2026-09-22 - Youth Advisory Commission

00:00Uh, here we

00:02All right, everybody. Welcome to the

00:04Youth Advisory Commission.

00:07Um, okay. So, Jord's out. Um, did he

00:10respond with the notes at all or No. No.

00:13So, we might have to push that on to our

00:16next one. Um, and we don't So, and those

00:20commission um the strategic planning

00:24notes that we were planning to review

00:26are also essentially like our minutes.

00:28So, we don't have minutes to approve for

00:29this meeting. Um, because that was our

00:32last meeting that we had. Um, but one of

00:35the things I do want to mention is we do

00:38have room for uh new members. So, um,

00:41thank you Raquel for following up with

00:43HR. Uh, as you guys know, we have, um,

00:47had we've interviewed I want to say J

00:50and I interviewed three or four

00:52commission members. I think we're taking

00:54on two. Um, and we've just been waiting

00:58for HR to approve that and uh, we hadn't

01:02heard back. So hopefully now with your

01:04followup, we'll be able to get some

01:06movement on that. Um, I don't have youth

01:11council updates aside from the fact that

01:13I know that they were just interviewing.

01:16I think they have they have seven

01:19members that they're bringing on and so

01:22they were in the process of doing that.

01:23I believe they've filled that and

01:25they're going to be starting soon. So,

01:28they'll have a full uh youth council of

01:32uh 10 members.

01:35Um and then the other piece on our

01:38agenda is to talk about um youth

01:41violence intervention. So, I think we

01:43should leave some space to talk about

01:44that including we can talk about the

01:47fact that um we have Frankie

01:49transitioning and what is happening with

01:51that. And then um we

01:55uh can I think also we want to talk

01:57about what's happening with the CY chip

02:00and where we are with all of that to

02:02give that update and then since our

02:05schools are back in session now we can

02:08kind of talk about any updates we have

02:10in relation to the schools. That sound

02:14good for everybody?

02:16>> Sounds cool.

02:18>> All right. Cool. So, we're going to um

02:22we're going to hold the

02:25strategic planning piece until our next

02:27meeting. Um

02:31and so let's go into

02:35um our youth violence updates. And I

02:38don't know if you want to just share um

02:41Raquel your update on kind of from that

02:44higher level where we are and where

02:49>> um you know for those of you that

02:51weren't um at

02:54governance which is everyone but Gemini

02:57um Jen gave a presentation um talking

03:01about where this you know what um the

03:04data has told us about the summer um and

03:07I just want to say that we have trended

03:10down um drastically from last year to

03:13this year. Uh again, Worcester is very

03:16safe and we do not have high um youth

03:19violence numbers to begin with, but it's

03:21wonderful to see. Um and I want to say

03:24that that I I I I attribute a portion of

03:28that to the you know the overarching

03:32strategy around how we have been

03:34collaborating um as a city on um our

03:39violence prevention efforts. Um, one of

03:41the biggest, most significant changes

03:44that the violence prevention position

03:46brought with Frankie

03:49was really this intentional task force

03:52that was meeting on a regular basis over

03:54the summer. It started before the summer

03:56in preparation um for, you know, the

04:00lack of employment and all the things

04:01that all the budget cuts that impacted

04:03all sorts of youth programming. Um and

04:05so you know the um in collaboration with

04:09Legendary Legacies uh Gabe was able to

04:12share um data on um different actors um

04:18in the world of youth violence that were

04:20potentially being newly released from

04:21incarceration. Um were being flagged by

04:25the gang unit. um were demonstrating um

04:30signs of escalation um in their like um

04:34criminal behavior and we were able to

04:37like discuss each case um and and assign

04:40different people to do outreach. And so

04:43as you know, as they were being

04:45identified,

04:47someone was like

04:49doing outreach, checking in, if there

04:51was if if we if anybody had heard

04:53anything um on that weekly meeting, they

04:55would plan and um strategize on what to

04:58do. And so I really do think that it

05:01really was um under Frankie's leadership

05:04that that strategic conversation that

05:07was happening that we've never really

05:08been able to do well. I think he was

05:10really good at navigating

05:11[sighs and gasps] all the different

05:13personalities and and characters

05:15[clears throat]

