Agenda for the June 8 Regular Meeting of the Medford School Committee

The Twelfth Regular Meeting of the Medford School Committee

Date/Time

Monday, June 8, 2026

Executive Session: 5:00 p.m.

Regular Meeting: 6:00 p.m.

Location

Please be advised that there will be a Regular Meeting of the Medford School Committee held at the Howard Alden Memorial Chambers, Medford City Hall and via remote participation. This meeting is being recorded.

This meeting can be viewed live on the Medford Public Schools YouTube channel or via Medford Community Media on your local cable channel (Comcast Channel 9, 8 or 22 and Verizon Channel 43, 45 or 47). Participants can log in by using the link below.

Agenda

Agenda for the June 8, 2026 Twelfth Regular Meeting of the Medford School Committee

Zoom Link

https://mps02155-org.zoom.us/j/91349440286?pwd=rcAwhZVNRxmX1PuxtVbrqW6rmVsy0t.1

Questions or comments can be submitted during the meeting by emailing: medfordsc@medford.k12.ma.us

Those submitting questions or comments must include the following information:

1. Your first and last name
2. Your Medford street address
3. Your question or comment

Agenda

I. Roll Call of Members and Student Representatives

II. Salute the Flag

III. Executive Session

Executive session pursuant to G.L c. 30A (a) (3) to conduct a strategy session on the basis that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining positions of the Medford School Committee. Specifically, the Medford School Committee will convene in executive session to discuss collective bargaining with Massachusetts Teacher’s Association (MTA) regarding a teacher grievance and the Chair so declares.

Executive session pursuant to G.L c. 30A (a) (3) to conduct a strategy session on the basis that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining positions of the Medford School Committee. Specifically, the Medford School Committee will convene in executive session to discuss collective bargaining with the Teamsters Local 25 regarding an administrator grievance and the Chair so declares.

Executive session pursuant to Chapter 30A Section 21 (2) to conduct strategy in preparation with nonunion personnel or contract negotiations with nonunion personnel, specifically but not limited to the Assistant Superintendent of Academics and Instruction, Chief Operations Officer, the Director of Student Services and Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, and the Director of Human Resources.

The Medford School Committee will reconvene in public session following the
Executive Session at approximately 6:00 pm.

IV. Consent Agenda

• Approval of Bills and Payrolls
• Approval of Donations
  • $100.00 Impact Church Donation to McGlynn Library
• Approval of Meeting Minutes
  • Regular Meeting - May 18, 2026

V. Report of Subcommittees

VI. Report of the Superintendent

1. Mustang Moment
2. Recognition of SEPAC Retirements - Dr. Suzanne B. Galusi Superintendent and Ms. Joan Bowen, Director of Student Services
3. Recognition of Medford Public Schools Retirements and Employee Anniversaries - Dr. Suzanne B. Galusi, Superintendent
4. Medford Public Schools and Tufts University Honor Marie Cassidy, founder of the Medford Family Network - Dr. Suzanne B. Galusi, Superintendent and Mr. Rocco DiRicio, Associate Vice President of Government & Community Relations, Tufts University
5. Recommendation to Approve Donation to the Medford Family Network by Tufts University on behalf of the Medford Public Schools
6. Recommendation to Approve Amended SY26-27 MPS District Calendar - Dr. Suzanne B. Galusi, Superintendent
7. Recommendation to Approve Updated Medford Public Schools Handbooks - Dr. Suzanne B. Galusi, Superintendent

VII. Presentations of the Student Advisory Council

Presentations of the Public (not to begin before 7:00 pm)

“Regular Meetings of the School Committee include this ‘Presentations of the Public’ agenda item to give any resident the opportunity to place a presentation before the School Committee. A resident may only present once at any meeting.

These presentations are an opportunity for the public to make a presentation to the Committee but are not opportunities for dialog with the Committee. If one or more members of the Committee wishes to have a conversation about the topic presented, a member may request that the item be added to a subsequent Regular Meeting.

The details for submitting a presentation can be found within the policy BEDH, Public Comment and Presentations of the Public”

Pursuant to policy BEDH, Public Comment and Presentations of the Public - any resident in the audience may be given permission to speak once on any item on the agenda for up to three (3) minutes. The speaker is expected to keep their comments to the item on the agenda. The speaker must begin their comments by providing their full name and full Medford street address where they reside. A welcoming, inclusive community is both a value of the School Committee and an aspirational goal. We ask for your help in achieving this goal and value your perspective. Employees of the Medford Public Schools are exempt from the residency requirement of this policy. The voice of our employees is welcomed on all matters before this body. When a non-Medford-resident employee is participating in public comment or submitting a presentation of the public they will include their home address and identify themselves as an employee of the Medford Public Schools.

A welcoming inclusive community is both a value of the School Committee and an aspirational goal. We ask for your help in achieving this goal and value your perspective.

VIII. Continued Business

IX. New Business

2026-12   Offered by Member Reinfeld & Member Ruseau

Update to Policy JJH Student Travel

[changes: addition of "out-of-state" to first sentence; addition of extenuating circumstances protocol (", except in extenuating circumstances" through end of second paragraph)]

All student trips which include out-of-state, late night, or overnight travel must have prior approval of the School Committee. Initial approval by the School Committee is required before engaging students in fundraising activities. The School Committee will also consider the educational value of the trip in relation to the cost prior to granting initial approval. Overnight trips should offer significant educational benefits to students that clearly justify the time and expense of the trip. Such trips should be appropriate for the grade level.

