learning environment that emphasizes

39:21safety, critical thinking, and real

39:24world application of HVAC and

39:25refrigeration skills to promote positive

39:28student learning outcomes. Matt goes the

39:32extra mile to engage his students,

39:34creating a lasting appreciation for

39:36learning through his enthusiasm in the

39:39trade and support.

39:41Congratulations, Matt, on earning your

39:43teach your teaching your professional

39:45teaching status in um the Summerville

39:48Public School.

39:49Congratulations.

40:01I would now like to call up Courtney

40:03Goslin, the principal of the Winter Hill

40:05Community Innovation School.

40:12Good evening everyone and at this time

40:13I'd like to call Abigail Lee to the

40:15podium.

40:20Abigail Lee is a tireless, conscientious

40:23and dedicated educator.

40:25She began her career at Somerville

40:27public schools as a special education

40:28teacher at the East Somerville Community

40:31School where she worked for two years

40:32and then came to Winter Hill this past

40:34year as a fourth grade teacher. We are

40:37very fortunate to have her join our our

40:39Wildcat team. In her first year at

40:41Winter Hill, Miss Lee got to know her

40:43students, learned the general education

40:45curriculum and built strong

40:47relationships with her colleagues. Her

40:49classroom is a warm, welcoming

40:50environment for all students to learn.

40:52It is evident in her words and actions

40:54that she values all students and what

40:56they bring to the community. She

40:58constantly looks for ways to engage her

41:00students and bring their learning to

41:01life. Throughout the year, she proudly

41:03displays all her students academic work

41:05in the hallway outside her classroom for

41:07everyone to see and admire. She has had

41:10a positive impact on our fourth grade

41:12and our school community. A huge wildcat

41:15roar to Miss Lee from all of us here at

41:17Winter Hill.

41:28Thank you. Congratulations. Okay. And at

41:31this time I would like to call um

41:33director of special education I defo

41:35Ariano.

41:45>> Good evening everyone. I would like to

41:46call uh Andrew Grimnik up here.

41:56Uh we are pleased to offer our full

41:58support for Andrew as he becomes

42:00eligible for professional teacher status

42:01in Somerville public schools. Over the

42:04past three years, Andrew has

42:05demonstrated a strong commitment to our

42:07students and school community through

42:09his work as a board-certified behavioral

42:12analyst. He is sky highly collaborative,

42:14consistently partnering with school

42:16teams to develop and implement effective

42:19supports. and he regularly goes above

42:21and beyond to meet students needs.

42:23Andrew is responsive to district-wide

42:25priorities and has shown a willingness

42:27to step in and support our specialized

42:29programs, particularly when staffing

42:31needs arise. His flexibility,

42:33professionalism, and student centered

42:35approach make him a valued member of our

42:38team. Congratulations, Andrew.

42:48And I would like to call Laura Wallally.

42:58It is a pleasure to recognize Laura

43:00Wallally as she earns her professional

43:02status. Laura began her work in the AIM

43:04program as a board-certified behavioral

43:06anal analyst and stepped into the role

43:08of AIM program director bringing a deep

43:11understanding of our students needs and

43:13a strong commitment to supporting both

43:15students and staff. Laura Laura

43:17collaborate collaborates thoughtfully

43:19with staff, families, and colleagues and

43:22is a strong advocate for our most

43:24vulnerable students. She approaches

43:26challenges with care and a focus on

43:28solutions, helping staff feel supported

43:31while keeping students, learning and

43:33well-being at the center of her work.

43:35Laura has played an important role in

43:37expanding and strengthening the AIM

43:38program. Her leadership has helped guide

43:40planning, support staff through

43:42transitions, and build greater

43:44consistency across classrooms. As the

43:46program grows, she continues to focus on

43:48the quality of instruction,

43:49individualized supports, and meaningful

43:51opportunities for students to

43:53participate in their school communities.

43:55We are grateful for Laura's dedication

43:56and leadership and look forward to her

43:59continued contributions to the AIM

44:00program and Somerville public schools.

44:03Congratulations, Laura.

44:13>> Can we take one for Courtney, too?

44:15>> Oh, yeah.

44:30And I would like to introduce Dr.

44:32Jessica Boston Davis, the assistant

44:34superintendent for academics.

44:40>> Thank you and good evening. I am so

44:43excited just to do this overall, but

44:46very excited to welcome up May Chiao.

44:48Hello May.

44:53my fashion icon.

44:56I am thrilled

44:59to write this statement of support for

45:01May Chow as she reaches professional

45:04administrator status. May brings

45:07tremendous passion and expertise to

45:10visual arts education, consistently

45:13advocating for highquality arts

45:16experiences and meaningful learning

45:18opportunities for our students.

45:20As a long-erving art educator in

45:23Somerville, she brings a deep

45:24understanding of our community and a

45:27strong dedication to our students.

45:30May understands that access to the arts

45:32is deeply connected to equity and to

45:36creating rich experiences for every

45:38student. She is also a true cheerleader

45:41for her staff, always eager to celebrate

45:43and showcase the successes of educators

45:46and students. Her leadership is a

45:48valuable asset to our district and I am

45:51proud to support her attainment of

45:53professional administrative status.

45:55Congratulations

46:06Thank you. Thank you. Congrats.

46:12And now, let me welcome up Tanya Connor.

46:17>> Yay, Tanya.

46:23You know, I'm so excited.

46:25I am thrilled to write this statement of

46:27support for Tanya Connor as she reaches

46:30professional administrator status. Tanya

46:33is a trusted, respected, and exceptional

46:36leader whose work will have a lasting

46:39impact in our on our students of

46:41Somerville.

46:42One thing that is clear about Tanya's

46:45leadership is that she has not lost the

46:48strengths that made her an award-winning

46:50teacher and educator during her nearly

46:5310 years in the SHS educa um English

46:57department.

46:58She brings that same ability to listen,

47:02ask thoughtful questions, facilitate

47:04impactful learning sessions, and bring

47:07people together through her leadership.

47:09Today, Tanya brings deep knowledge of

47:12effective pedagogical practices and uses

47:15the library to advance students

47:17literacy, critical thinking, and digital

47:20citizenship.

47:22She has provided strategic leadership in

47:24leading new district initiatives,

47:26including an expansion of digital

47:28literacy and computer science. What I

47:30admire most about Tanya's leadership is

47:33her unwavering commitment to our

47:36students. She is cons she consistently

47:38centers them in her decision-making and

47:40keeps them at the heart of her work. I

47:43am proud to support Tanya's attainment

47:45of professional administrator status and

47:48look forward to her continued impact on

47:50the students in our district.

47:53Congratulations.

48:02And now I'm going to pass it back to

48:04Karen, Chris, and Mariana.

48:13Thank you so much everyone. At the end

48:16of each year that uh educators and

48:18administrators are eligible for

48:20professional status, we ask their

48:21supervisors to think deeply about their

48:24work over the last several years and

48:26whether they exemplify the the qualities

48:29of an amazing educator that we would

48:32want to see in the Somerville public

48:33schools. And I'm proud to say that

48:35everyone here today has done just that.

48:37So congratulations again.

48:45Um, at this time we would also just like

48:47to recognize the names of educators who

48:49earned professional status but were not

48:51able to join us tonight. Um, Siobhan

48:53Aberdale, Robert Allen, AJ Barilaro,

48:57apologies if I mispronounced, Tori

49:00Bower, Shelby Benham, Ariana Benson,

49:02Foley, Kate Briggs, Gary Bunker,

49:05Christine Campbell, Marie Clevering, Jen

49:08Hayward, Karen Coleman, Matthew Landry,

49:12Sandre Aose, Kayla Shoot, Amina Shake,

49:16and Jacob Stefano Shakar. Congrats to

49:19all of them as well.

49:25And with that, Chair Aman, um, and

49:27members of the school committee, we

49:29present you the educators and

49:30administrators who have earned

49:32professional status in the Somerville

49:33public schools.

49:50Thank you. That was uh beautiful and

49:53meaningful. My hands hurt from clapping.

49:55My cheeks hurt from smiling. Uh and

49:58thank you for those who have been in

50:00schools all day for being here to let us

50:02celebrate this with you. We are going to

50:03take a brief five-ish minute recess to

50:07uh ply you with sugar and celebrate you

50:10in person. Thank you so much.

1:03:07We have our very dedicated uh student

1:03:10reps who've already been here for an

1:03:12hour and deserve their

1:03:15uh chance to present to us. So, one,

1:03:18two, three, four, five. We have quorum.

1:03:21Um,

1:03:24uh, superintendent, with your blessing,

1:03:27we are going to pause your report to go

1:03:29to the report of our student

1:03:31representatives. Um,

1:03:34Ben, Laura, do you have a

1:03:38a Oh, yeah. Go for it.

1:03:40>> Um, okay. So, to start off, my name is

1:03:42Laura Vansley. I'm a junior and student

1:03:44representative for the high school. Um,

1:03:46this is my first meeting, so pretty

1:03:49exciting. Um to start off, we had

1:03:51freshman elections. This happened last

1:03:54week. We got our new set of class

1:03:56officers. Um we also had some pretty

1:04:00major events for our sports teams. The

1:04:03cross country team was in the Boston

1:04:05Globe um for their success. It was very

1:04:08exciting. Clubs have been up and

1:04:10running. Robotics has been flourishing a

1:04:14lot of new participants. And I think in

1:04:17general we have had a lot of success

1:04:19with the particip participation in clubs

1:04:24this year. So that's pretty exciting to

1:04:26see. Our homecoming theme and date has

1:04:28been selected for this year. It's meet

1:04:30me at midnight. Very fun. Um SATs have

1:04:34been going on. The seniors have just

1:04:36taken their SATs last week and PSATs are

1:04:39coming up for sophomores and juniors to

1:04:41take as well. Um, progress reports are

1:04:46going in either today or tomorrow. I

1:04:48think tomorrow. Um, so we're getting

1:04:52some good check-ins on our grades. And

1:04:55then for us as student representatives,

1:04:58we've been continuing to focus on middle

1:05:01school representation because that is a

1:05:04big issue right now and we need to like

1:05:06crack down on that. Um, we know that the

1:05:08West has some form of student government

1:05:12though we want to like kind of

1:05:14strengthen that and then other schools

1:05:15like the Kennedy for example have no

1:05:17student representation. So we have to

1:05:20start from scratch with those but Ben

1:05:22can go a little bit more in depth on

1:05:24that.

1:05:27>> Um, thank you. My name is Benjamin

1:05:29Murray. I'm a sophomore at Summerville

1:05:31High School. This is my I'm so happy to

1:05:33be a school committee representative

1:05:34this year and this is my third school

1:05:35committee meeting but my first one where

1:05:37I'm actually um get to be at this like

1:05:40um up here speaking. Um so yeah, it's

1:05:44been a great week at S public schools.

1:05:46Um so this uh the class officers have

1:05:49been continuing to raise funds for our

1:05:52the upcoming homecoming and which the

1:05:54theme has just been announced and later

1:05:56semiformmal much later in the year. Um

1:05:59the class of 2029 held a big sale on

1:06:01Wednesday afternoon. Um and yeah, as

1:06:05Lara stated, following the club fair

1:06:07from last week, um a lot of clubs have

1:06:10start have had their first meetings such

1:06:12as newspaper club and branding and

1:06:14marketing club and Red Cross club just

1:06:16to name a couple. And um the robotics

1:06:19and theater have been having their first

1:06:22um you know daily meetings which have

1:06:24had a lot of success. Um, Summerville

1:06:27High School will be hosting its college

1:06:29fair on Thursday. Um,

1:06:34and you know, as as I'm sure everyone's

1:06:37aware, there was a a little bit of a

1:06:39miscommunication last Wednesday um, that

1:06:42led people to believe that the

1:06:44Summerville Music and Theater

1:06:45Department's funding had been cut. And

1:06:47although although this only lasted a

1:06:49couple hours and we appreciate SEL

1:06:51public schools for clearing it up so

1:06:52quickly, um it's led uh many SERL

1:06:55students and parents to wonder what led

1:06:57to this happening and if it actually

1:06:59means anything. And yeah, and I know

1:07:01this is in the agenda. So um it'd be

1:07:04great to learn about that. And as school

1:07:07committee reps, we are continuing to

1:07:09talk to our peers about Summerville

1:07:11public how some public school can be

1:07:13improved. Um, and we're continuing to

1:07:15reach out to the middle schools to see

1:07:17if we can have some representation from

1:07:19younger grades. Thank you.

1:07:25>> Thank you so much. Thank to each of you.

1:07:27Um, I would like to give my colleagues a

1:07:30chance to ask student reps. Uh, Rep.

1:07:34Green

1:07:37>> through you. I just want to say how

1:07:39excited I am to hear that the student

1:07:42advisor committee is really taking on

1:07:44helping to develop middle school student

1:07:46voice structures and I just want to know

1:07:48if there's anything we as a body can or

1:07:49as individuals can do to help advance

1:07:51that work and if you don't have an

1:07:53answer right now that's an open offer.

1:07:56>> Ref. Green is wearing a mask. So what I

1:07:58think I heard you say is we are asking

1:08:01the students if there's items they think

1:08:04they need from us in order to support

1:08:07their work. Yes.

1:08:08>> Uh materially or

1:08:10>> in terms as as a body, as individuals,

1:08:12whatever it may be.

1:08:15>> So, yeah, I can't think of anything

1:08:18right now, but I can definitely check in

1:08:20with the other representatives. That's a

1:08:22really nice suggestion that we'll

1:08:25probably be taking up on. Thank you so

1:08:28much.

1:08:28>> It's an open offer, so whenever or

1:08:30whatever, just let us know.

1:08:31>> Thank you.

1:08:34>> Thank you.