05:16um of um that and you know historically

05:18have had some hard time um working well

05:22together. And so we we saw we you know

05:27this was a quiet summer um and and it

05:30was because the city really stepped up

05:32in different ways and people showed up

05:33to the table for collaboration. So we

05:36saw that we you know we felt the

05:37quietness and the data aligned with

05:39that. Um and so we um Frankie's last day

05:43was last Friday. Um as you know I am

05:47devastated. Uh it'll yeah see such a

05:51short period of time and it left such a

05:53deep imprint

05:56and so our goal was to get the position

05:59filled as soon as possible. We had, you

06:02know, set up the, you know, done all the

06:04paperwork internally to be able to post

06:06and then we were um then we were um told

06:11to hold off that um the department was

06:14doing like almost like a strategic

06:17analysis of all the different positions

06:20um and where there's potential saving

06:22costs and they saw that this position

06:24could, you know, holding this position

06:25could potentially be a saving cost. Um

06:27and so we've been in conversations to

06:29kind of talk about like the need and the

06:31urgency that there is um to fill this

06:34position. Um and you know like we

06:37directly just came out of um a summer

06:40that because of this this like you know

06:43the systems level um focus

06:46we we we've been able to build really

06:48good momentum. Um and so the hope is

06:51that um I will find out by I'm hoping

06:55the end of this week um if that position

06:57will be posted

07:00and then I think we go from there. Um

07:02hope I I believe that the city really

07:04values this and I and I feel really

07:07positive that the they'll make the right

07:09decision to post. Um, and so if that is

07:13the case, um, we really would love for

07:17you all to share with your networks. Um,

07:20we have, I mean, just Frankie being out

07:23there doing his position brought a lot

07:25of visibility that we didn't have before

07:28in this work to other people. And so we

07:31have already candidates that are like,

07:33we heard Frankie [clears throat] Frankie

07:35is leaving or left. Um, his position is

07:37going to be open. Um, which is really

07:39exciting. And so we're hoping that that

07:42we can get some really, you know, to

07:44fill those big big shoes that uh that

07:48Frankie has left. Um and so as soon as

07:52that is public, I will be sharing it to

07:54this network and hopefully you can get

07:57it out to your networks. Um again the

07:59the role is really looking at violence

08:03um from a systems level approach

08:06really focusing on what do the

08:11institutions do, what are the roles um

08:14and really removing blame from the young

08:18people um and their behaviors and really

08:20thinking about creating the conditions

08:22um for their own um wellness, health,

08:26success. Um, so yeah, that's where we

08:29are um on the youth violence. Oh, the

08:32last thing is that we um just submitted

08:36our Shannon funding application. Um we

08:40we last year we got like a 25% cut from

08:44the year before. And so we did we did we

08:49did um which was like like 300,000

08:53300,000. Um and so we did apply for the

08:58cut difference. Um I mean what they we

09:00applied again for the same number. So we

09:02didn't apply for level funded funding.

09:05We we applied um hoping to get those

09:07$300,000 back. That's wishful thinking.

09:10you know, I feel like you got to

09:13we're shooting our shot here with this

09:15application, but we we had a really

09:18successful um RFP process. Um you know,

09:22the state did this funny thing this year

09:25where they did a letter of interest that

09:27was like a oneweek difference

09:30um

09:31>> from

09:32>> from when they they like posted the RFP.

09:35And so we all had to submit a letter,

09:37but then they never talked to us about

09:39it. Like it like nobody ever addressed

09:42it. And so this was a new thing. They've

09:45never asked for letters of interest. And

09:47so it was a weird thing because they

09:49never we just submitted a letter and

09:51then nothing.

09:52>> Yeah. On the LAR side, it was the same

09:54way. And was the was the LLI like super

09:57basic? It was just like yes, we're going

09:59to submit.

10:00>> Yeah,

10:00>> that's what ours was. And like And I

10:02don't remember ever doing that before

10:04either. and we submitted it, but then

10:06it's like, okay. And then we submitted

10:09the grant. Well, no, we didn't submit

10:11the grant because actually

10:14right now [laughter]

10:17literally walked by right now and is on

10:19his way to the police department um

10:22because it's ready. And so now he's

10:24taking it from the police department to

10:26city hall right now um to start um

10:29circulation. And I've already contacted

10:30city hall letting them know um of the

10:32deadline that is looming for thisou to

10:35get signed.

10:36>> Thank you.

10:37>> So we are I know I was like Jody

10:40I'll handle it. Give it to me. I know

10:43you're out sick. I got this. Um and so

10:46>> I know when I didn't even think about it

10:47till now I'm like oh my gosh the

10:50>> Yeah. No this morning when he was like

10:52I'm sick. I'm like but what about theou?

10:54Um so I was like I was I was on it. Um

10:59and so that is that yeah so that yours

11:01will be submitted once that is done and

11:03it's on its way. Um but we were able to

11:05successfully submit early because of

11:06Frankie. Um we're usually we're at the

11:09last you know the last [laughter] last

11:11bit. Um so we're hoping for we we are

11:15inviting 11 we approved 11 applications.

11:20Um we have no new applicants from last

11:23year to this year that are being funded.

11:25Unfortunately, two of the applicants

11:27that we were going to fund um or we were

11:30going to invite for RFP um missed the

11:33deadline and so

11:36that we invited for to apply with RFP

11:39missed the deadline for the RFP. Um so

11:41they didn't get their stuff in on time

11:43unfortunately and so we are just going

11:46to go back to the same people. The only

11:49change that we have is that Legendary

11:51Legacies submitted two applications um

11:54and we um are we decided to fund the two

11:57applications. Um again when I say we

11:59decided we had the same process. We had

12:02a community um

12:05CRC community

12:08>> um community review

12:11>> committee

12:11>> community review committee. Um and so it

12:15was comprised of um folks with lived

12:18experience that reviewed the

12:19applications and scored. And so DYO was

12:23not part of that process. Um we just

12:25facilitated the training and all that

12:28for them to do that. Then they reviewed

12:30and they scored and they approved and

12:32that's how um that that um those

12:35decisions were made. Um and so

12:38fortunately um we received like the

12:43number the amount of ask and the amount

12:47we got last year is like the same

12:49amount. Um so last time we had like $2

12:54million in ask and we're like you know

12:57had like $1 million to give. So, we had

12:59to find out how to cut $1 million um

13:02from people's budgets where this year

13:05that's not what happened. And so, we are

13:08it's like a few um we're really happy

13:11that um that we're going to be able to

13:13give people what they're asking for um

13:16hopefully if the state comes through.

13:17So, we shall see what the state says.

13:21>> Great.

13:22>> Yeah, that's the update.

13:24>> Any questions?

13:27I can also share while you're thinking

13:30of questions um for those of you who

13:31weren't at the governance um committee

13:34meeting I can share the data that uh

13:38Raquel referenced

13:40related to the um Nope that's not the

13:44screen wait are you seeing what screen

13:47you

13:48>> oh you are all right okay um so this uh

13:53report is um our indicator report for

13:56September and it talks about uh the

14:00schools and the police data. Um it

14:03starts with the police data. So I'll

14:04just share that for the police data we

14:08looked at the summer months of June and

14:10July. Um we just got August data

14:14yesterday. So we didn't have it in time

14:16to do this. So um we are looking at June

14:19and July and we compare this year's June

14:21and July essentially to last year's June

14:24and July. And the big piece was that we

14:26saw a 47% decrease in arrests of youth.

14:30So this chart here

14:33um is showing the that we had um in let

14:39me see it was ages 18 and under is this

14:43blue line and uh 18 to 24 is the orange

14:47line. So, the chart's a little wonky

14:50because we're only isolating um June and

14:54July and June and July so that we can

14:57compare. And so, you can see July was

15:00pretty active in 2025. So, we did see um

15:05that big decrease of 47% which was good.