1:08:35uh reput

1:08:37>> thank you chair through you uh Ben Laura

1:08:41really excited to have you both here um

1:08:43thank you for um engaging in this and

1:08:47I'm really excited to see what you

1:08:48contribute throughout um this coming

1:08:51school year uh I know that one of the

1:08:55things that um

1:08:58student reps bring is they bring sort of

1:09:00a perspective from their peers and you

1:09:03talk amongst yourselves about what you

1:09:05want to emphasize um during this school

1:09:08year. Last school year we had um you

1:09:12know a number of initiatives that

1:09:13students brought to us. Um you have some

1:09:16of the same representatives in your

1:09:17group. Um

1:09:19and you know I'm really excited to see

1:09:22what you bring to us. Uh it's really

1:09:25hard to solve a problem in a year. Um so

1:09:30I really encourage you to

1:09:33um think about how to take progress from

1:09:36last year to the next level. Um and I

1:09:38think a lot of us around the horseshoe

1:09:40here will be very willing partners to

1:09:42amplify your work to engage in it. Um

1:09:46and as my colleagues said, we're really

1:09:48excited to have you participate on our

1:09:51subcommittees and um uh and here in the

1:09:54regular meetings. Oh, thanks again.

1:10:00>> All right, I echo what my colleague

1:10:02said. Thank you. We hope you enjoyed the

1:10:04celebration and um

1:10:08you know, at least got a cupcake. We

1:10:10welcome any um you know, any input you

1:10:14have. I will say I it is not instinctual

1:10:17for me to look that way. So don't

1:10:19hesitate to like shoot your hand up as

1:10:22we are um

1:10:24discussing anything we're we're

1:10:27discussing for your feedback.

1:10:30All right. Thank you. We are now moving

1:10:33back to report of the superintendent. Uh

1:10:36we're moving on to the discussing the

1:10:39music theater arts after school stipen.

1:10:42Uh I have a brief comment before the

1:10:44superintendent's update. Uh just like

1:10:46many caregivers, representatives of the

1:10:49Somerville School Committee were

1:10:50surprised by last week's messages about

1:10:52cuts to afterchool music programming.

1:10:54The city of Somerville fully funded the

1:10:57district's FY27 budget requests,

1:10:59including significantly increasing the

1:11:01budgets for the specific music and

1:11:03theater after school stipens in question

1:11:05here. So to be absolutely clear, funding

1:11:07for these stipens was not cut. It was

1:11:09increased by 44.2% 2% as I'm told of the

1:11:13F in the FY27 budget. This is because

1:11:17music, theater, and arts are essential

1:11:21pieces of Somerville public school

1:11:23students education. This committee

1:11:26remains committed to supporting these

1:11:28opportunities and helping all students

1:11:32participate.

1:11:34On behalf of the body, I want to extend

1:11:36our appreciation to our educators, to

1:11:39our union partners, to our caregivers,

1:11:42and especially to our district

1:11:43leadership who work together to reach a

1:11:46resolution. I'm now going to invite Dr.

1:11:49Carmona to comment and expand on uh the

1:11:52points.

1:11:53>> Thank you through the chair. Uh so I

1:11:56want to begin by acknowledging the

1:11:58frustration and conflicting

1:11:59communication from the district over the

1:12:01past week and for that I truly truly

1:12:04apologize.

1:12:05I want to provide some additional

1:12:07clarity, reassurance and transparency

1:12:10about the things about where things

1:12:12stand right now. There are three things

1:12:14I want to address. The funding, the

1:12:17communication and the systems that we

1:12:20are putting together in place moving

1:12:22forward. So let's talk about the funding

1:12:24first.

1:12:25As you all know, during the budget

1:12:27cycle, we created a budget that was a

1:12:32level service budget uh to respond to

1:12:34some of the challenges that we faced in

1:12:36collaboration with the with actually the

1:12:38school committee, the mayor, mayor's

1:12:40office, and the department uh different

1:12:42department directors. We created a level

1:12:45service budget to make sure that we

1:12:48establish continuity of services across

1:12:50all departments

1:12:52and on the work that the the our CFO Dr.

1:12:56Bobby Bera did was an amazing work that

1:12:59was based on the idea of clarity,

1:13:02transparency and accountability. So with

1:13:04that there are things that come up is

1:13:06that right when we're creating a new

1:13:07budget and creating separating different

1:13:10different uh cost drivers that's one of

1:13:14the things that happens and that's one

1:13:16of the things that actually was done was

1:13:17done in in this process the high school

1:13:20had a big budget that was broken down

1:13:23into very specific streams we actually

1:13:25separated CTE separated the high school

1:13:28separated the um stipen section so we

1:13:31were very clear about the accountability

1:13:33as well as determine what metrics do we

1:13:35use to make sure that uh the monies that

1:13:37we are separating for every department

1:13:40are clear. And our commitment was always

1:13:42to make sure that we maintain the

1:13:44continuity of services for all

1:13:45departments especially for our

1:13:48departments in art and music and

1:13:50performing uh art. And so with that I

1:13:53can reassure you that we incre we had a

1:13:56significant increase. We went from

1:13:57$230,000

1:13:59to 306,000.

1:14:01That's a 33% increase for stipens. Now,

1:14:05that resulted in when you look at the

1:14:08actual category of stipens for arts,

1:14:10music, and performing arts, that

1:14:12resulted in $14,000 as an increase. So,

1:14:15we went from 33,000 to 47600.

1:14:21So that is very clear that at all if you

1:14:25look at the intention that we have was

1:14:27to create clarity, transparency and also

1:14:29to support our most precious um value

1:14:33assets that we have in our district as

1:14:35supporting the arts.

1:14:37We also actually if you look at our

1:14:39investments from 2023 to 2026 we always

1:14:44invested in arts and music. The

1:14:48non-personal budget was 50,000 every

1:14:50year. 50,000 for three years. And in

1:14:522027, we set aside 65,000. That was a

1:14:5630% increase both for the arts and the

1:14:59music. So at all points in our system,

1:15:02we have been transparent. We have been

1:15:04clear of our commitment to fund our arts

1:15:07as well as our extracurricular programs

1:15:09that we have for music and performing

1:15:11arts.

1:15:13And yet there is a gap. Is that right?

1:15:15So this fall we saw an increase in

1:15:17student participation in these programs.

1:15:19Now that is a good that's good news if

1:15:21you ask me. And the number of students

1:15:26that join was actually um something that

1:15:29was not processed in a in a in a manner

1:15:32that allow us to have a clear

1:15:34communication um with the different

1:15:36departments. But this increased

1:15:38participation created additional sta

1:15:40staffing needs that were not fully

1:15:42anticipated during our initial planning

1:15:45process early this year. And as the

1:15:48school began and educators started

1:15:50working through the increased amount of

1:15:52student participation, there was

1:15:54confusion about whether additional

1:15:57staffing resources would be available.

1:15:59But I want to be clear, there was never

1:16:02a decision to eliminate or reduce our

1:16:04afterchool programming for the arts and

1:16:08arts programming in any way.

1:16:11Now we have now confirmed that the

1:16:14staffing needs necessary to safely and

1:16:16effectively operate these programs and

1:16:19we also determined that all these

1:16:21positions will be funded.

1:16:24So that's on the side of the funding

1:16:26piece. Now, on the communication piece,

1:16:30I acknowledge we did not communicate

1:16:32clearly enough internally as these

1:16:34staffing needs emerge that resulted in

1:16:37our educators receiving information that

1:16:39did not fully reflect the district's

1:16:42plans and subsequently families receive

1:16:44conflicting messages.

1:16:47On Thursday, our p I personally met with

1:16:49the members of the music and performing

1:16:50arts department where we were able to

1:16:53clarify any programmatic needs

1:16:56confirming we confirmed the necessary

1:16:58funding and also move forward with

1:17:00programming. As a result, all planned

1:17:03music and performing arts

1:17:05commitments to our students will move

1:17:07forward as we originally planned them.

1:17:10And finally, addressing the systems. We

1:17:14know that this is not just a matter of

1:17:15something that needs to be resolved for

1:17:17this particular issue, but also what are

1:17:19the implications for the work moving

1:17:21forward and there are three things that

1:17:23we as we're looking at this issue where

1:17:25three things that have greater

1:17:27implications for the work that we do. So

1:17:29first uh we're working on making sure

1:17:31that we create clear processes for

1:17:33approving and communication and sharing

1:17:36how stipen positions are shared.

1:17:41Uh the second one is we're working to

1:17:43clarify district-wide budgeting

1:17:45processes and systems and share them

1:17:48with the budget managers or bud budget

1:17:50owners. And third one, in addition,

1:17:53we're working to ensure that we tighten

1:17:55up our systems to make sure that staff

1:17:58and um or all our um educators as well

1:18:02as managers understand how programming

1:18:04and funding questions should be

1:18:06escalated and ensure that decisions

1:18:09affecting students and families are

1:18:10confirmed before they are communicated

1:18:13externally.

1:18:15Here the headline is very clear. We had

1:18:18an increase in our students joining

1:18:20different programs is really exciting,

1:18:23but moving forward, we need to make sure

1:18:24that the three systems that I just

1:18:26described are aligned and working

1:18:28together. We are really excited to see

1:18:32that our students and as Ben said a

1:18:34minute ago, there's great participation

1:18:35in most of our school after school

1:18:37programming. We're proud of that and

1:18:39again we're committed to making sure

1:18:41that that continuity of inclusion as

1:18:44well as expanding programs continues. So

1:18:47thank you to our educators, our

1:18:50families, our students for their

1:18:52patience and their continued support as

1:18:55we continue to build these programs.

1:18:59With that, I'm passing that to you,

1:19:01chair.

1:19:08I'm going to continue with my support.

1:19:10So, we're going back again to the work

1:19:12that uh was presented by our chief of

1:19:14personnel, um Karen Woods. And I just

1:19:17also wanted to say that um it is great

1:19:19to celebrate our new educators. I heard

1:19:22things like high expectations, great

1:19:26commitments, bringing new energy into

1:19:28the district. We are defined by our new

1:19:31employees, our new leaders. they are

1:19:32really the greatest and most important

1:19:35elements in or the ingredients in our in

1:19:37our uh in this equation of teaching and

1:19:39learning. So we're really proud to have

1:19:41a space in which we celebrate that. And

1:19:43with that I'm going to bring uh again

1:19:45our chief of personnel to bring uh some

1:19:47greater understanding of our efforts to

1:19:50uh diversify our our um staffing.

1:20:00>> Okay.

1:20:01Well, thank you again. Um, we really

1:20:04appreciate the opportunity to have the

1:20:06time and space to celebrate our

1:20:08educators and to welcome our new

1:20:10administrators and new team members. Um,

1:20:12so and to share some updates from our

1:20:14team as well. So here we are for

1:20:16movement three in order to be able to do

1:20:18just that. Um, so we always like to

1:20:20begin our updates kind of grounding in

1:20:23our strategy um, which includes kind of

1:20:25these five big buckets of work. So

1:20:27recruitment, hiring and onboarding,

1:20:29retention, development and support and

1:20:31advancement and recognition. And all of

1:20:33the work that we do together touches on

1:20:35one or multiple parts of this strategy.

1:20:38So just very quickly, recruitment, which

1:20:40includes our annual career fair,

1:20:42pipeline development and partnerships,

1:20:44um student teachers, and also protecting

1:20:47our brand, if you will. We Somerville

1:20:49Public Schools has a great reputation.

1:20:51We think that that's one of the best

1:20:53recruitment strategies that we can have.

1:20:55Um, moving on for hiring and onboarding.

1:20:57This includes our annual training for

1:20:59our hiring administrators, which we take

1:21:01very seriously each year. We always talk

1:21:03with our administrators about how hiring

1:21:06is the most important thing that we do

1:21:07because having amazing educators in

1:21:09front of our students is the best thing

1:21:11that we can do for them. Um, also we uh

1:21:14have a focus on onboarding, a smooth

1:21:16onboarding process in our HR department.

1:21:19Moving on to retention. This one's

1:21:20really hard to define uh because it's

1:21:23basically everything that we do in order

1:21:25to make sure that we have a positive

1:21:28culture, building a culture of support

1:21:30and respect for all of our staff. Um

1:21:32collecting and responding to feedback

1:21:34really, you know, taking that process

1:21:36seriously and providing opportunities

1:21:38for growth. Um but this bucket, I wish

1:21:41there could be a size to show, you know,

1:21:43the the amount of work that falls into

1:21:45that bucket. Um and then continuing on

1:21:47development and support which includes

1:21:49ongoing you know targeted professional

1:21:52development and structured systems for

1:21:54collaboration uh and educator

1:21:56leadership. And lastly, advancement and

1:21:59recognition, which includes system

1:22:02systematized ways of recognizing the

1:22:04amazing staff that we have in the

1:22:06district, which often then leads back to

1:22:09hiring because, as you saw tonight, we

1:22:11often have staff and educators who move

1:22:15roles throughout the district. And we

1:22:16really love to retain all that talent um

1:22:19and have people move through the system.

1:22:21So, we recognize and then advance those

1:22:23uh you know, amazing staff. Um, so it's

1:22:26it's really a cycle. It's not a linear

1:22:28even though it's depicted linearly. Um,

1:22:32all right. So we like to just kind of

1:22:33ground in that that's the the team work

1:22:36that we do. Um, so here now we're going

1:22:38to share some of our data from this

1:22:40year. Um, so we hired for 149 vacancies.