15:09Um we did see that there was a slight

15:13there was an increase of about 14% for

15:16the summer months the June July summer

15:18months um when we looked at the ages 18

15:21to 24 in 2026 as compared to 2025

15:26um but gun and knife incidents um among

15:30if you look at this next chart gun and

15:33knife incidents for males have gone down

15:36that's the blue line and The gun and

15:39knife incidents from 2025 to 2026 for

15:43females has gone down slightly, but

15:46essentially it looks like it's pretty

15:48much stayed the same. Um, so overall,

15:53um, our summer was quiet. The chief of

15:55police also confirmed this with us. It

15:57was it was pretty quiet. Um, with the

16:03school data, we looked at end of school

16:07year data. So, we were able to

16:09essentially look at all of the data from

16:12uh the 2025

16:152026 school year. And so, uh this was

16:19mostly Desi data. And what we did was we

16:22compared um ourselves as we're we're

16:26what we call a gateway city. And a

16:27gateway city um is essentially just an

16:31urban area that is kind of um it anchors

16:35um the economy around the state. So, you

16:38know, for the most part, like, you know,

16:39Boston, Boston is Boston, right? So, we

16:42don't compare to Boston. Um, but we do

16:45compare a little better to Springfield,

16:48um, in terms of sharing a lot of the

16:51same characteristics. And so, we also

16:54then take the median from all of the

16:56other gateway cities and look at that as

16:59a reference point. So, um, our

17:03percentage of, uh, disciplined students

17:06as a whole remains pretty low. So, it's

17:104.82.

17:11I'll go down to the maps down here. So,

17:15this first chart shows our total percent

17:17of students that are um that have been

17:20disciplined in relation to the

17:22population. So this orange line is

17:24Springfield. The blue line is Worcester.

17:27The red line is the median of all of the

17:30gateway cities. And then the green line

17:33is the state. We're we don't really we

17:36don't really care to compare ourselves

17:37to the state because the state always

17:40going to look the way the state looks.

17:42There's too many other, you know,

17:44factors at play. um and we have a lot of

17:48really affluent communities that um

17:51typically are barely on the discipline

17:54chart. So for us, we're hovering right

17:56around the same um space as the median

18:00um gateway cities and we are well below

18:04Springfield in terms of our percentage

18:06of students that is um that has had to

18:10be disciplined at all. And then with our

18:12out of school suspensions, um we um we

18:18trended a little bit higher than the

18:20year before. Um but we are at 3.3%

18:25of the student population that has

18:27received an out of school suspension in

18:30the previous school year. We're a little

18:33bit higher than the um the Gateway City

18:35median average as well. And then with

18:38our emergency removals, we um it looks

18:42like a sharp increase um but we

18:44technically only went up.1%.

18:48Um with emergency removals, our

18:50emergency removals are literally less

18:53than 1% of our student population. So

18:57it's not a huge number at all. um we

19:00were kind of hovering right around um

19:05right around uh.7%

19:08and we had a slight uh increase last

19:10year. Um what the schools have told us

19:13in relation to that increase was that um

19:15at the beginning of the year they were

19:18making some changes at the elementary

19:20school level. Um in terms of uh I think

19:24specifically it was city view school

19:27that was having a high uh percentage of

19:31higher percentage of emergency removals

19:33because they had um I forget the name of

19:37the classes but they had a higher

19:38percentage of classes um with higher

19:41need students that were all together and

19:44that ended up accounting for that is

19:46what they had mentioned to us. Um so

19:50those that's what we shared essentially

19:52with uh governance. So going to stop my

19:56share and if anybody has questions or

19:59anything

20:08and if not we can go over to Casey to

20:11talk about the CY chip and where we are.

20:26Sorry, what did you just say, Jen?

20:28[laughter]

20:30>> No worries. I was gonna say if you're

20:33able to share an update on the CY chip

20:36and where we are.

20:37>> I thought that's [laughter]

20:40Sorry. But then I was like, wait, I

20:41don't want to start talking. Okay, cool.

20:44Um

20:45yeah. Um I think updates on the CY chip

20:48is that we hired two youth

20:53forum coordinators or something. Um I

20:56don't care about the exact title I'm

20:58saying that. Um one is a um parent, a

21:03mom of four I think and then one is an

21:06older high school student I think. Um

21:09Tempe is leading this which why I have

21:11so many I thinks. and um but she's

21:14really excited about them. They've been

21:15on boarded and have been doing some

21:17training with her and have already

21:19started to um reach out to contacts.

21:21Their kind of scope will be um over the

21:24next couple months to organize some

21:26additional kind of forums or focus

21:29groups um specifically for youth in

21:32order to get their feedback and and um

21:35some more specific direction on strategy

21:38development from the themes that were

21:40developed in the CY chip. Um and so

21:43yeah, I know Tempee is really excited

21:45about their work and is feeling really

21:47hopeful about it. Um, so I think some

21:49good progress there.

21:52>> That's great.

21:55>> Excellent.

21:56>> This is from funding. So we received

21:58some additional funding from this grant

21:59we have um kind of through Robert

22:02Johnson. It's like indirectly from

22:04Robert Johnson to the Institute of Women

22:06Ethics Studies in New Orleans. And then

22:08they fund us. So they had funded us for

22:09the last couple years and then they

22:11offered us an additional 15,000 and were

22:14really had actually suggested maybe

22:16focus on the CY chip might be an

22:18exciting direction for this supplemental

22:20funding that they had available. So um

22:23yeah, so we're using it for that and so

22:24we're yeah excited about it.

22:27>> That's awesome. So I just want to get

22:29this right. You said the Robert Wood

22:31Johnson Foundation

22:33funded another group that funded you.

22:36>> Yes.

22:36>> Fund. And who were they again? the

22:38Institute for Women and Ethnic Studies

22:40and they're in New Orleans. I West they

22:43call them. I Wes.

22:45>> Okay.

22:47>> Studies. That's right. You went to

22:49something over there. I remember.

22:51>> Yeah. And we're actually going down

22:53there. Raquel's coming too in um

22:55October.

22:56Going down to New Orleans.

22:57>> Nice.

22:58>> Couple days. And we're gonna present

23:00some updates and meet with some of the

23:02other groups they work with um around

23:04the country, too.

23:05>> Well, that's great. New Orleans is

23:07getting all the conferences recently.

23:10Like Lori's headed to a conference down

23:12there. Danielle Delgado was headed to a

23:14conference down there. I'm like,

23:15everybody's going to New Orleans.

23:17Everybody's Everybody's using New

23:19Orleans for their conference

23:20headquarters this year.

23:21>> That's interesting.

23:24>> Pretty cool.

23:25>> Yeah, I know. It works for me. I'm like,

23:27I'll go New Orleans. That sounds good.

23:29[laughter]

23:31>> We're just going two nights. Um Yeah, I

23:34think it'll be good. Awesome.

23:38Great.

23:40Um, all right. And then, um, our last

23:43thing is that we're at the point of

23:45talking about the schools. The schools

23:47are back in session. Um, my one thing

23:51that I can share is that we held a um,

23:54youth resource network meeting in

23:56person. Um it has been a very long time

23:59since we did that, but we did it in

24:02person last week at the senior center

24:04and we had um amazing participation um

24:08from folks that were there although most

24:10of them were like but we have to go back

24:12on Zoom because we can't do this every

24:14month but we said that we would do it

24:17you know at least once maybe twice a

24:19year. Um but we had great participation

24:22from the schools. the wraparound

24:24coordinators are extremely

24:27um interested in making sure that they

24:29keep in touch with all the stuff that's

24:31going on in the community. So, we did

24:33have um uh multiple uh reps that were uh

24:37that attended that meeting to, you know,

24:39hear about resources and stuff. So, that

24:41was really great. Um

24:45any other updates?

24:50How's the school year starting at um at

24:52Burnco?

24:53>> I did

24:56>> um all right. It was it seemed it seemed

25:00decent until last Thursday and then

25:04seemed to get hot. Um but um

25:09I mean I don't know. I I feel like it's

25:13like that every year is at least it's I

25:15mean it's just up and down. So unless

25:17this continues, our our um

25:21our step program

25:24is pretty active right now. I'm hearing

25:28and um it's really unfortunate because

25:30we had a full-time

25:32uh the clinician for the the step

25:34program is called the behavior

25:36specialist. Um, and we had a full-time

25:39person for several years. And then this

25:43is the first year where um

25:46the the new clinic uh behavior

25:50specialist is splitting time between the

25:51middle school and the high school. So,

25:54it's just it's too much. It's I feel we

25:56feel bad for her. It's really it's

25:57really like too much. Um and and our our

26:01step program our step kids right now are

26:03just on fire. So like it's uh it's a

26:07lot. And um so that's that's an

26:10understaffing for sure. And um

26:15yeah, I mean we we still uh we're

26:21we uh for many years uh adjustment

26:25counselors have been

26:27frustrated with the fact that we do um

26:31some stuff that's not really typical in

26:33in other districts and states for you

26:35know adjust for adjustment work like um

26:39behavior assessments um function

26:42behavior assessments for special

26:43education evaluations. Um, BCVAs are

26:46typically doing those in other districts

26:49and states and um or school

26:51psychologists and um you know they cut

26:55the cuts affected the BCBA. So there was

26:57a big reduction in in BCBAS in the

27:00district. So just more overloading on

27:03our plates. Um it really takes a long

27:06time. I think I talked about that last

27:07year or the year prior when when they

27:10revamped um oh no that was the risk

27:12mitigation

27:14um document document or process that

27:17they really

27:20um

27:22I I want to say complicated but it just

27:25it it was more um comprehensive I guess

27:28is the political term the the political

27:30term they would use um but you know it's

27:33just that just these things take a lot

27:35more time and um so that's just you know

27:40the Burnco um but I think yeah I think

27:43probably that speaks for the district

27:45the BCBA thing and how it affects

27:48adjustment work and how much more time

27:49we can we have you know counseling

27:53the ability to to meet with kids

27:55individually um becomes limited when we

27:59have to either back up the behavior

28:01specialists for special ed programming

28:03um students in the special that have

28:05special ed programming or dedicate more

28:08time to stuff that really BCBA should be

28:10doing like the the behavior assessments

28:12and stuff like that for evaluations. So,

28:16>> um I think that's not just for a burn

28:18code. I think that that would um yeah

28:20would be affecting most of the uh the

28:24other at least high schools and then

28:26even more so probably elementary level.

28:28Elementary level I would I can't even

28:30imagine what it's like,

28:31>> right? Um, they're probably

28:34>> I mean, the one the one year that I

28:35worked at at part-time part of my week

28:38at elementary school, I mean, I was

28:41working hours taking taking homework

28:45um taking hours of work home every every

28:48night. Um, so I I I don't know what it

28:54looks like on the elementary level. It

28:55must be absolute chaos. But um

29:00>> hey, we have a administrative building

29:04full of people downtown and so more than

29:09Boston. I don't you know the numbers are

29:12interesting in comparison, but uh

29:15>> yeah,

29:15>> what do I know?

29:17>> What do you

29:18>> I'm just I'm just boots on the ground.

29:20>> Has anybody talked about a plan for like

29:24dealing with the reduction of the BCBAS?

29:29I don't know. I feel like a lot of

29:30people like there's five of us

29:31adjustment counselors at the school at

29:33the school and I feel like I'm the one I

29:35mean I'm the I'm the I'm the senior uh

29:39sack. Um

29:41>> and I don't know I don't know if it's my

29:42age or what but or or personality or

29:45both but uh you know there's stuff that

29:47will happen and uh I think the others

29:50would be like

29:52oh well this sucks. All right. I guess

29:54this is what we're doing now. And I'm

29:55like, "No, but this is no, that's

29:57>> right.