1:22:45So these were the positions that were

1:22:48hired for this school year. um the

1:22:50largest portion of those um of that pie

1:22:53chart is reassignment. So that means

1:22:57that's in our opinion wonderful people

1:22:59are staying within the organization,

1:23:01right? And so you saw some of those

1:23:03reassignments here tonight. Some people

1:23:05moved from one school to to another or

1:23:08one role to another. Um but that biggest

1:23:10hunk is reassignments. Um let's just

1:23:12take a bit of a deeper look into our

1:23:15resignations, which is the next largest

1:23:17chunk. So our resignations we had 26

1:23:19total. That is actually a very low

1:23:22number. And of those 26, 13 were

1:23:24teachers, six were paraprofessionals,

1:23:26two were administrators, and we had five

1:23:28other non-union positions. Those were

1:23:30things like building substitutes and a

1:23:32mediator and things like that. Um, but

1:23:34you can see the percent of each group

1:23:37that that represents. So 13 teacher

1:23:39resignations is 2% approximately of the

1:23:43entire teaching staff. um approximately

1:23:454% of the paraprofessionals, two and a

1:23:47half% of the administrators, and 2.7% of

1:23:50our non-union staff. So overall, our

1:23:53resignations are very low, which leads

1:23:55to a high retention rate year-over-year.

1:23:58Um but let's focus in a little bit more

1:24:00on those that were really new to the

1:24:03district.

1:24:05So new hire snapshots. So this where it

1:24:08says 97 new SPS staff, that means

1:24:11actually new to the district. So, if you

1:24:12take if you're like, "Wait, you just

1:24:14said 149." So, if you take the 149 and

1:24:17subtract the reassignments and the

1:24:19temporary staff that were hired to cover

1:24:21leaves of absences, that's how you end

1:24:23up with the 97. Um, and so, um, when we

1:24:27look at these 97 staff across the

1:24:29district, 63 teachers, one nurse, nine

1:24:32pair of professionals, one school

1:24:34liaison, one uh, I'm sorry, two

1:24:36administrative assistants, nine

1:24:38administrators, and 12 staff in other

1:24:40roles. These are the staff that we

1:24:42really try to support, wrap our arms

1:24:44around collectively, make sure we visit

1:24:47in the first month of school, see how

1:24:49everyone's doing. Um, and that's part of

1:24:51again that strategy of retention, making

1:24:54sure people know that there's other

1:24:56folks out there to support them across

1:24:58the district. Uh, I do just want to oop,

1:25:01sorry, I'm so sorry. I do just want to

1:25:03note quickly. Um while we have two brand

1:25:06new administrative assistants, we also

1:25:08had four internal uh reassignments. And

1:25:11it's just particular of note, some

1:25:13people move schools, some people moved

1:25:15roles within schools. Um but more

1:25:17exciting kind of retaining that talent

1:25:19in the district just as we described

1:25:21with the administrators earlier.

1:25:23All right. So looking at our new

1:25:26teachers. Um so these are our new

1:25:28educators and this graph is showing us

1:25:30the retention in the first three years.

1:25:33So um if you look at the 2324 data so we

1:25:37started with 76 new educators in 2324

1:25:41and after three years we have retained

1:25:4436 of those educators and that's who we

1:25:46celebrated tonight in addition with some

1:25:48administrators who earned professional

1:25:50status as well. Um so then in 2425 that

1:25:54represents a two-year retention and then

1:25:57for 2526 one-year retention and then

1:26:002627 we just hired 63 new educators. So

1:26:04we will report on that next year. Okay.

1:26:08So when you look at our average

1:26:09retention rate for each of these groups.

1:26:11So we have an average retention rate

1:26:13after one year of 84% after two years of

1:26:1769% after three years of 51%. And really

1:26:21that 51% reflects a high standard of

1:26:24excellence that we hold in the

1:26:26Somerville public schools. And our job

1:26:28as a personnel team along with all of

1:26:31our administrators in the district, you

1:26:33know, is to make sure we have the most

1:26:34effective educators working with our

1:26:36students each and every day. Um, and

1:26:38again, so excited that we were able to

1:26:40celebrate those educators that earn

1:26:42their professional status tonight.

1:26:45And the last part I wanted to say in

1:26:47that was we in addition to the new

1:26:49educators we have a very high overall

1:26:52retention rate. So this year it was 91%

1:26:54but overall it's always in somewhere in

1:26:56the 90s.

1:26:58Okay. A little bit of information about

1:27:01our staff diversification that we would

1:27:04like to share with you. So the data that

1:27:06you see here the numbers for the graphs

1:27:09are on the right. Um, so this data shows

1:27:11that staff identifying as Asian, black

1:27:15or African-American, Hispanic or Latino,

1:27:17multi-racial, Native Hawaiian, or other

1:27:19Pacific Islander have all increased from

1:27:222025 to 2026. Um, and so we are

1:27:25continuing to make progress toward our

1:27:27goal of having our staff reflect our

1:27:30student demographic data.

1:27:33And lastly, we just want to share with

1:27:34you some highlights of uh that are

1:27:37happening in our department. I'll pass

1:27:39it to Mariana.

1:27:42>> Thank you. Um, so one of the biggest

1:27:44highlights is that thanks to your

1:27:46generosity, we were able to add a new

1:27:49position in our department as the and

1:27:51we're pleased to welcome Josephine Rizzo

1:27:54to be our substitute coordinator and she

1:27:58will be the fifth member of our tiny HR

1:28:01department and we're very excited to

1:28:03have her. Thank you.

1:28:07And a couple in terms of uh retention

1:28:10and development and recognition. Um our

1:28:12ongoing ongoing partnership with the

1:28:14Harvard Graduate School of Education uh

1:28:17with their teacher residency program and

1:28:19Boston College Donovan Scholar

1:28:20Partnership. Um it continues to

1:28:23flourish. It we're kind of the model

1:28:26district. I'm going to say uh you know

1:28:28they love working with us and we them.

1:28:30Um it has resulted in um 10 teacher

1:28:35hires over the past three years, three

1:28:37of whom have been recognized by their

1:28:39colleagues as rising star award

1:28:41recipients. So really just amazing staff

1:28:44coming out of these partnerships uh

1:28:46which is exactly what we wanted to have

1:28:48happen. Uh addition additionally um

1:28:52through the bar grant uh uh

1:28:54strengthening school leadership uh we

1:28:56are continuing our work with the Boston

1:28:58College Lynch Leadership Academy giving

1:29:00our assistant principles another round

1:29:02of um instructional leadership

1:29:04professional learning as a as a group

1:29:06especially you saw there's a lot of new

1:29:08assistant principles this year. So,

1:29:09we're really building that team out and

1:29:11building out our our bench of hopefully

1:29:12future principles. And we are also

1:29:15pushing some of that work into our K

1:29:18through8 coaching uh program which has

1:29:20expanded and uh we're super excited

1:29:23about the new hires we've brought in and

1:29:25our existing hires who've chosen to stay

1:29:27in those roles. So, lots of really great

1:29:29things happening in our development sort

1:29:31of buckets. And last but not least,

1:29:35staff recognition. Rising star. And so

1:29:38we really are kind of um aligning these

1:29:40updates with the strategy right in terms

1:29:43of on recruitment, onboarding,

1:29:45development, support um and then

1:29:47recognition. So we have uh you know

1:29:50several annual events to recognize the

1:29:52amazing staff that we have here in

1:29:53Somerville. Um this being one of them,

1:29:56we hosted our second annual staff

1:29:58recognition ceremony in June. um where

1:30:01we were able to honor many many

1:30:03educators across and staff, not just

1:30:05educators, staff in lots of different

1:30:07roles across the district. Um and one

1:30:09thing that we thought about this year um

1:30:11that is is new is that we really want to

1:30:14make sure that we're um honoring and

1:30:17recognizing and lifting up other members

1:30:19of the community that make um you know

1:30:21our schools function. And so we have um

1:30:24on the calendar well one of these days

1:30:26already passed. So we celebrated in

1:30:28September IT professionals day. Um and

1:30:31then coming up in the next couple of

1:30:32months we also have um crossing guard

1:30:35appreciation day, school lunch hero day,

1:30:37school nurse day, just to name a few.

1:30:39But we just wanted to make sure that to

1:30:42recognize that all of these people and

1:30:44all of these staff are really important

1:30:46members of the school and district

1:30:47community and so that we have an outlet

1:30:49to recognize them as well. And so with

1:30:52that, we would love to answer any

1:30:54questions that you might have. And

1:30:55again, thank you for this opportunity to

1:30:57share a little bit about our personnel

1:31:00updates and to highlight the amazing

1:31:02staff of the Somerville Public Schools.

1:31:09>> Thank you. Uh I would like to be sure

1:31:11that members of the body have those

1:31:13dates. I will speak for the Healey and

1:31:15that we have amazing people beyond our

1:31:19educator staff. uh and support staff who

1:31:22I want to be sure recognize. So, thank

1:31:24you. Uh we are going to go

1:31:25counterclockwise.

1:31:27So, Rep. Lipins, Rep. Green, and we'll

1:31:31see what's next.

1:31:34Thank you through you, Chair. Um thank

1:31:35you for this excellent presentation. Um

1:31:38I love that we are hiring more educators

1:31:41of color that represent our community.

1:31:43That's amazing. Um I notice on the pie

1:31:47chart with the vacancies we have um I

1:31:50think it's 23 leave of absence coverage.

1:31:54So am I correct that these are the

1:31:57people that cover like maternity leaves

1:31:59or Yes. Correct. I was wondering what

1:32:01the relationship between um our our

1:32:06teachers that cover leave of absence and

1:32:09the substitute coordinator role if

1:32:11there's any overlap. And I'm

1:32:13specifically asking because if an

1:32:15educator takes, you know, um a four

1:32:18month or two month or three month,

1:32:19especially in our upper grades or really

1:32:21any grade, you know, this has a direct

1:32:24impact on our students um considering we

1:32:27have, you know, three brand new

1:32:29curriculums. So, I'm just wondering what

1:32:31systems are in place to support uh our

1:32:35those educators that are covering

1:32:36because it is a pretty um good

1:32:39percentage.

1:32:41>> Absolutely. through you chair. Okay.

1:32:44Thank you so much for the question. Um

1:32:46several things actually come to mind as

1:32:48you say that. So the first I will

1:32:51actually ask Chris to speak about the

1:32:53peer supporter um system and then I'll

1:32:56talk a little bit more on the HR side um

1:32:58as well.

1:32:59>> Um yes, since they're not um so we we

1:33:02partner everyone with a peer supporter

1:33:04if they're a long-term sub of any kind.

1:33:06Um that's essentially a mentor. We we do

1:33:09that with all of our first year

1:33:10educators. But if you're coming into a

1:33:12new building or a new department and

1:33:14you've been with us, but you're going to

1:33:16a new place, you need someone. You need

1:33:18a go-to person who can get you with the

1:33:20curriculum, um, help you figure out how

1:33:22things work in a certain department or

1:33:24building. So, that's definitely like the

1:33:25first layer. And then, um, they are all

1:33:28invited into our professional learning

1:33:30catalog choices. They a lot of folks

1:33:32will enroll in those things. Um, and

1:33:35then they're they participate in their

1:33:36department PD experiences. Oftentimes

1:33:39they're always invited into those late

1:33:41day uh PDs even if they're not required

1:33:43to attend by contract.

1:33:47And just to add, as a personnel team, we

1:33:50meet um about every 3 weeks. And one of

1:33:52the things that we look at is uh the

1:33:54leaves and who's covering the leave.

1:33:57Usually uh each year we hire a few

1:34:00elementary teachers mostly um and that's

1:34:02because of lensure that can actually

1:34:05fill multiple leaves instead of trying

1:34:08to hire for three months and three

1:34:10months and three months um and that has

1:34:12been very effective because they're more

1:34:14ingrained in the community. They feel

1:34:16more closely connected and they already

1:34:17know our systems and curriculum to your

1:34:20point. Um and so that has been one

1:34:22effective method that we have and we

1:34:24have a few um long-term substitutes

1:34:26right now that are in positions that are

1:34:29going to be ending and the principles

1:34:31are are a great resource to reach out

1:34:33and say these people are rock stars. Can

1:34:35we make sure that we find other you know

1:34:37and then as we find out about leaves

1:34:39it's like a puzzle right piecing

1:34:41together the dates and the the required

1:34:43lensure um that that we can put together

1:34:46to your specific question about the

1:34:48substitute coordinator role. So, that is

1:34:51a brand new role. Um, and so I'm sure

1:34:54that that person will have some overlap.

1:34:56Is there anything that you want to add

1:34:57about the substitute coordinator role as

1:34:59it relates to long-term subs?

1:35:02>> So,

1:35:04what usually happens too is that the

1:35:06principal might, you know, talk to

1:35:08Josephine and say, "Do you have any, you

1:35:10know, PDM substitutes that are licensed

1:35:12in such and such a subject?" Um, do you

1:35:15have any substitutes that would like to

1:35:18work long term? and Josephine will have

1:35:20a list of, you know, uh, substitutes

1:35:22that she can provide to the principal.

1:35:25And then they also, you know, they still

1:35:27go through the interview process with

1:35:29the, uh, substitute, but at least, you

1:35:31know, they have options.

1:35:35And so, and just to name, so kind of the

1:35:38strategy around making sure our

1:35:39long-term substitutes can be successful

1:35:41in their roles is from hiring, uh,

1:35:44recruitment, hiring, and then

1:35:46development. And so, uh, that's how we

1:35:48work together.

1:35:51>> Rep. Green.

1:35:57>> Yeah. I wanted to uh second uh, Rep.

1:36:01Lipin's comments about diversifying our

1:36:03staff. And, um, given that that is,

1:36:06let's say, perhaps less popular in our

1:36:09society than it would have been when we

1:36:11adopted this goal pre- pandemic. I also

1:36:14want to highlight a couple things about

1:36:15it just for people's understanding. One,

1:36:18you'll note that it was in a gradual

1:36:19process. We do not want to see high

1:36:21turnover. We do not want to, you know,

1:36:24we are not trying to force teachers out,

1:36:25but it's been a gradual process. And as

1:36:28we can attest from just listening to

1:36:30today's um professional stat status and

1:36:33particularly when it comes to our new

1:36:35administrators for whom we all heard

1:36:36their resumes and their backgrounds and

1:36:38heard just how impressive their

1:36:39backgrounds are. We've been able to do

1:36:41it without any sacrifice of quality. Um,

1:36:45I just wanted to make sure people hear

1:36:47that because I think there is definitely

1:36:49this nasty undercurrent in our in our in

1:36:52our discourse of society these days that

1:36:54suggests that diversification and

1:36:57quality hiring are at odds. And I think

1:37:00we've proven pretty emphatically tonight

1:37:03those things are not only not at odds,

1:37:04they able to support each other.

1:37:12>> Thank you. John,

1:37:14>> thank you chair through you. Um, I also

1:37:17want to build on this this point but

1:37:19with with a question because you know I

1:37:22I am really pleased to see the

1:37:26progression of how our staff are

1:37:32more and more every year reflecting the

1:37:33diversity of our of our student

1:37:35population. What strategies have been

1:37:38most effective in driving that trend?

1:37:42and can you talk a little bit about um

1:37:46what your plans are as we move forward?

1:37:50>> Sure. Through you chair. Thank you. Um

1:37:53so we have reflected on this as a team

1:37:55and I think there are many different

1:37:57kind of um specific strategies we can

1:38:00point to. Um so first to name our the

1:38:03commitment to the school committee uh

1:38:05diversity hiring policy that all of our

1:38:08hiring administrators have. Um we repeat

1:38:12and um make sure that that uh the policy

1:38:15is included in our annual training every

1:38:17year. Um and we kind of really hold that

1:38:20up as um something that the HR team will

1:38:24do a careful review of all the

1:38:25recommendation for hires to make sure

1:38:27that the policy is being adhered to. Um

1:38:29and so you know deliberate interview and

1:38:31hiring practices. Um I but really I

1:38:34think the most important thing to note

1:38:36are the values that we hold as a

1:38:39leadership team and as a district. Um

1:38:42and realizing that the culture that we

1:38:44build and kind of that big bucket of

1:38:46retention um you know through offering

1:38:49affinity spaces for staff in offering,

1:38:52you know, the different um intentional

1:38:55mentor pairings and the the other ways

1:38:57that we make sure we're trying to set

1:38:59staff up for success. we think is

1:39:01probably our greatest contributor.

1:39:05>> I could also add one thing about, you

1:39:07know, as an example, I think a lot of

1:39:09our partner organizations like Hugsy and

1:39:11and Boston College are doing a

1:39:13tremendous amount of outreach for

1:39:15students coming into their programs and

1:39:17as we partner with them, we are the

1:39:19beneficiary of of their recruitment work

1:39:22as well. So, it's sort of like works in

1:39:24in tandem.

1:39:25>> Thank you.

1:39:26>> Thank you. I'm going to call in myself

1:39:28and just to uh give credit to Director

1:39:30McDonald for how much uh investment she

1:39:35gave in in helping us shape that that

1:39:37diversity policy which I think has you

1:39:39know I hope you believe that you know uh

1:39:42it has influenced the work we do but uh

1:39:45thank you for that. Um

1:39:49all right last chance for round one.

1:39:53All right, Reploins.

1:39:56>> Thank you through your chair. Um, every

1:39:57time I walk at the high school like and

1:39:59I am introduced to like a staff member,

1:40:01it turns out they're like a former

1:40:03student and which speaks so highly to

1:40:06like a district that you know uh we want

1:40:08to come, you know, our students stay

1:40:10here and they want to come back and give

1:40:11back. I've met like literally so many I

1:40:14would love a statistic it just just for

1:40:16us to really elevate like how many of

1:40:19our um students come back to and teach

1:40:22and work for some real public schools.

1:40:24It's just as like a and you don't have

1:40:27to tell me now unless you know

1:40:29>> I'm not I'm one

1:40:32>> you got one

1:40:33>> one onethird of your presenters.

1:40:36>> I I would love that too. We will report

1:40:40back.

1:40:40>> Every year at orientation, someone gets

1:40:43up and we're like, "Oh, hi. You were you

1:40:45were my student." Like that happens

1:40:47every year. So, we we could probably

1:40:49pull the data.

1:40:53>> All right. Thank you so much.

1:41:12All right. Thank you through the chair.

1:41:14Now I'm going to have um Rosanna

1:41:16Parabelloo uh come and present um the

1:41:20summer program that we the summer

1:41:22overview the presentation of the summer

1:41:24overview program. So really excited to

1:41:26have you here. I know there was a lot of

1:41:28celebrations, a lot of new programs for

1:41:30kids and there's always always a

1:41:34celebration of a students uh both growth

1:41:37and enjoyment during those days.

1:41:40>> Good evening. Thank you for having us.

1:41:43My name is Rosanna Parabelloo and I am

1:41:45the director of out of schooltime

1:41:46programming. It's great to be back

1:41:48tonight and sharing information

1:41:49regarding what our summerville students

1:41:51have been up to this past summer.

1:41:53Joining me is our summer programs

1:41:55coordinator, James Mandart, who has

1:41:57helped compile some data and information

1:41:59to also share tonight. Next slide.

1:42:05This evening, we will share updates

1:42:07regarding our summer programs in regards

1:42:09to planning data and attendance, some

1:42:12highlights and memorable moments, and of

1:42:15course, some key takeaways for future

1:42:16planning.

1:42:18Next slide.

1:42:25The planning for such an extensive

1:42:26summer program takes half a year to

1:42:28execute. Each year we start to plan

1:42:30earlier. It is a team effort

1:42:32encompassing myself and the OST

1:42:34department, city partners, summer

1:42:36promise department directors, the summer

1:42:39program coordinator, the school health

1:42:40department, food services program

1:42:42directors, DPW, partnering commu

1:42:46community organizations, and the list

1:42:48goes on.

1:42:49It involves coordination and

1:42:51communication that starts with a

1:42:52timeline, meetings, sharing documents,

1:42:56hiring, and training. Then, of course,

1:42:58on-site management on the day-to-day and

1:43:01data collection to monitor progress and

1:43:03preparing for the following year could

1:43:06almost be the same amount of work as

1:43:07starting up a school year packed in a

1:43:09five or six week program. This year, we

1:43:12also shared more space with community

1:43:14organizations.

1:43:15Next slide.

1:43:20We continue to build strong

1:43:22relationships with different

1:43:23organizations and programs within

1:43:25Somerville to offer our students many

1:43:27hands-on learning experience, either

1:43:29improving skills or expanding skills and

1:43:31knowledge. Areas of focus included STEM,

1:43:35middle school topics such as career

1:43:37exploration and social emotional

1:43:39learning, high school experience with

1:43:41working first jobs, music and art,

1:43:44physical activity, enrichment, and of

1:43:46course providing the essential service

1:43:48to our some working parents, full day

1:43:51experience to our youngest. I will now

1:43:54hand it over to Mr. James Mander to get

1:43:56into the data of our internal programs.

1:44:00>> Thank you, Rosanna.

1:44:03Hello everybody. Yes, again I'm uh I'm

1:44:05James Mandard. I'm happy to see

1:44:06everybody. It's one of my favorite times

1:44:08of the year to give you a quick little

1:44:10preview of of what happened over the

1:44:11summertime. So um we have just some

1:44:13images here spread out from a bunch of

1:44:15our programs and to look at some of our

1:44:17information. This is the best sort of

1:44:20snapshot I could give you without having

1:44:22a slide be completely filled with

1:44:23everything. Hence the onepage or

1:44:25two-page memo that you all have. But you

1:44:27can see our total enrollment for this

1:44:29year is 1,881.

1:44:31And there's a little bit of an asterisk

1:44:33next to that number just because the

1:44:34previous two years that I did this

1:44:35position, we um did the total

1:44:38enrollments based off of internal

1:44:40programs and only a few external

1:44:43programs that were partnerships. So

1:44:45those previous two years um were just

1:44:47kind of compiled differently for this

1:44:498881

1:44:50number you see. This is every single

1:44:52outside and inside program that were um

1:44:55being run in our schools this summer. 26

1:44:58total programs, 14 of them were internal

1:45:00and 12 of them were external.

1:45:04Next slide, please.

1:45:06Um, and just figured I'd give a few

1:45:09program shoutouts out of the 26 programs

1:45:11that we have in total. Uh, starting with

1:45:13our spell program, developing our

1:45:16students reading and writing and

1:45:17speaking and listening skills through

1:45:19theme-based learning. Um, they also

1:45:22partnered with many outside vendors to

1:45:24help elevate that student experience and

1:45:26also partnered with some uh programs

1:45:29like middle school robotics, which we'll

1:45:31get to in just a moment. But great

1:45:33program that happened at Argenziano.

1:45:35And to make it different from last year,

1:45:37our spell program was elementary spell

1:45:40program at the Argento and then we had

1:45:41middle school and high school was at the

1:45:43high school. But this summer we kept it

1:45:44all in one building. It went very well.

1:45:47Uh then we have our summer explore

1:45:48kindergarters program uh which ran out

1:45:51of the cap. Thank you. Uh gave

1:45:54opportunities to children with little to

1:45:55no pre prek experience. Uh so they had a

1:45:58really great program there developed me

1:46:00including developmentally appropriate

1:46:03academic learning playtime art and

1:46:05physical uh movement. And then middle

1:46:07grades robotics we heard about it

1:46:09briefly from our student representatives

1:46:10how it's going at the high school. Well,

1:46:12they really explode over the summertime

1:46:14doing um two out of the four weeks in um

1:46:18the high school with middle schoolers

1:46:20and then the other two weeks they are in

1:46:22different programs in the district with

1:46:24their high school students helping teach

1:46:26those kids the different sort of skills

1:46:28of robotics while also helping address

1:46:30some of the other skills for that

1:46:32specific program that they're visiting.

1:46:35Next slide, which I think is our ah

1:46:38perfect a few highlights and areas of

1:46:40improvement.

1:46:42Um we had Arbiter Sports for

1:46:45registration and student information

1:46:46across all of our internal programs

1:46:48whereas last year was kind of like a

1:46:50little bit of a rollout system trying it

1:46:51out. Um we want to use that for

1:46:53everybody. Elementary summer sessions

1:46:56expanded to serve grades 2 through 4.

1:47:00um expansion of sharing spaces in the

1:47:02community uh for the Elizabeth PBD House

1:47:06and Parks and Wreck just for for some um

1:47:09spread out across the district. Some

1:47:11areas for improvement um continuing to

1:47:13attract more educators and students to

1:47:16uh be in academic support programs.

1:47:20Continuing the coordination efforts in

1:47:22regards to sharing spaces for all of our

1:47:24programs.

1:47:26And then of course always improving and

1:47:27increasing any sort of family resources

1:47:30and surveys for the registration process

1:47:33during the process of programming and of

1:47:35course when everything is over. Thank

1:47:37you. We have one more slide of a video

1:47:39which is some highlights from summer

1:47:41programming.

1:47:52There's no sound video right.

1:48:12Heat. Heat.

1:48:32Heat. Heat.

1:48:40Heat.

1:48:50Heat.

1:49:15Heat. Heat.

1:49:45What a cheerful end. Thank you. Um,

1:49:50questions from my colleagues.

1:49:56All right, I guess we're going Lipins

1:49:59and Green and Betone again. Uh, so

1:50:02sorry, we'll start Patone, Lipins,

1:50:04Green, Betone.

1:50:07Thank you through the chair to the team.

1:50:10Thank you so much for sharing this and

1:50:12ending on such a nice positive good

1:50:15energy note. Uh my question uh there's

1:50:18this reference to spaces and I'd love to

1:50:21hear a little bit more about that. I

1:50:23know that some of our spaces have worked

1:50:25on on it over over the summer so I can

1:50:27understand that there's some

1:50:27constraints. Um but anything that you

1:50:30could share about that would be helpful.

1:50:34>> Sure. Um so it's always a challenge but

1:50:37I feel like each year we learn from the

1:50:39summer before. Um communication is

1:50:42really important. um what we discovered

1:50:44from this past summer with some new

1:50:46programs that are using the building. It

1:50:49could be programs that are not used to

1:50:51being in a school setting and a lot of

1:50:52our programs are more academic focused

1:50:56or programs just used to living in

1:50:58schools. So, it's a different um climate

1:51:01that um some programs have to get used

1:51:03to. So, moving into next year, we were

1:51:05discussing having explaining more,

1:51:08having um some more um things put in

1:51:12writing for the actual instructors using

1:51:14the space because we do contracts on a

1:51:16broader base like facility agreements,

1:51:19but sometimes it doesn't trickle down to

1:51:21just those bookshelves are covered for a

1:51:24reason. Don't touch them, like things

1:51:25like that. Um, so we discussed doing um

1:51:29a walk through and how things should be

1:51:31how things are how how they look when

1:51:33they start and what they should look

1:51:35like when they finish. Doing a little

1:51:36more onsite um communication with the

1:51:39actual folks sharing the space.

1:51:43>> Thank you, Repens.

1:51:46>> Thank you chair. Um this is a a glow and

1:51:49a grow. So a glow is I have multiple

1:51:52children so I actually really appreciate

1:51:54Arbiter Sports because I it fills in the

1:51:57information so I'm not typing it for per

1:51:59kid. So that is like um awesome and I

1:52:02appreciate everything being on one you

1:52:05know I can just check boxes. Um I also

1:52:08want to follow up about the sharing of

1:52:10space. Um, so with kids in different

1:52:13like programs when there's multiple

1:52:15programs and you're trying to like pick

1:52:17your child up early or um or even just

1:52:20like where to go. So it it would be a

1:52:23suggestion I guess. Um I agree with that

1:52:26because it it was hard to kind of figure

1:52:28out which door to go. There's so many

1:52:30programs. I don't know which staff is is

1:52:32what. So that's just um just like I

1:52:35you've already highlighted it for an

1:52:37area of improvement and um would love to

1:52:39partner if you need any support from the

1:52:41school committee on that. I' happy to

1:52:43happy to help cuz well thank you.

1:52:49>> Thank you rep Green.

1:52:52>> Thank you um through you I think to the

1:52:55administration.