29:58>> We can't get walked all over. We can't

30:00allow precedents to be set for, you

30:02know, we have to say something. We have

30:04to, you know, I would be the, you know,

30:07once in a while I would tap uh Jean

30:09Conway, who now retired, but our

30:10department head to be like, "Is this

30:12right? We is this is this supposed to be

30:14happening? Can you back us up on this?"

30:17And she did a great job when before she

30:19retired. Um thankfully we we did get um

30:23her replacement was a longtime uh

30:25adjustment counselors u Allison.

30:27>> Oh that's good.

30:28>> Allison Negron Campbell. Yeah. Um

30:30>> wait what's her name? What's her name?

30:32>> Allison Negron Campbell.

30:34>> Okay.

30:35>> Yep. So she's been in the system

30:36forever. So um she's great. So that's

30:40good. But um yeah I mean just you know

30:44what are you going to do when when when

30:46I guess to answer your question? Yeah,

30:49I'm all for that. I'm all for like let's

30:51get the union involved. Let's let's have

30:53meetings. Let's talk about like no we no

30:56we're not doing this like not talking

30:57like strike but like make some noise

31:01like this isn't this is factual. This is

31:04factual. Adjustment counselors do not do

31:06functional behavior assessment. We are

31:08not trained. That's not our background.

31:09We have a clinical counseling

31:10background. We're not behavioral

31:12specialists. We have no background in

31:14training in this. Um so other districts

31:18all around the state and in other states

31:21don't do this. Don't this is not the

31:22practice. Um so the data is there. You

31:26know the the the argument is there to be

31:28made. Uh but I just think a lot of

31:30people are just going to you know take

31:32it suck it up and and be miserable and

31:35do whatever you know they're told

31:36because they just you know a lot of

31:38people don't want to make waves. A lot

31:39of people don't want to put in that type

31:42of work to um you know push back. So,

31:47>> I'm all for it, but um

31:51or or or you know, making noise at the

31:53school committee level to like or

31:55something, you know, to like

31:57>> you know, we need we that reduction in

31:59BCBA is is not just and and it's um

32:05it's a disservice to the kids um or this

32:08you know, I don't know if I think the

32:11numbers went down for these behavior

32:12specialists too across the district. I'm

32:14not sure. I know for for a fact BCBA

32:16significantly were reduced. Those

32:18positions are caught. And I I I'm

32:21assuming that if we went from a

32:22full-time behavior specialist to

32:24part-time, I'm assuming that it was at

32:26least some cuts there, too. But I mean,

32:30our highest needs populations being

32:33reduced to a part-time worker. It's

32:36crazy. So

32:37>> that's ridiculous.

32:38>> Yeah.

32:41So,

32:43um we should put this in our operations

32:45meeting agenda to um discuss with Tom.

32:52>> Good idea.

32:55Good idea.

33:03That way maybe maybe we can at minimum

33:05get a sense of like the thinking behind

33:09that decision which it sounds like

33:11that's not something that you're

33:12necessarily being communicated Bryant.

33:16>> Right.

33:19>> Yep.

33:20>> Also your camera lens is very very

33:22cloudy.

33:24>> Mine?

33:25>> Yeah.

33:26>> Really? [snorts]

33:28Um, maybe it's the the lake air.

33:34[laughter]

33:40>> There's a train. Maybe it's the train

33:42smoke across the street.

33:45>> Maybe it needs a good cleaning.

33:48[laughter] That's That's for sure.

33:49That's a definite

33:53>> um Yeah. So, thank you for sharing that.

33:56We will bring that up. I think that's

33:58important for us to kind of keep a pulse

33:59on that. The other piece I wanted to

34:02bring up that I think we should be also

34:04paying attention to is the Worcester

34:06public schools realignment proposals.

34:10Um

34:11they're doing it in a very interesting

34:13way. Um you know I they're we've now

34:17gotten the second proposal. I don't know

34:19if you all are aware of that. The first

34:22proposal came out. the second proposal

34:25came out and um

34:28pulled back from some of the things that

34:31they Oh, look at how clean that is.

34:33[laughter]

34:36>> The lake air is clear.

34:40>> Nothing a little hot breath and and

34:42piece of my shirt can't can't solve.

34:47>> That's the technical way of cleaning.

34:49[laughter]

34:51Um,

34:52>> no, I I don't know about the

34:53realignment. Um, I I just heard like um

34:56I had heard that the proposal where they

34:59were and this is just because of like my

35:02lens of the world, but like how the time

35:04changes were going to be impacting like

35:07out of school time providers.

35:09>> Yeah.

35:10>> Um

35:11>> there's a lot in there. I didn't realize

35:13how much was in the realignment, how

35:15much it's impacting. So, I think the um

35:18I think that they are still going to

35:21have some of those issues with um the

35:28out of school time stuff because I can

35:30give you a brief synopsis.

35:34Um hang on here. Let me just pull this

35:36up.

35:45I mean, Wham's parents stamped their

35:46feet and said their building can't be

35:48moved and they won, right?

35:49>> Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. So, that's the

35:52other thing. Um, the people that are

35:55making noise, they're getting they're

35:58getting what they want. Um, okay. So

36:04um

36:06so the big I guess the big changes that

36:09they're saying um is that the there are

36:15revised from scenario one notable

36:16potential changes.

36:18Um

36:20so yeah Worer Arts Magnet is going to

36:22remain where it is and as it is. Um,

36:27Greenale Head Start, I guess, is a

36:30building right now that is potentially

36:33going to become a new elementary school

36:37from preK to 6. And then um the Wester

36:43East Middle will now be accepting sixth

36:46grade students from City View, Rice

36:49Square, and Grafton Street. So, it

36:52sounds like we're moving. We would be if

36:54the if this is an if proposal, right?

36:57This is if this second proposal is gets

37:00accepted. Um

37:02>> does mysteries middle have

37:06>> I'm I'm I'm just I'm just kind of

37:08shocked.