1:52:57Um obviously it is fantastic that every

1:53:00summer participation in summer

1:53:02programming grows. Um

1:53:06you know I think speaking for myself

1:53:09uh the orchestra program this summer was

1:53:11the only only summer program my daughter

1:53:13wanted to actively wanted to do. Um so I

1:53:16obviously think that you're doing

1:53:17something right there. But I would love

1:53:20to over time really dig deep into I

1:53:24think two or three questions. How do we

1:53:27decide what programs to add, expand?

1:53:30How do we decide if a program is a good

1:53:33one? And what are we looking to get out

1:53:35of these programs on a more strategic

1:53:37level as how how they support our larger

1:53:41educational programming model?

1:53:47>> I just can just make sure that I want to

1:53:49capture the three categories that you

1:53:51described.

1:53:51>> Yes. And I don't need to answer right

1:53:52this second cuz I think these are

1:53:54probably questions that require some

1:53:55depth of diving, but I just want to put

1:53:57them out there.

1:53:59>> So, how do we decide what programs to

1:54:01add or subtract?

1:54:03Um,

1:54:05how do we measure their success aside

1:54:10aside from enrollment numbers? And what

1:54:13are we hoping to do with them on a

1:54:16strategic level as far as fitting into

1:54:18our larger strategic planning?

1:54:28Thank you to the chair. I actually gonna

1:54:29I'm going to turn back um to you both in

1:54:32terms of the first two in terms of how

1:54:34programs have been added and if any

1:54:36programs have been off I don't know if

1:54:37there any programs have been offloaded

1:54:39since um James you've been you know um

1:54:42kind of leading summer and then you've

1:54:44also done some kind of quality

1:54:46programming review. So if I if you can

1:54:48speak to that, that would be great for

1:54:49the first two points.

1:54:51>> Um I could speak to it for the internal

1:54:53side at least because that's what I I

1:54:55deal with mostly. Um in terms of how do

1:54:57we know it's a good program? It's

1:54:59something I've been trying to work on

1:55:00for the last two summers is a quality

1:55:03program um survey that I run through

1:55:06with each of the programs.

1:55:08Um and also something that we send out

1:55:11to families. And that that was one of my

1:55:13uh areas for growth is to make sure that

1:55:15I get more surveys out to families to

1:55:17know what they're thinking about those

1:55:19programs. Um it's not in any of our

1:55:21slides today, but I am keeping track of

1:55:23the programs that we're running. Um what

1:55:26types of programs they are, the types of

1:55:28students that they're meeting, and what

1:55:29is it that they're working on. Um but I

1:55:32want to make sure that the families are

1:55:34enjoying the time that their students

1:55:36are spending with us and that their kids

1:55:38are telling them that they're enjoying

1:55:39it as well. So, it's something that we

1:55:42have to work on to just get more

1:55:43responses cuz this year specifically we

1:55:45didn't get enough. But for programs that

1:55:47joined us or left, I don't believe in my

1:55:50three years for internal programs we've

1:55:52had any leave. But for external,

1:55:54>> I'm sure we right. Um so for external

1:55:58programs we've um expanded with sharing

1:56:01space so that um somerville

1:56:04organizations can come in and offer

1:56:06programming um that do not have a space

1:56:10or other spaces being used um and that

1:56:13has increased the participation rate in

1:56:16those programs because they are in the

1:56:17schools. And then in terms of the

1:56:19academic programs, I know that

1:56:21particular departments do evaluate their

1:56:23own programs like the summer um summer

1:56:25session, the elementary, the high

1:56:27school, they run, they collect their own

1:56:29data and track um academic uh

1:56:33improvements and what they're adding or

1:56:35um taking away. I know that the CTE

1:56:38program um in its first year had a lower

1:56:42enrollment and we've seen that increase

1:56:43the past couple of years um with you

1:56:46know actual weight list to get into

1:56:48those CTE programs. The nth grade

1:56:50transition program also increased in

1:56:53particip participation rates. Um,

1:56:57yeah, and think that's really all I know

1:56:59about those programs. Um, because most

1:57:02of my work is with the external programs

1:57:05and I'm working on coordinating and

1:57:08making sure everybody's has what they

1:57:10need to run their programs in the

1:57:11summer. I

1:57:12>> have one more thing to add to actually

1:57:13that Rosanna just reminded me of. There

1:57:16were three programs from the last summer

1:57:17that had um more participation and from

1:57:20when I was speaking with the directors,

1:57:22they were showing some more interest in

1:57:24expanding that program. So, a CTE was

1:57:26one of them. Um, having it be longer of

1:57:28a program because kids were getting

1:57:30super interested in that one. Um, the

1:57:32robotics program, as I mentioned

1:57:34earlier, is one week uh at the high

1:57:36school, next week is in another program,

1:57:38next week is in a high school, then the

1:57:40other program or other week is in

1:57:42another program. And I was talking with

1:57:44Jason uh Barons about making the program

1:57:46at the high school a bit longer and

1:57:48having kind of different cohorts about

1:57:50kids, middle schoolers staying in the

1:57:52high school for longer but also giving

1:57:53opportunities for those high schoolers

1:57:55to get out into other programs. And then

1:57:57uh the music program actually is only

1:58:00about 2 weeks and though it's amazing

1:58:02they can teach kids music in two weeks.

1:58:04Having that be a little bit longer they

1:58:05showed some more interest in because

1:58:07more kids wanted to sign up and if they

1:58:09could have the option to teach them a

1:58:11little bit longer that'd be great too.

1:58:12So, it's something that Rosanne and I

1:58:13need to discuss.

1:58:16>> Thank you. Thank you for that context.

1:58:19Um, I'd like to add uh a response to

1:58:21this question um based off question

1:58:24three, which is um if I'm recalling

1:58:26correctly, how do our summer programs

1:58:29tie into our larger strategic planning

1:58:32and strategic goals of our district? And

1:58:34I would say um there's a lot of tiein

1:58:38and there are areas that we can

1:58:40strengthen. So, if I'll give a couple of

1:58:42examples, I'll build off of the um

1:58:45shoutouts that were listed. Spell has

1:58:48had several very strong summers in a

1:58:50row. We've have um amazing educators

1:58:53that are leading the program. We have

1:58:55active engagement. There's been a

1:58:57concerted effort as mentioned to expand

1:59:01um let me just back up and say spell is

1:59:03for is a summer program ellingual

1:59:07learners. Okay. So it's during the

1:59:10morning session is a lot of language

1:59:12development and in the afternoon there's

1:59:14a much more enrichment looking to make

1:59:17sure I got that right. Um and over the

1:59:20past few summers there's been a a a

1:59:22concerted effort to expand even the

1:59:24enrichment. It's not lost upon me that

1:59:27we have had such gains in our access

1:59:30numbers with that really dedicated um

1:59:33programming that happens also in the

1:59:35summer. So that's one example. Another

1:59:37example is summer explore. As we think

1:59:39about our um youngest uh members of our

1:59:43community and having access to um high

1:59:46quality early experiences

1:59:50um and the success we see with that and

1:59:52it's it's really amazing that we have

1:59:54such a robust early childhood department

1:59:56that's able to provide this again ties

1:59:58directly into our strategy. Um I'll say

2:00:01this as an area to strengthen summer

2:00:04session which has been traditionally

2:00:06funded through title one funds and that

2:00:08is um a more uh academic support um for

2:00:13grades uh this year was expanded for

2:00:15grades two through four. I'll say we do

2:00:18um as an uh academic kind of curriculum

2:00:21uh department heads, we do a a deep data

2:00:24dive several times during the year based

2:00:26on our assessment calendars and it

2:00:29always comes up how can we expand this

2:00:32depending especially in relation to the

2:00:34grades that we notice trends. Um and one

2:00:39is we've traditionally funded it through

2:00:41title one funding and so that's you know

2:00:44depending on the availability. The

2:00:45second is that we also most often have

2:00:49staff that have um led that and that can

2:00:52be a barrier to some programming and

2:00:54that we don't always have um staff who

2:00:57are um working over the summer which is

2:01:00totally okay. Um we've been able to, you

2:01:03know, kind of maneuver that barrier a

2:01:05bit by making sure that pair

2:01:06professionals can um be uh lead teachers

2:01:09in in the summer programs. We've also at

2:01:11times expanded to opening to other

2:01:13districts. Um, but that can be a barrier

2:01:15as well. I'm going to also just say

2:01:18because I see the personnel team here

2:01:20that um, as we think about our larger

2:01:22district strategy, our summer

2:01:24programming also ties into a lot of what

2:01:26our personnel team described. James

2:01:29Mandart um, has received one of our

2:01:32scholarships that Karen described

2:01:34earlier for educator leadership. He's a

2:01:37incredible educator, an incredible

2:01:39leader. He has a scholarship funded by

2:01:42our district and he is leading in a

2:01:43capacity of I'm sorry to put you on the

2:01:45spot but here you are so I kind of have

2:01:47to do that but that's an example but

2:01:49it's not just James is amazing and it's

2:01:52not just him our directors of different

2:01:54programs I'm thinking about Lindsay

2:01:55Weaver who's now assumed the role as

2:01:57assistant principal but she um supported

2:02:00and led with spell I'm thinking about

2:02:02many instru you know I'm thinking of

2:02:03another instructional coach who who led

2:02:05with spell who's also incredible um I'm

2:02:07thinking about and so it doesn't

2:02:08necessarily have to be people who are

2:02:10moving in different positions or

2:02:11becoming administrators, but they are

2:02:13leading. I I mean, I'm looking over

2:02:15Desawn Simmons was a former, you know, I

2:02:18I don't mean to call people out, but I'm

2:02:19just thinking like it is really we have

2:02:21a lot of leadership roles. So, as we

2:02:23think about the strategy in our

2:02:24district, it's really great to be able

2:02:26to exercise your leadership in a in a

2:02:28space where you're not overlapping too

2:02:31much um with the school year. Um so,

2:02:33that's another another part. Now, where

2:02:35we can strengthen is a lot of the

2:02:37programs that we've described are um

2:02:41often connected to people's passions and

2:02:44interests, and that's awesome. And I

2:02:48wonder if there are any areas that we

2:02:50might think, hm, maybe we have a lot of

2:02:53this and we can expand that. Um that's a

2:02:56a mapping activity that I personally

2:02:58perhaps the OST team has thought

2:03:00through, but um you know, we can we can

2:03:02continue to think through at a district

2:03:03level. But we have, you know, a lot of

2:03:06people kind of with um interests and

2:03:08passions who are leading really amazing

2:03:10work. And we can continue to think about

2:03:12if there are any other ways to support

2:03:21>> tone.

2:03:24Rep. Piton answered or asked my question

2:03:27already, so I'm gonna get out of line.

2:03:36Hello and thank you uh through the

2:03:38chair. Um it's really uplifting to see

2:03:42this and to just uh

2:03:44um be cognizant of how important it is

2:03:48to uh to fill the summer up uh from an

2:03:52equity perspective for kids who aren't

2:03:55going to go to a fancy summer camp etc

2:03:57etc. So we have this really great

2:03:59opportunity. So, thank you for doing

2:04:01that. Um, the question I have is, um, I

2:04:04don't quite remember when we did this,

2:04:06but I feel like was about a year ago, we

2:04:08had, um, at the East Somerville um,

2:04:11community school, we had, um,

2:04:15uh, a review with parents and families

2:04:18around how OST was going. And I recall

2:04:21that there was some questions around um,

2:04:24accessibility for students with

2:04:26disabilities. And I'm just wondering

2:04:30what the followup

2:04:32do you that

2:04:35it we maybe you weren't there so um okay

2:04:40so at at some point we there was

2:04:42feedback from several parents quite a

2:04:45few parents around um having more OST

2:04:49oper um opportunities that

2:04:54ex um expanded uh for students with who

2:04:59needed more accessibility. So, you may

2:05:01not have an answer for that, but so I'll

2:05:03just leave it out and um and just make a

2:05:07note of it because it it did come up,

2:05:09but um I was, you know, I'd love to hear

2:05:13if there were any changes. Um, we

2:05:16definitely, um, I don't recall having

2:05:19any concerns this past summer on

2:05:22families not being able to access a

2:05:24program that they needed or wanted, um,

2:05:27in terms of special needs. Um, but I can

2:05:30dive deeper and see where that came from

2:05:33or someone else on my team knows about

2:05:35this conversation.

2:05:38I'll I'll take a look a deeper look. I

2:05:40didn't want to get into my computer

2:05:42here, but I'll if I find I'll I'll find

2:05:44the notes that I took from them and just

2:05:46pass it along. Um it wasn't something

2:05:49huge, but it seemed Yeah, it seemed very

2:05:53important. Thank you.

2:05:57>> Thank you. All right. Reputone and then

2:05:59repetone.

2:06:00>> Thank you, chair through you. This is a

2:06:02little bit of a sideways question, not

2:06:05about everything that you presented,

2:06:06which was fantastic. Um,

2:06:10I went into my email and I searched for

2:06:12the word summer, and the first thing

2:06:14that came up was summer reading. Um,

2:06:17which is, uh, something I've gotten some

2:06:19questions on in the last year. Um,

2:06:23so I'm wondering if um maybe not to put

2:06:27you on the spot, um, but if we could

2:06:30have an update about,

2:06:32uh, the direction our summer reading

2:06:34program is going. I know that there was

2:06:36a compiled list at one point. I don't

2:06:37know if there if that is something that

2:06:40is a continued resource that is going

2:06:42out. So either now or later. Would love

2:06:44to hear. Thank you.

2:06:45>> Okay.

2:06:45>> Through to the chair. Thank you for

2:06:46that. Um, just a point of clarification,

2:06:49a list for students to read or like an

2:06:51actual program for reading.

2:06:54>> So through you, chair, in the past, the

2:06:58summer reading was offered as somewhat

2:07:00of a menu for every grade level across

2:07:04the district. Um

2:07:08I don't know how often it was updated or

2:07:11you know how exactly what the mechanism

2:07:13for distribution was but um I heard

2:07:17from some families and I recall from my

2:07:20own family that we didn't receive it

2:07:21this past year. So just curious if

2:07:23there's something changing there.

2:07:26>> Thank you. Yes, I do I do recall um in

2:07:29the past a list of texts recommended

2:07:32reading for over the summer. let me talk

2:07:33to my team and we can get an update um

2:07:35either to the full committee I can do a

2:07:39separate email or we can do a more

2:07:40extensive um presentation in ed

2:07:43programs. So happy to do any of all the

2:07:45or all of those

2:07:46>> whatever is appropriate. Thank you so

2:07:48much.

2:07:49>> Thank you repaton.

2:07:51>> Thank you through you um to the team.

2:07:55Uh, I had office hours this weekend and

2:07:58I just happened to speak with a couple

2:07:59of parents and one of the things they

2:08:01asked about was

2:08:04opportunities to register earlier.

2:08:07And we had a nice conversation about

2:08:10access and that we have some families

2:08:13that are planning in January and we have

2:08:15some families that are like, it's June,

2:08:18what are my kids going to do? So we know

2:08:21I at least I know it's complicated and

2:08:23we don't necessarily want to create

2:08:26programming only for certain people who

2:08:28have a certain socioeconomic position

2:08:30but I just at least wanted to put it out

2:08:32there because the question came to me

2:08:34and um clearly you do a lot of work in a

2:08:38short period of time and and to have an

2:08:39earlier registration we require starting

2:08:41this work earlier in the school year and

2:08:45you know there's a lot of logistics all

2:08:47these things but I just wanted to put it

2:08:48out there because people had asked me

2:08:49about it. Uh, and I and I do understand

2:08:52that conundrum some for some families

2:08:54that they're doing their plans in

2:08:56January and they're like, "Am I going to

2:08:58sign my kid up for private programs? Am

2:09:00I going to sign my kid up for the public

2:09:03school program? I'd rather have them be

2:09:04in their school or whatever it is

2:09:05they're looking for." So, again, I know

2:09:07this is not a need from everybody in our

2:09:09community, but I thought I'd at least

2:09:11name it.

2:09:13I think I will build on repetone that uh

2:09:18even if earlier registration isn't

2:09:20possible like the earlier publication of

2:09:22especially of dates and like date

2:09:24windows and things like that um you know

2:09:28is would would also be lovely.

2:09:33Uh we did get we did receive this

2:09:34feedback and we did start earlier this

2:09:37summer. But um unlike private camps and

2:09:42other you know um programs that certain

2:09:45families can sign up for and others

2:09:47can't, we sort of have to find a happy

2:09:49medium so that we can organize every

2:09:52program. Um and it did look like this

2:09:56year um programs that are able to um

2:10:01have like open up registration but then

2:10:03have a later um date where they're able

2:10:06to cancel because of another program. Um

2:10:09some of the programs were into June

2:10:11where they allowed families to to switch

2:10:13um or to you know if they were

2:10:15recommended or in in another program. Um

2:10:18that is something we we're constantly

2:10:20working on. um difficult with a lot of

2:10:22referral programs also. Um

2:10:26we have to wait for these lists for for

2:10:28and we do a lot of work with SFLC and

2:10:30they do a lot of you know individual

2:10:32conversations with families and ensuring

2:10:34that these um these students get what

2:10:36they need. Um but the the piece on the

2:10:38timeline we did just or um on the topic

2:10:42of OST for after school, we did create a

2:10:45timeline for seasons of registration

2:10:47that was um passed out during the August

2:10:51back to school night. So I think we're

2:10:53all like working in the same direction

2:10:55and updating the website. We just had a

2:10:57revamp of that as well. So we could

2:10:59definitely do something around um summer

2:11:01as well.

2:11:05>> Thank you.

2:11:09All right. Uh, with no further

2:11:11questions, we'll thank you for your time

2:11:12and your awesome presentation.

2:11:23>> Go ahead.

2:11:24>> Now, we are going to the last part of

2:11:25the uh the report, which is a um we had

2:11:28a district review that was shared with

2:11:30us by the Department of Ed, and I'm just

2:11:33going to get into that review for a

2:11:35minute.

2:11:36Um I and I will provide a general

2:11:39understanding of what the review is,

2:11:41what what are the strengths that have

2:11:42identified for our district and also

2:11:44what are the areas of uh growth that we

2:11:46have to identify and um operationalize

2:11:50across the board. So I just wanted to

2:11:52you know in general this is the

2:11:54department of ed does this regularly

2:11:56they basically um outsource some uh

2:11:59research company to say hey let's do a

2:12:01review whether it's in specialized

2:12:03education or MLE or and this one was a

2:12:06general review around kind of the

2:12:08quality of programming that we have in

2:12:10Somerville and so um there was a lot of

2:12:12preparation um actually my friend Erica

2:12:16here was uh instrumental in making sure

2:12:18that we created focus groups visits

2:12:21discussions and uh it was a very robust

2:12:24uh work that happened by a company that

2:12:27was basically um uh outsourced to the

2:12:31work the American Institute for Research

2:12:33uh and they were uh actually very

2:12:35thorough in the work. Next slide.

2:12:39And so in general basically um again

2:12:42they did classroom observations, they

2:12:44did focus groups, they actually met with

2:12:47department heads. Um and this was pretty

2:12:52much a a thorough assessment of all our

2:12:54schools. Um and as you see they

2:12:57identified the strong foundation that is

2:12:59in place. We have shared that with you.

2:13:02That's the the message that I share with

2:13:03the community. We actually have built a

2:13:05strong foundation and that's pretty much

2:13:07the headline for us that we have a

2:13:10strong system. We have the strategic

2:13:12direction is in place. We have created

2:13:15some systems that you have funded in

2:13:17years past around not only instructional

2:13:21support but also the fact that we have

2:13:23built academics as well as social

2:13:26emotional. Those are things that anyone

2:13:28can see from close and afar as well as

2:13:30our commitment to equity that shows up

2:13:32in many many places. So a strong dur

2:13:35strong direction, strong foundation and

2:13:38obviously we're working on the

2:13:40consistency um across the board. Next

2:13:43slide.

2:13:47So um again this is what was affirmed by

2:13:50our reviewers. We are building

2:13:52leadership coherence. Uh and that's

2:13:55something that as you know from the

2:13:56beginning of the school year we outlined

2:13:58for everyone. Um there's a clear

2:14:01investment in education that it shows up

2:14:04in different places especially in our

2:14:06professional development and there is a

2:14:08greater sense across the community that

2:14:10students feel that they belong and our

2:14:13consistent work around family and and

2:14:15community support. uh SFLC is

2:14:18instrumental in this work and um it also

2:14:23is a testament of the investments that

2:14:24we have done throughout the years. Next

2:14:27slide.

2:14:29And now we come to a place where uh we

2:14:31need to think about what are some of the

2:14:32things that we have to do as a

2:14:33collective. Um there are some places in

2:14:36which uh instruction um was identified

2:14:40as needed to be more rigorous. uh there

2:14:42were places in which there was a standon

2:14:45a stand and deliver type of instruction

2:14:47that um uh was a question around um our

2:14:51systems for um academic rigor. Um

2:14:56there's also the question around MTSS

2:14:58and how consistent the work is. Um we

2:15:01have done a lot of work uh several over

2:15:03several years but we still continue to

2:15:06um build on the systems that we have but

2:15:09we need greater um

2:15:13um alignment across the board. Um we

2:15:15have we work with Boston Children's

2:15:17Hospital to create a system of MTSS and

2:15:21we had three different schools that

2:15:22actually were leading some of that work

2:15:24but that work is continues to be

2:15:26expanded throughout the district. Um and

2:15:28the work that Michelle um Shannon Dr.

2:15:31Shannon is doing is around that building

2:15:34that system of um operations around

2:15:37MTSS.

2:15:39Um as you know this is the biggest area

2:15:41of work that we have right now moving

2:15:43from data to action that's the work that

2:15:46we have done throughout the year is the

2:15:47work that we do when we meet we get

2:15:49together during the old team but it's

2:15:51basically how do we actually create the

2:15:54structures to move the work around data

2:15:57to impact

2:15:59um and that's one thing that again

2:16:01consistently we if you walk into every

2:16:04building that is the language and also

2:16:06the practices that you

2:16:09uh student and family communication. Um

2:16:11I was actually very um interested by the

2:16:14fact that there was some feedback we got

2:16:16from families around how much support do

2:16:19they get around understanding data,

2:16:21understanding how a students um

2:16:24assessment uh it can be um made

2:16:28operationalized for the families so they

2:16:30can actually act on that and also

2:16:32support students at home. So that's one

2:16:34thing that there is a lot of work that

2:16:36we need to do around that and I do feel

2:16:38that there is a great collaboration that

2:16:40we can do with our partners with the SEU

2:16:42to build the assistance that we have for

2:16:45um not only family communication but I

2:16:47believe is family empowerment and then

2:16:50the work around financial planning um as

2:16:52you know um Dr. Betta has been very

2:16:55clear about the work. We created our

2:16:56first when when they interview our

2:16:59finance department. These pieces were

2:17:01just been built uh our u dashboard uh

2:17:05finance dashboard our system of uh uh

2:17:09transparency around a year uh the the

2:17:13finance book that we are creating and

2:17:15also the budgeting software. That's one

2:17:17thing that actually is um again wasn't

2:17:20in place but was outlined as they were

2:17:22coming uh and understanding our areas of

2:17:25need and our areas of strength. Um next

2:17:29slide.

2:17:31And so again our response has been

2:17:33concentrated on these three buckets. Uh

2:17:36for us equity and academic excellence go

2:17:40hand in hand. And that consistency

2:17:43around rigorous instructional rigorous

2:17:45learning is one of the ones that uh I we

2:17:48know is tied up to the implementation of

2:17:50high quality instructional materials and

2:17:53is something that

2:17:55is is continues to be built. It's it's

2:17:58like never we get to the point in which

2:17:59we have reached uh that proficiency

2:18:02because you have new teachers, you have

2:18:04new challenges, you have new continues

2:18:06of learning for kids. But that continues

2:18:08to be for us the biggest area of

2:18:11support. Academic rigor and um quality

2:18:14of instruction happens um and it doesn't

2:18:18happen overnight. Um that again is tied

2:18:22up to is tied to with a with a piece

2:18:24around MTSS. How do we build these

2:18:26systems of support in every classroom so

2:18:28kids um needs are targeted in a

2:18:31systematic way. Um the the second piece

2:18:34around that is how do we make sure that

2:18:37our students who need extra supports are

2:18:40getting those in the in the district. Um

2:18:43that more specifically our students with

2:18:45a special needs. We know that that

2:18:47continues to be an area of growth. Um

2:18:50our Emily students have actually made uh

2:18:53greater gains this year in the last two

2:18:55years. MCCAST as well as the access data

2:18:57shows that. Uh but our specialized

2:19:01instruction and support for uh

2:19:04implementation of um classrooms

2:19:07classroom um instruction that is um

2:19:11modify and that responds to the needs of

2:19:14students is an area in which we're

2:19:16working that's the biggest part of our

2:19:18professional education bucket. We're

2:19:19working with um both um Dr. for um Jenna

2:19:25Rufo as well as um with our educators

2:19:28making sure that uh that's the greatest

2:19:30area of improvement for us and then the

2:19:33last one is around uh making sure that

2:19:36we have a strong system of finances that

2:19:38allows us to continue the work and as I

2:19:40mentioned before um Dr. Bera has really

2:19:43uh charged that course. Um and the piece

2:19:48around clarity, accountability and also

2:19:52um making sure that we have a

2:19:54sustainable uh financial system is is

2:19:57critical for us.

2:19:59Um

2:20:00and that's basically it.

2:20:07calling.

2:20:07>> Well,

2:20:09I you know I so through the chair I just

2:20:12the headline here is good just to be

2:20:14clear there's a lot of strengths that we

2:20:16have as a district and I just don't want

2:20:18you to uh even when you talk when I

2:20:21talked to the folks uh at the the air

2:20:23institute and the department of ed they

2:20:25were very complimentary of the strengths

2:20:28but of course we got to call out the

2:20:30things that we need to do better and

2:20:32it's that's our emphasis we're actually

2:20:34working on those three things that

2:20:37before they came in, we identify as

2:20:38areas of needs for us. Again, they won't

2:20:41happen overnight, but we are building

2:20:43around that. Um, and um that's the work.

2:20:47So, but thank you.

2:20:51>> Thank you.

2:20:52>> All right. Um,

2:20:55we'll go. Well, let's see. Mayor Wilson

2:20:58hasn't spoken yet. Then Rep. Green, then

2:21:01Rep. Pone, and then we'll try again.

2:21:05>> Thanks, Chair. I want to thank the

2:21:06superintendent for he talked about the

2:21:08the long-term financial planning. Uh

2:21:10that's a big thing and that's happening.

2:21:13I can report our finance team has met

2:21:15with uh CFO Beretta. Uh and that is that

2:21:20that's a really good development that's

2:21:21going to pay dividends for us for years

2:21:22to come. So thank you so much for that.

2:21:24I really appreciate that partnership.

2:21:27>> Thank you, Rep. Cream.