37:10>> Yeah. Yeah, I know. Um

37:14they also were looking at a lottery

37:17system for the middle and high school

37:19specialized programs. This is going to

37:21be a big deal for Bernote. Um

37:25because as it is now, where was I? Hold

37:28on.

37:29>> Wait, but like the handover and Goddard

37:31school, right? Goddard scholars, those

37:33ones or the

37:35>> the um the

37:38No, they were talking about I think like

37:41the magnet or No, it might probably

37:44guard Goddard like you said,

37:45>> but Goddard was God is invitation only.

37:48But now, but they're talking about

37:50changing it to have weighted. Um, I was

37:53actually just going down this rabbit

37:54hole this morning for my own

37:58>> inquiries. Um but that um the yeah

38:02they're talking about doing it weighted

38:04by quadrant and so and like potentially

38:07by school but like different scenarios

38:09where it would be like instead of it

38:11just being like straight like your star

38:13scores like top 50 star scores whatever

38:16would get into Goddard and then the next

38:19top 50 get a handover or whatever. Now

38:22they're talking about doing it like

38:24weighted. So it depends on like the

38:26quadrant to because they're seeing like

38:28the same the wealthier quadrants or and

38:30wealthier schools like Flag, Technic

38:33Magnet, Nelson Place are the ones

38:34feeding all their kids into those

38:36programs. of course. Um, and they're

38:39talking about like potentially making it

38:41be like a weight like a lottery system

38:44where like your star scores would like

38:46criteria would make you eligible to be

38:49entered into a lottery that then you

38:51would be selected or something like I

38:52guess it something where like depending

38:55on what criteria for admissions you meet

38:58like your test scores or this or that

39:00you depends on how many lottery tickets

39:02you get. So you can get four lottery

39:04tickets or you can get one lottery

39:06ticket and then then you get entered

39:08into the system something like that.

39:10>> Yeah. So they were saying too, so if

39:12we're using Burncoat for an example, um,

39:16so I guess they enroll, so Burnco Arts

39:20Magnet High School program enrolls 345

39:23students and it says of those 211, which

39:26is 61% come from the Burnco quadrant and

39:30like only 12 students, 3.5% come from

39:33the south quadrant. So like burn code is

39:36obviously over represented in the arts

39:39magnet part of it and so they're saying

39:42that like they people need to have the

39:44same access regardless of where they are

39:46in the city and they're thinking I guess

39:49that that could

39:51could do something

39:52>> they're saying because they're like the

39:53racial demographics of handover I also

39:56like I can tell you live like the racial

39:59demographics of who attends those

40:01specialty schools is really

40:04disproportion

40:05like who attends those schools is like

40:0748% white 20 which is compared to

40:10whatever like 20% in Worcester public

40:12schools 20% Asian compared to 6% in

40:15worship public schools and then the uh

40:18it's 17% Latino compared to

40:22>> I can't remember like almost 40 35

40:25something like that in the I can't

40:27remember the black demographic as well

40:29but it's also under under reppresented

40:31at those schools and so and like I will

40:34say like I actually walked out of

40:36Laura's party yesterday with Sue Mailman

40:38and I was like I want to talk to you

40:39about this like also for my own like

40:43personality that I'm like been figuring

40:45out because

40:47>> and I feel like actually honestly more

40:49well positioned to make this argument

40:51now because Roshene actually just did

40:52well on her star scores where she didn't

40:55before and then I was having my own

40:56personal spiraling about that. But I'm

40:58like now I'm actually in the position

41:00where I can advocate for this where I'm

41:02not just like you should let my kid in

41:04cuz I'm like like I think because it's

41:07incredibly inequitable the way the star

41:10scores are delivered also drives me

41:12insane. Like, and I've heard from so

41:14many parents at Flag, at Nelson Place,

41:17those two schools particular, that if

41:19kids take their STAR scores that they

41:21expect to do well, they have them take

41:22them over. And they don't do well, they

41:24have them take them over

41:26>> and and they like do prep for it the

41:29night before, blah blah blah. At my

41:30school, I never even heard they did the

41:34STAR score. Like, I didn't even know

41:35their stars.

41:36>> I knew nothing about stars.

41:38>> Never mind. Do they tell the kids this

41:40is an emissions test? this is being used

41:42for something. So like my daughter

41:44doesn't give a crap about standardized

41:46tests was like a a bb and like did so

41:50bad on it and then I'm like wait what

41:52like all these other kids get into God.

41:54What are your star scores? And then I

41:56went back and tried to get her scores

41:57for the last three years and now she

42:00like killed herself because she's trying

42:02to get into handover because she wants

42:04to do arts. She doesn't even care about

42:05the academics. She just wants to get

42:06into the arts program

42:08>> and to be able to have access to that.

42:10And now she actually did well on the

42:12star scores, but it's like it's because

42:14also we pushed her and like was able to

42:16be aware and advocate for this. It's so

42:18inequitable.

42:22>> Yes.

42:23>> So it's just like it's just like

42:26confirmation bias I feel like and then

42:30these kids in the fourth grade some of

42:32them for Goddard. It's tracking them in

42:34the fourth grade with their scores of

42:36like who are going to be the high

42:37achieving scores. Never mind. Clark

42:38gives two full ride scholarships to the

42:40top two kids from Goddard.

42:44>> Who does?

42:46>> Clark.

42:47>> Oh.

42:48Oh, I didn't realize that.

42:52>> I just learned that, too.

42:55>> Interesting.

42:56>> Wait, are you being told that she has to

42:59be handover to access the arts magnet?

43:04Well, because I'm not in because it's

43:06not a straight like I would have to

43:07apply for voluntary transfer to be able

43:09to get into it, I think, because I'm not

43:11in that district. Well, depending on how

43:13the redistricting goes.

43:17>> Well, yeah. Yes, to the latter, but as

43:19of historically, you could apply to be

43:22an arts magnet student without being

43:24handover student.

43:26>> Yeah, but I but I have to be like out of

43:27district to be able to like get into it

43:29and then have no busing or anything,

43:31too.

43:32>> Yeah. Well, yeah, but there are magnet

43:33buses all over the city.