2:21:33um two things both procedural

2:21:37uh the first actually

2:21:40um it's also all about the budget and I

2:21:43want to thank uh CFO Beretta I think you

2:21:48know we we heard from the new uh payroll

2:21:51analyst this earlier this meeting I

2:21:54think the fact that we are hiring

2:21:55finance people who have backgrounds in

2:21:57the classroom and in building leadership

2:22:00matters and shows and I

2:22:02Um we what what we are seeing is a

2:22:04process that is moving more

2:22:08towards away from we've always been good

2:22:11at bookkeeping as a district but I think

2:22:13moving more towards actually budget and

2:22:16financial strategy in the last year or

2:22:18two has been a really positive move even

2:22:21as and we've seen some recently there

2:22:24have been some learning curves for you

2:22:25as a district when we're asking um not

2:22:28just as office but all of our leadership

2:22:30to be more strategic in in budgeting and

2:22:32thinking about that. Um so we know

2:22:34there'll be some learning curves there

2:22:35but it's been a positive change. Um

2:22:39and

2:22:40I have uh talking with um MASC in recent

2:22:43weeks. Um there is something school comm

2:22:50we we I wasn't aware because we've had

2:22:51to do it before but because the budget

2:22:54as passed by uh school committee and the

2:22:57budget has submitted to city council and

2:23:01was only passed by city council didn't

2:23:03match up. We have to revote the cost

2:23:06centers to account for discrepancy. So

2:23:09I'm gonna be putting putting that

2:23:12proposal before finance and then we'll

2:23:14bring it back to this committee. Um but

2:23:16if we are going to be taming our

2:23:17procedures has happened at all stages of

2:23:18the game. Um

2:23:21the second thing uh is

2:23:28gone for my head now. So I I'll come

2:23:30back when it comes back.

2:23:31>> All right. We'll go to rep. Bone.

2:23:34>> Thank you chair through you. Uh thank

2:23:36you to the superintendent for providing

2:23:37this excellent summary.

2:23:39Um, as you were speaking, I Googled uh

2:23:43to find the district review report um

2:23:47for members of the public who may be

2:23:48interested. I Googled Desi district

2:23:51review report uh and then you can search

2:23:54by district. Uh the report was released

2:23:56in August. Um so just breadcrumbs for

2:24:00everyone. Um

2:24:03I want to just dovetail off of

2:24:05superintendent through you chair. um

2:24:09uh what you stated about you know this

2:24:12being a good news story you know I think

2:24:15absolutely there's a strong foundation

2:24:18you pointed to it of our district's

2:24:21strengths and there's always going to be

2:24:24areas for improvement and what I find

2:24:26most reassuring is that the areas for

2:24:30growth that are highlighted in your

2:24:34summary um we're not not a surprise to

2:24:37me. Uh these are areas that I think we

2:24:40know we want to continue to make

2:24:42improvements in. Um so that's all

2:24:45actually very reassuring and um I think

2:24:48we can

2:24:49um continue to lay a strong foundation

2:24:53and build upon it um and improve uh

2:24:58across our district. So I'm really

2:25:00excited to dig into the report. Um I may

2:25:03have questions in the future but uh I

2:25:06like this cliffnotes version very well.

2:25:08So thank you for that.

2:25:10>> Share something.

2:25:11>> Yeah. So uh thank you for highlighting

2:25:13the fact that it's in in our department

2:25:15of ed website has been there since

2:25:16August. They finished it in March but

2:25:19again they needed to double check on the

2:25:21validity of the of the the document. It

2:25:24will be in our website within a by the

2:25:27what day is today? Monday. Is that

2:25:29right? So by the end of the by the end

2:25:31of this week or early next week it will

2:25:33be in our website but uh there's access

2:25:36to that for the public. Yeah.

2:25:39>> Thank you. Uh we're going to go with Dr.

2:25:41Stelman and then rep Green again.

2:25:44>> Thank you through the chair. Um uh I

2:25:48agree with a lot of the things I just

2:25:50said. I think the um question I have is

2:25:54as you reflect on um

2:25:58on this review,

2:26:00where are the parts that um that you are

2:26:05really focusing when I say you I mean uh

2:26:08Dr. Dr. Carmona and your team are

2:26:10focusing on um uh the as a priority and

2:26:14where where are the overlaps between the

2:26:17pri things that you're already going to

2:26:18prioritize and what you're seeing in the

2:26:20district review and where are some of

2:26:24the things that are in the district

2:26:26review that you would like to improve on

2:26:28but actually aren't yet in the goals and

2:26:32priorities. That may be a too much of a

2:26:37question to ask at this moment, but um

2:26:39or to expect a full answer at this

2:26:41moment, but I'm I'm mostly interested in

2:26:45that second part is

2:26:47where

2:26:49as you reflect on the the as your team

2:26:52reflects on this district review

2:26:55and some of that is not may not be in

2:26:58your goals and priorities. Will you

2:27:00pivot pivot and what what might you make

2:27:02of that?

2:27:05>> Yeah, thank you. Thank you for the for

2:27:07the question. Um I I think again we were

2:27:10very clear about some of the gaps that

2:27:12we we had and I I think that um

2:27:16the team and the educators have been

2:27:18clear about sharing what are some of the

2:27:20things that they see as as the next area

2:27:22of growth for for us. Um I don't see any

2:27:25surprises to be honest in the entire

2:27:27document. I think that as far as like

2:27:30how are we leveraging some of the

2:27:32strengths that we have to get to the to

2:27:34an ideal outcome in in some of these

2:27:36categories is a different question but

2:27:39um we are working on different fronts. I

2:27:42mean the question around data and how

2:27:44every school and every building is

2:27:46actually

2:27:48looking at the data asking the question

2:27:52how do I differentiate instruction based

2:27:54on the needs of the student in front of

2:27:55me and doing that while you're having

2:27:59new instructional materials is not an

2:28:02easy thing to do. So that I anticipate

2:28:05is going to take quite some time for our

2:28:07educators to actually build the muscle

2:28:08of knowing the programs very well and

2:28:12then being able to say and now I can

2:28:15actually respond to the needs of the

2:28:17baby in front of me. So that's a

2:28:19complicated process and I anticipate

2:28:20that that being taken quite some time

2:28:22and this actually overlaps with the

2:28:24question around differentiation and

2:28:27creating instructional practices to

2:28:28support our students with the special

2:28:30needs. Uh the more you know the better

2:28:32you do. Is that right? And so I think

2:28:34that that is something we anticipate is

2:28:37a challenge. Something we anticipate is

2:28:38going to take some time. Um and we're

2:28:41getting some support from the experts in

2:28:44the field to do that work. So to me

2:28:45that's that's a another challenge that I

2:28:47think is uh if I if I may um you're I

2:28:52didn't know you were looking at me you

2:28:53were going to chime in but is that I

2:28:55think we we uh they identify as places

2:28:58in which we uh seem to need need to have

2:29:02a stronger um instructional priorities

2:29:05that reflect the the the um the need of

2:29:09students in the in the 21st century. And

2:29:11so um there were some places in which

2:29:13that came as a surprise to me in which

2:29:16um you know the stand and deliver the

2:29:18stand and deliver instructional

2:29:20practices that I thought were somewhat

2:29:22outdated. There is some of that that

2:29:24were identified and so uh that to me is

2:29:28um has been also part of the

2:29:29conversation with our school leaders

2:29:31like how do we inspect uh what we need

2:29:34to do and um how tight is that support

2:29:37and supervision for for folks.

2:29:40Um you know the MTSS is also another

2:29:43overlap that I I think is um it's

2:29:47there's a systems question around the

2:29:49MTSS and resource question as well. And

2:29:52so as every building has their MTSS

2:29:55models we also have to it's not as easy

2:29:59to replicate the the the resources in

2:30:02every building because they actually are

2:30:04utilized differently depending on the

2:30:05needs of a student. So if I have a

2:30:07psychologist that who joins my MTSS

2:30:10meeting, you might not have it in the

2:30:11next building because that that time

2:30:13overlap. Uh and so that is an area in

2:30:17which we need to see how we actually max

2:30:20maximize the resources in every

2:30:22building. Uh but that's that's there's a

2:30:24lot of overlap in that one. Um

2:30:31>> thank you. Um all right, we'll go to

2:30:35Rep. Libens for the first time and then

2:30:36rep Green.

2:30:39>> Thank you so much for that great

2:30:41presentation. I appreciate um the

2:30:43categories and I always think like when

2:30:47you present all the glows sometimes and

2:30:51the challenges sometimes you kind of

2:30:53leave with the challenges. Um I love

2:30:56that we're having a conversation about

2:30:58MTSS. One of the things, and maybe not

2:31:00tonight, I'd like to learn more about as

2:31:02we think about um improving that aspect

2:31:04along with parent communication is how

2:31:07do we communicate to families um what

2:31:11MTSS is and how do we define it as a

2:31:14district. So, I'm not looking for

2:31:15answers tonight, but just something like

2:31:18to think about cuz as you said, every

2:31:20school right now is uh has different um

2:31:23approaches and different resources. So,

2:31:26how are we as a district defining MTSS?

2:31:29And then how are we communicating this

2:31:31to families? This is something that I've

2:31:33heard from um

2:31:36families in our in our community um that

2:31:39they want to support their children and

2:31:41they you know, if you're not in

2:31:43education, you hear MTSS and you're not

2:31:45really sure what it looks like. So, I'm

2:31:46just thinking about if there's a systems

2:31:50approach to this. Um, and again, I'm not

2:31:52maybe looking for answers tonight, but

2:31:54just, um, you know, if you can get back

2:31:57to me, appreciate it.

2:31:59>> U, so note then, uh, as far as clarity

2:32:03goes, MTSS stands for multi-tered

2:32:05systems of support, which is something I

2:32:08want to make sure we're always, uh,

2:32:09naming our acronyms. I also wanted to

2:32:11note that I'm pretty sure Dr. Beretta's

2:32:14work that he did with us in the district

2:32:17was on multi-tered systems of support.

2:32:20Um and you know I presume superintendent

2:32:25assistant superintendent have more but

2:32:29uh happy to find that presentation and

2:32:31share it because it was very

2:32:33comprehensive and thoughtful um and gave

2:32:36in my opinion a great overview. I don't

2:32:39want to cut off either of you if you

2:32:41want.

2:32:44>> Thank you to the chair. Great um uh

2:32:47thought partnership. uh rep lippens um I

2:32:50also um shared a presentation at the end

2:32:53of uh last year as we were thinking

2:32:56through um some of the areas that we're

2:32:59looking to improve for multi-tered

2:33:01systems of support. It happened at the

2:33:03same time as special education

2:33:05department presented um a larger

2:33:08presentation on their um department

2:33:10review. So, that was like a the big

2:33:12presentation and I did a little um MTSS

2:33:15uh uh 10-minute, you know, yeah, bonus

2:33:18to that. Um but I think that does tea up

2:33:20very well. The your final question, Rep.

2:33:23Lipins, was what is our um systemswide

2:33:25strategy around this? And I think one

2:33:27thing that um came out in our

2:33:29presentation last year was that there

2:33:31are great systems in place and those

2:33:36happen depending on the school. This is

2:33:38what the superintendent just just

2:33:40described. So, uh Amy Candalura, who's

2:33:42the assistant principal at um Argentiano

2:33:45School, presented with me and she shared

2:33:47a wonderful uh uh framework for

2:33:50communicating with families at AFA. Um

2:33:54and so this is actually so to your

2:33:56question around building off the um

2:33:58strategy and building off of something

2:34:00some of Dr. Betta's work. Um, part of

2:34:03our strategy as a district was embedding

2:34:06um, making sure that there is a even

2:34:08though MTSS is all that we do, the

2:34:11systems of support for schools like all

2:34:14we do, there does need to be um, someone

2:34:17a captain of the ship ensuring that

2:34:19we're all moving in the same direction

2:34:21and inter uh, Dr. Michelle Michelle

2:34:24Shannon. So our because this very

2:34:27beautifully fits with uh as we think

2:34:29about equity and advancing um excellence

2:34:32through academics um and Dr. Shannon has

2:34:35extensive experience. So this is uh you

2:34:38kind of overseeing um and leading and

2:34:41facilitating around MTSS and child study

2:34:43team is is under her kind of um

2:34:46responsibilities. She does have an

2:34:48upcoming presentation and so she can

2:34:50describe how she's initially thinking

2:34:52through this. it may not have all of the

2:34:54answers, but I I can guarantee she's got

2:34:56some good um initial thinking given her

2:34:59first few months in the role.

2:35:02>> Thank you. I appreciate that. And I'm

2:35:03just thinking for also on how do we how

2:35:05do we ensure funding from our

2:35:07perspective of just making sure that we

2:35:09continue this fine work. Thank you.

2:35:12>> Thank you. Thanks for your grace, Rep.

2:35:13Green.

2:35:15>> I just wanted to to close the circle.

2:35:17Um, Rep. Patell, Rep. Pat Bell

2:35:19Patellon's question was my question

2:35:21about how do we get sure people have

2:35:22access to the full document and to

2:35:24follow up I would love it if in sometime

2:35:27in November December we could revisit

2:35:29this. Have you had the time to read the

2:35:30full document to see if there more

2:35:32questions or comments before we do next

2:35:34year's start next year's budgeting

2:35:35process because I do believe almost all

2:35:38of these recommendations have budget

2:35:40budget implications.

2:35:43>> Some light reading for us. Um, that's

2:35:46great. Uh I appreciate that. Thank you.

2:35:50Um superintendent,

2:35:53>> that concludes the report of the

2:35:55superintendent.

2:35:56>> Okay. Uh we're moving on to Roman and

2:35:59numeral five reports from subcommittees.

2:36:01Do I have a motion to approve the

2:36:03educational programs report from May

2:36:0529th?

2:36:06>> So moved.

2:36:08>> All right. I have a motion by Rep. uh

2:36:11Beton, seconded by Rep. Piton. All those

2:36:14in favor? I. Okay. All oppose. Any

2:36:16abstensions?