43:35>> It would count for a magnet bus. I don't

43:37know. But and but then they you could

43:39only take one art instead of two arts,

43:41right?

43:42>> What's that?

43:43>> You would only be able to take one art

43:44instead of two arts.

43:47>> Yeah, you have to se you have to select

43:48one. Yeah, you have to select one.

43:51>> You can take classes. You can take

43:52classes of another art.

43:55>> But Hannover kids can take two arts.

43:58>> I'm not sure about that.

44:00>> I think so.

44:02Wow.

44:05>> Any of this

44:06>> try to get in, but I'm also like why is

44:08the only arts program? Well, I know the

44:12full magnet school as well, but it's

44:13like to be able to get into this to be

44:15able to maximize my arts time for like

44:17my artsy kid. It's like only graded on

44:21your math and ELA star scores.

44:26Like what about artsy kids who aren't

44:28good at math or math standardized tests?

44:35>> Yeah. Like the talent that they're going

44:36to go there to nurture isn't weighed

44:39into the

44:41>> Yeah.

44:45Um, and I think it's part of I think

44:48these test schools are like historically

44:50part of like a model to like keep

44:53wealthier white parents from fleeing the

44:56district.

44:57So, they're going to create like mini

44:59private

45:01experiences.

45:04It looks it looks like too like the

45:06because of all of these plans that the

45:08voluntary transfers they're saying there

45:10it looks they're saying these still have

45:12to be addressed because once they do all

45:13these boundaries I feel like they're not

45:16going to want to allow for folks because

45:19they're doing all of this work here.

45:22There's um so interesting. So it looks

45:26like there would be two

45:28new elementary schools. The old Granite

45:31Street school would reopen as a prek to

45:34sixth grade neighborhood school. Um,

45:38and it would be at the current um, which

45:41is the current Gerald Kramer Center and

45:43Gerald Kramer Center would move to the

45:45Fanning Building. Um, and they also said

45:47that I guess with both scenarios, the

45:50district is working to have a preschool

45:52classroom in every elementary school,

45:54which is good. Um,

45:57but what I what it seems like is that

46:00the proposal,

46:02the second proposal they're saying does

46:05a good job of making use of the

46:07elementary school spaces aside from a

46:10couple of things. So, they're basically

46:13saying that with scenario two, um,

46:17there's no elementary school that's over

46:19capacity, but there's big differences in

46:23the capacity. So Nelson Place, which is

46:25the newest elementary school and

46:27apparently has AC and is ADA compliant,

46:31would only be used at 73%.

46:34Whereas Lincoln Street School, which is

46:38also anticipating large enrollment

46:40growth, is going to be would be the

46:42highest at 90%. So there's going to be

46:46big differences in like how they're

46:48being utilized, I guess.

46:51Um,

46:53I think what's what I'm concerned with

46:56is that they put out plan number one and

46:58I guess you know the folks that are that

47:00were like on it and paying attention and

47:04had, you know, some skin in the game

47:05went and and like complained about the

47:08stuff, right? So like things, you know,

47:10all the Wister magnet people were like,

47:12"Nope, not happening. You're not moving

47:13our school." And and now proposal number

47:15two, they're not. So like people have

47:18have mobilized around some of this, but

47:21then you know folks that are more

47:23disenfranchised are not I think part of

47:26those conversations as much. And so now

47:29I'm just wondering, so this is like the

47:32second iteration and I'll forward you

47:34all an email because um um

47:38I don't know if you guys subscribe to um

47:42Ashling Doyle

47:45>> on it. She's a parent at my school.

47:47>> Yeah. So um so I actually like I

47:51understood so much more by reading her

47:54brief. So, she just did another brief

47:56about the second redistricting scenario

47:58and like it outlines a lot of it. So,

48:01I'll send that to you guys. You can read

48:02it because it was very helpful. Um,

48:06>> yeah. So, um,

48:10yeah, in any event, I just think it's

48:12something that we as a commission should

48:14probably keep our

48:16>> eyes on in terms of like,

48:20>> you know, we want to make sure if

48:21there's areas that we should be

48:22advocating for in terms of the youth and

48:25families that that we have.

48:27>> And I've heard, well, my chat GPT

48:30research this morning was that October

48:3213th is like when the next meeting is

48:34scheduled. Is that right? for like a

48:36potential scenario three. I just put an

48:38alert on my phone notify me when that

48:40came out

48:43>> possibly then.

48:44>> But you know, sometimes I'm led astray

48:46by Chad GBT. I didn't actually

48:48independently verify

48:51>> just to be honest.

48:53>> Yeah. Let me see because I I feel like

48:55they sent out something.

49:02Um

49:05they I feel like they did send

49:08something.

49:11Um

49:33Um,

49:36yes. A third set of scenarios will be

49:39presented at the next operations and

49:41governance standing committee on

49:43Tuesday, October 13th at 6 p.m. at

49:46Vernon Hill.

49:49Um, public is encouraged to provide

49:51feedback feedback at public forums now

49:54through November 7th. So, let me see

49:57what the public forums are.

50:01But I'm wondering at the public forums

50:03then are is everything then presented

50:07again?

50:09Let me put this in the chat for you

50:11guys.

50:20And I'm going to put this in. Um,

50:23>> how are they promoting the forums?

50:26>> Um, see that's that's a good question

50:29because I know like for um like Casey

50:33and I get stuff for you get stuff

50:35through like parent square or whatever

50:36it is, right?

50:37>> Yeah, they send them out through they do

50:39print out parents square to all the

50:41school families.

50:46But I'm not sure like the other

50:48communities.

50:50>> But honestly, I just um I just became

50:54aware like today I have to admit of all

50:58the stuff that's in there that this

50:59other stuff is in there as well cuz I

51:01thought I was kind of like I don't know.

51:02I don't have an opinion. I'm like

51:05exactly I'm right now it seems to make

51:07sense. I don't know. Some of these small

51:08schools are too small. Like I'm

51:10currently where I live now is currently

51:13Forest Grove like Forest. It's I think

51:16it's Nelson Place but it would change to

51:17another elementary school but my kids

51:19don't go there anyway. But then it would

51:20be for but now we're Forest Grove and

51:23then would be Berno High but I think

51:26potentially under the realignment then

51:27we'd be like Burnco Middle, Berno High.

51:29And so I was kind of like okay yeah that

51:31makes sense. But I didn't realize all

51:32this other stuff was in there. So I was

51:33like oh crap I should have been going to

51:35these meetings. Yeah, they are

51:36definitely trying to funnel it so that

51:39you go to the same like the group of

51:42elementary schools that are going to go

51:44to like all go to the same middle

51:45school, all go to the same high school,

51:47they are trying to do that, I guess,

51:53>> but we'll see.

51:55Um,

51:57but all right. So, and I guess the final

51:59recommendation they said is going to be

52:01presented to school committee in

52:03December.

52:05Um, so I guess we'll go from there. It's

52:09unclear though like

52:12how

52:13they're to me like they're presenting

52:16these scenarios but it's kind of unclear

52:17like what their actual process is. So

52:20they get feedback and then you know like

52:23I don't know they're revising them I

52:25guess based on the feedback. Um

52:28>> there's no

52:30there's no formal way to get feedback.

52:34Well, it I guess at these meetings and I

52:39think let's see. Oh, they have a working

52:42group.

52:45Oh, this is interesting. So, they do

52:48okay that same

52:50um link that I put in the chat. If you

52:53go all the way to the bottom and you

52:55open up, there's the working group

52:57members um which Ashling is one of them.

53:00Um

53:02>> Oh, that's interesting. shows you who's

53:04on the working group.

53:15Oh, somebody I work with at Clark is on

53:17there as a parent. How did they I wonder

53:19how they did this.

53:21How did people get recruited as a

53:23parent?

53:27>> Maybe if you go to those like faces

53:29meetings or whatever or like those

53:34Interesting. Anyway, so it looks like

53:36there's a apparently a big group

53:41>> and we know some of them. So, [laughter]

53:44>> yeah.

53:47>> All right.

53:49>> Well, um we will keep an eye on those

53:51things. Um so, our next meeting we will

53:55uh review the strategic planning uh work

53:58that we did over the summer. So, be

54:02prepared for that. We'll make sure we

54:04get that out that Jody can send that out

54:06to us before the meeting so we're

54:07prepared. Um,

54:10>> also I just wanted to mention that Judy

54:13is going to be running Girls Inc. while

54:15Tiffany's on leave.

54:17>> Really? [laughter]

54:19>> Well, like Judy, are you gonna tell

54:21anybody ever that you're gonna be like

54:26[laughter]

54:27>> I don't I don't know that I have

54:29permission to tell yet. I'm letting

54:30Tiffany do that.

54:33>> She is. She's been telling people.

54:35>> When is [laughter] when is she leaving?

54:38>> Um in like the end of October, beginning

54:41of November.

54:45>> Work up until or is she going to like

54:47leave a little bit before the due date?

54:51>> A little before.

54:52>> Yeah.

54:53>> And how long is she taking?

54:56>> I She has me scheduled through March. I

54:59don't know how long she'll use.

55:02>> Yeah.

55:03>> Cool.

55:03>> Oh my goodness. Judy, you're jumping

55:05right back in. Girls in.

55:09[laughter]

55:10>> I'm trying to keep it quiet because I

55:11don't want anybody planning too much.

55:13>> I am. I've been texting. Send Judy to

55:16that meeting.

55:18>> I've already requested you. [laughter]

55:20>> She's a She has already scheduled me to

55:23meetings. I I asked her to do that. But

55:25I said, "Get me on the calendar so that

55:28I can reserve the space." So

55:30>> that's actually so exciting. I love

55:32that.

55:33>> I know. Awesome.

55:34>> I know. It's It's going to be great to

55:36go back. It really will be great to go

55:39back.

55:40>> I was so excited about that when she was

55:42like, "I'm thinking about doing this." I

55:43was like, "That's a genius idea."

55:47>> I was I was in disbelief. I thought she

55:49was just like messing with me [laughter]

55:54>> like it was all part of the pregnancy

55:56story. I was like

55:58>> literally perfect.

56:01>> It is different. But I think it's so

56:02cool.

56:03>> You can get him into all kinds of

56:05trouble and then you can walk away. Give

56:07it back to Tiff. [laughter]

56:10>> I told Tiffany, I said, "I sure hope

56:12that I give good advice on this side of

56:14things.

56:15[laughter]

56:18Oh, that's awesome.

56:19>> No, you're back. You're back in.

56:21>> It'll be great to see I mean, think

56:23about all the all the staff that are

56:25there that, you know, came through the

56:28Worcester group and

56:29>> Yeah.

56:30>> Yeah. It'll be great to see him in

56:32action again. So, looking forward to

56:35that.

56:37>> Yeah. So, she's gonna join governance.

56:38She's gonna be doing all those things.

56:41>> I know she's already got exec committee

56:43stuff on my calendar, board meetings on

56:45the calendar.

56:46I'm like, she's just trying to hook me

56:48in to volunteer more when on the other

56:51side of it.

56:53>> You know, you you're not going to be

56:54able to walk away things that you start

56:56getting invested in.

56:59[clears throat]

56:59>> I know that she she knows me pretty

57:01well.

57:03>> Perfect.

57:04>> I'm excited.

57:06>> Well, that's a

57:07>> Yeah. So, it'll be nice to have that

57:09perspective.

57:10>> Yeah.

57:11>> Thank you.

57:12>> Welcome back.

57:13>> Thank you. [laughter]

57:16I didn't go very far.

57:20>> You try to leave, but we just pull you

57:22back. [laughter]

57:26>> I'm really excited.

57:27>> Thanks for the support, guys.

57:28>> Have a good rest of your afternoon.

57:32>> Okay.

57:33>> Thank you all. All right. Bye. Bye. Bye.