2:36:18Thank you. Um unfinished business, MSBA

2:36:24through the chair. Yes, we um last week

2:36:27we met with the um MSBA team, the FAS,

2:36:32which is the facility assessments uh

2:36:34subcommittee. And they had the mayor was

2:36:38there, myself, um our team, um

2:36:41principles of the Benjamin Brown as well

2:36:43as the Winter Hill facility, uh Winter

2:36:45Hill community. And um one of the things

2:36:49that we got some feedback around was uh

2:36:52the multiple

2:36:54efforts that we had at the same time. Um

2:36:57I thought that it was a great question

2:36:59as to all the different things that we

2:37:01were trying to accomplish in this

2:37:03concept. Um, and that was just g me a

2:37:06pause uh just to make sure that uh we

2:37:09actually are vetting all the things that

2:37:11we're trying to do with this new

2:37:12facility. Um but that was that was

2:37:15something that I think um um

2:37:18even when I spoke to the principles they

2:37:21were thinking about making sure that um

2:37:24uh you know we're trying to create a

2:37:26facil we're trying to create a building

2:37:27that provides addresses multiple needs

2:37:29as well as uh has some great advantages

2:37:33around technology around uh transitions

2:37:36to to the highest school as well that

2:37:38has three different specific breakdowns

2:37:41of the the the the um developmentally

2:37:45appropriate uh stages of students and so

2:37:49um that was cited as as a question for

2:37:52us in terms of like you know just

2:37:54reflect on all the many things that you

2:37:56have. They also have multiple questions

2:37:58around the access into the facility

2:38:00because it's a very complex building and

2:38:02I think that those were um well um the

2:38:07the the architect the architectural film

2:38:10Perkins and Isisman was really good at

2:38:11providing those answers but uh they had

2:38:14some great questions that um you know

2:38:18forces us to think about how much are we

2:38:21offering in terms of the complexity of

2:38:23this of this facility. But it was um it

2:38:26was a great meeting and we received some

2:38:29good uh comments around the feedback was

2:38:32positive for us.

2:38:35>> Uh repetit

2:38:38>> thank you through you chair to the

2:38:40superintendent. Thank you for that

2:38:41update. Uh I'm curious was there

2:38:46any reconsideration or was just a pause

2:38:49point? So, for example, I know we're

2:38:51planning the developmentally

2:38:54age groupings,

2:38:56developmentally appropriate age

2:38:58groupings. I know we also were looking

2:39:00at doing some district-wide

2:39:02spaces. So, I'm curious if there was any

2:39:05rethinking of that or are we still full

2:39:07steam ahead with the plan?

2:39:08>> Yeah, great question. Um, you know, it's

2:39:11interesting because on the age

2:39:12groupings, um, I did have the

2:39:14conversation with the principles. Um,

2:39:17uh, they had some interesting responses.

2:39:18I don't want to jump into um any

2:39:21speculation around changing direction

2:39:23but they they did have some very logical

2:39:26questions that we have to reflect about.

2:39:29So I think I need to find the best forum

2:39:31to uh bring that

2:39:35understanding and that reflection

2:39:37because I don't want to have a knee-jerk

2:39:39reaction on the something that was

2:39:42pointed out. But uh but I think it was a

2:39:44valid argument. But uh that's that's one

2:39:46of the things that that came up as a

2:39:48discussion.

2:39:48>> Okay. So we'll we'll hear

2:39:50>> more at some point. Thank you.

2:39:51>> Thank you.

2:39:54>> Thank you.

2:39:58>> All right. We are on to new business.

2:40:03>> One more thing.

2:40:04>> Sure. We are not on to new business.

2:40:06Still talking about

2:40:07>> MS. uh this month and the next month we

2:40:09will also be conducting some focus

2:40:11groups to make sure that we gather the

2:40:13feedback from educators and so that's

2:40:16kind of the next phase of the work that

2:40:17we'll be doing.

2:40:19>> Thanks.

2:40:21>> Thank you through you um trackman to the

2:40:24superintendent. One thing that has come

2:40:26up multiple times and it might not be

2:40:28relevant but I'm just gonna uh bring it

2:40:31up relative to the high school is the

2:40:34complexity of entrances and egresses and

2:40:37how many there are and the challenges of

2:40:40sort of blocking off different areas in

2:40:42the building to be able to make for lack

2:40:45of a better word after school or on the

2:40:47weekends make more modular access to

2:40:50areas. And so as we're looking at this

2:40:53new building at Sycamore Street that I

2:40:56know we were considering having multiple

2:40:57entrance in existence because we want to

2:40:59have developmentally appropriate access

2:41:02for kids of different age groupings. Um,

2:41:05I just wanted to flag that because I

2:41:07know it's been challenging and we

2:41:08haven't necessarily solved that problem

2:41:10at the high school, but I want to make

2:41:12sure that that's in the conversation at

2:41:14the Sycamore Street site because the

2:41:16goal of wanting our younger kids to not

2:41:18necessarily access the building with

2:41:20their older kids is fantastic, but we

2:41:22have to think about security. And if

2:41:23this is going to be a community

2:41:24resource, we have to think about how it

2:41:26can be utilized with those different

2:41:29egresses and entrances.

2:41:34Okay, there you go.

2:41:37>> Yeah, just to respond to that, that's

2:41:39the one thing that we stated from the

2:41:42beginning because that is the complaint

2:41:43that I get from the high school and uh

2:41:46the MSBA the building community

2:41:49committee is very clear about the

2:41:51challenges we face in in creating the

2:41:53high school. So,

2:41:56>> all right,

2:41:58we're done with unfinished business.

2:42:00Groovy. All right. Now, on to new

2:42:02business. Uh, MASC conference delegate

2:42:06and resolution.

2:42:10I'm not going to lie, I have not

2:42:12reviewed this at all. Uh,

2:42:17>> you need to appoint a delegate to

2:42:20>> we have to appoint delegates to MASC.

2:42:23Got it. And then they will make

2:42:25recommendations on the resolutions.

2:42:28>> Okay.

2:42:28>> Yeah. We normally do the resolutions in

2:42:30as a second reading thing. So we could

2:42:32appoint someone this this meeting and

2:42:35give any recommendations to that p

2:42:36person at our next meeting.

2:42:37>> That's right. Because early November is

2:42:39MASC. That's which is next month. Neat.

2:42:42Okay. Um

2:42:44is there anyone who is interested in

2:42:47being a delegate to MA on our behalf to

2:42:51MASC?

2:42:55Ber Emma Dr. Selman. Uh,

2:43:02great. Do we have an alternate

2:43:04>> rep? Alternate.

2:43:06>> Great. Uh,

2:43:10I think I just appoint them. So, I as

2:43:14the chair of the Somerville School

2:43:16Committee am appointing uh Dr. Selman as

2:43:20the rep for MASC and Rep. Pat Baton as

2:43:25our alternate. Thank you both for your

2:43:27service. Uh let me know if there's a yes

2:43:31repatone.

2:43:32>> Um through you chair just to um add on

2:43:35to the process that

2:43:36>> yes

2:43:37>> representative green was speaking about.

2:43:38So for all you members please read the

2:43:40resolutions.

2:43:41>> Yes.

2:43:42>> And come back next meeting with your

2:43:44thoughts. Usually it boils down to we

2:43:48del you know we we let you represent us.

2:43:50This is what we're thinking but you do

2:43:52your best job. That's usually what it

2:43:54boils down to. Unless Rep Green has been

2:43:56the um representative several times.

2:44:00>> Yeah.

2:44:01>> Yeah. So, normally we get to vote to

2:44:03give them instructions which we can do

2:44:05at our next meeting, whatever. Uh

2:44:07historically, we as a body have have

2:44:10deferred to the the delegates judgment.

2:44:14Um that is not something we have to do.

2:44:16I know that there are often times

2:44:17delegates for other cities or towns who

2:44:20come with more or less

2:44:22um

2:44:24strict instructions. Sometimes the

2:44:27strictness you can't vote for this

2:44:28resolution for any under any

2:44:29circumstances. Sometimes it's we like it

2:44:33but we don't ever get amended ourse

2:44:35ways. We don't want you to vote for

2:44:36those kinds of things. I think we have

2:44:39been relatively successful and frankly

2:44:41relatively influential in the delegate

2:44:44assembly by deferring to our delegates

2:44:46but that is but we as the body have the

2:44:49option to basically start whatever we

2:44:51want.

2:44:53>> Agreed. Uh all right we're going to go

2:44:55okay rep

2:44:57>> just to follow up. So the brass taxes if

2:44:59you don't really like something in the

2:45:00resolution say I don't like this. If you

2:45:02think there's language that should be

2:45:04different, share that with us as the

2:45:06delegate and the alternate, you have,

2:45:08you know, the full breath of

2:45:09opportunity. We don't have to accept

2:45:11these the way they are. And what happens

2:45:12in the MSA MASC meeting is people make

2:45:16amendments, you know, they put up their

2:45:17hand, they suggest things. So, just to

2:45:19get an idea of how this operates um so

2:45:23that was just an addition. Thank you.

2:45:25>> Thank you for

2:45:28>> Thank you, chair. for you. Uh I just

2:45:29want to point out one of the

2:45:33um previously off approved resolutions

2:45:37back in 2023. These come up every few

2:45:40years for reauthorization.

2:45:43Um there is an item here regarding

2:45:46investigations and recommendations for

2:45:49transportation bidding procedures. This

2:45:51one interested me and when I was reading

2:45:53it over the summer uh I inquired to MASC

2:45:58uh about whether

2:46:01the state auditor

2:46:03um had taken action to conduct the

2:46:06investigation that this resolution

2:46:08requests

2:46:10and I did not get a definitive answer

2:46:13from MASC. So, if anyone has any insight

2:46:17into whether that has happened, um I I'm

2:46:22still seeking that information and I

2:46:24think that would influence whether I

2:46:26would support this or not. But I think

2:46:28this is a really interesting and

2:46:30important one that I would like um

2:46:34I don't know. I I just am really have

2:46:36for a long time been frustrated by this

2:46:39general sphere uh and want to see where

2:46:44it goes.

2:46:48>> I get that. All right. Thank you. Um

2:46:53great. So that will be on our October

2:46:5619th agenda and yes, please have uh read

2:47:00the resolutions and we will discuss it

2:47:03then.

2:47:05All right. Fall office hours. Is this to

2:47:08you, Vice Chair?

2:47:10>> Um, I do have an update here.

2:47:13>> Fire away.

2:47:14>> Um, so Rep. Eldridge has accepted the

2:47:18charge to organize us. Um, so I'm

2:47:23grateful for her. She's not here

2:47:24tonight. Um,

2:47:25>> no, she she had a family emergency, so

2:47:28she was unable to make it,

2:47:29>> right? Um, I know Rep. Patone had shared

2:47:33with her the document that helps us the

2:47:37sort of the standard operating

2:47:38procedure. So I expect Rep. Eldridge

2:47:41will be in touch with us uh to provide

2:47:44the

2:47:46the information about um fall office

2:47:49hours. So information pending.

2:47:52>> Thank you. Appreciate you letting us

2:47:54know.

2:47:55>> Um all right, on to field trips. Do I

2:47:59have a motion?

2:48:04I move to

2:48:07approve the field trip for November

2:48:1113th, 2026 for 27 students from the West

2:48:15Somerville neighborhood school chorus to

2:48:18travel to the Dunkin Donut Center in

2:48:21Providence, Rhode Island to perform at

2:48:23the Providence Bruins game. Huzzah.

2:48:26Travel via bus. Student cost $25.

2:48:33All right. I have a motion by Rep.

2:48:34Beton, seconded by uh Rep. Green.

2:48:39Any discussion?

2:48:41All those in favor? I. All opposed. Any

2:48:44abstensions? Thank you. Um All right.

2:48:50Community or calendar items from my

2:48:52colleagues.

2:48:54Repens.

2:48:57>> Word three. Wednesday night. Uh I will

2:49:01be there. There'll be pizza.

2:49:04Yes. And community and conversation at

2:49:08the high school. I'm looking at um Mr.

2:49:11Mayor.

2:49:13Uh and I believe it starts at

2:49:16six o'clock. All right. Hope you hope to

2:49:19see you there. Thank you.

2:49:23Yes, that is a good reminder that uh

2:49:26East Summerville is having ours on

2:49:28October 13th, also at six o'clock um at

2:49:34the East Summerville Community School,

2:49:35I'm pretty sure. Um anyone else?

2:49:40Mayor Wilson?

2:49:42>> Sure. Uh, speaking of the neighborhood

2:49:44connect meetings, last week there was a

2:49:45really cool thing that happened uh where

2:49:47a teacher at the West uh put an offer

2:49:49out to to the class. If they went to

2:49:51that meeting, attended that, they'd

2:49:53receive extra credit.

2:49:55>> We love seeing that. Uh

2:49:58just give us a heads up if that happens

2:50:00if you could, teachers, so we can order

2:50:01more pizza. Uh they showed up hungry.

2:50:04Good for them. The uh the pizza went

2:50:06quickly. So, uh, we are happy to, uh,

2:50:09order more pizza if it means, uh, more

2:50:12middle grades and high school age kids

2:50:14attending these meetings. It was so

2:50:15cool. I had a lot of fun talking to

2:50:16those kids. Uh, just throwing that out

2:50:18there. Thank you.

2:50:20>> Thank you. That's a great tip for, uh,

2:50:23our civics in action.

2:50:26Um,

2:50:28all right. With that, we're moving on to

2:50:32our upcoming meeting. to our next

2:50:33meeting. I assume we will be expecting

2:50:36director Parabelloo back to talk about

2:50:38OST, right? No.

2:50:41>> Yes.

2:50:41>> Yes.

2:50:42>> Uh Dr. Shannon and then uh facilities

2:50:46update. Always an interesting time to

2:50:48talk about how our buildings are doing.

2:50:52Uh we look forward to seeing you in a

2:50:54couple weeks. Um vice chair, do we have

2:50:57condolences?

2:50:58>> We do.

2:51:05The school committee

2:51:07offers our deepest condolences to the

2:51:09families

2:51:11to the family of Robert Bob Paul Namnum,

2:51:18father of Jennifer Lreka,

2:51:22Somerville Public School, supervisor of

2:51:24attendance of the student services

2:51:27department.

2:51:37We are journed.