Final approval will not be granted until all preparations for the trip have been completed including, but not limited to, all logistical details involving transportation, accommodation arrangements and fundraising efforts. The School Committee requires that final approval be sought no less than 30 days prior to the scheduled trip dates, except in extenuating circumstances. In these instances, such as a sports team qualifying for a higher level competition or showcase occurring less than 30 days from the qualifying event, the Superintendent may approve the trip subject to the procedure described herein.

When timely approval cannot be granted through the established means of a regular school committee meeting, the Superintendent will share details with the committee over email and request that the travel be approved. To comply with Open Meeting Law, the committee will not discuss the matter over email but each member shall relay a single “yes” or “no” opinion to the Superintendent. If all opinions are in favor, the Superintendent shall have the ability to approve the trip, contingent upon receipt of required paperwork, and enter the approval on record at the next regular meeting of the committee. If opinions are not unanimous, the Superintendent will work with the Chair to convene a virtual meeting to formally vote on the matter.

Teachers and other school staff are prohibited from soliciting for privately run trips through the school system and in the schools. The School Committee will only review for approval of school-sanctioned trips. The School Committee will not review or approve trips that are privately organized and run without school sanctioning.

Date Submitted May 24, 2026

Date Requested to be on Agenda June 1, 2026

2026-13   Offered by Member Parks

Resolution to Establish a Special Education Reserve Fund for Medford

WHEREAS the Medford Public Schools district experiences significant and recurring volatility in special education expenditures, driven by statutory obligations to provide appropriate services and by student enrollment changes occurring throughout each school year;

WHEREAS the number of students requiring special education services in Medford has grown substantially over the past three years, with a 2% cumulative increase in students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), an 83% increase in students requiring 1:1 paraprofessional support, a 24% increase in students with Out-of-District (OOD) placements, and a 7% increase in students requiring specialized transportation, placing
increasing pressure on the district's annual budget;

WHEREAS the number of students requiring special education services fluctuates significantly during the school year as new students enter the district with existing IEPs, students transfer out of district, and ongoing evaluations identify additional students requiring services not anticipated when the budget was created;

WHEREAS in FY 2025-2026 alone, Medford experienced an influx of “move-ins” during the year of 73 additional students (a 4% increase) with IEPs, 8 students requiring 1:1 paraprofessionals (29% increase), 2 students requiring Out-of-District placements, and 19 additional students requiring specialized transportation, creating unbudgeted costs that forced the district to reallocate funds from other line items;

WHEREAS special education expenditures in Medford increased 27% between FY2023 and FY2025, while corresponding funding from the general fund and grants increased only 17% during the same period, widening the gap between obligations and resources;

WHEREAS the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) grant, which accounts for approximately 5% of Medford's total special education funding, faces growing instability from federal budget disputes and shifting policy priorities, evidenced locally by an approximately 8% reduction in Medford's IDEA allocation between FY2024 and FY2025, further straining the district's capacity to meet its obligations to students with disabilities;

WHEREAS Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 40, Section 13E authorizes municipal and regional school districts to establish a special education reserve fund that can be used in future years for these unanticipated or unbudgeted costs of special education, out of district (OOD) tuition, transportation and recovery high school tuition;

WHEREAS M.G.L. Chapter 40, § 13E enables the establishment of a special education reserve fund through a majority vote of both the Medford School Committee and the Medford City Council to mitigate these fiscal risks provided that the fund balance does not exceed 2% of the annual net school spending amount established for the school district;

WHEREAS the establishment of such a fund provides a proactive, strategic approach to planning for unforeseeable special education costs and to provide stability in the delivery of public education that could otherwise be adversely impacted by unanticipated expenses;

WHEREAS, a key advantage of a special education reserve fund over other reserve mechanisms is that it may earn interest, enabling the district to build reserves strategically year-over-year and access funds whenever needed through the required approval process, rather than being limited to single-fiscal-year reimbursement programs;

WHEREAS, the Medford School Committee has determined that establishing this fund is prudent financial management aligned with the District's responsibility to provide a stable, high-quality educational environment for all students while exercising responsible stewardship of public funds; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, that the Medford School Committee:

1. Accepts the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40, Section 13E thereby authorizing the establishment of a Special Education Reserve Fund, pending secondary approval through a majority vote by the Medford City Council;
2. Directs the Superintendent to email a copy of this resolution the President of the Medford City Council and the Acting City Clerk and request that they place this resolution, or similar, on their June 9, 2026 Council Agenda for their vote;
3. Establishes a Special Education Reserve Fund for the Medford Public Schools to pay, without further appropriation, for unanticipated or unbudgeted costs of:
   1. Special education services and programming;
   2. Out-of-district tuition for students requiring specialized educational placements;
   3. Special education transportation services (both in-district and out-of-district);
   4. Recovery high school program tuition;
   5. Other extraordinary expenses related to special education staffing, evaluation, and assessment services;
4. Specifies that the reserve fund shall be funded through:
   1. Transfers of year-end balances and surpluses from the annual school operating budget approved by the Medford School Committee;
   2. Free cash appropriations as determined by the Medford School Committee and City Council;
   3. Interest and earnings on the fund balance, which shall automatically be credited to the fund;
   4. Any other permissible revenue sources as approved by majority vote of both the School Committee and City Council;
5. Requires that any distribution from this fund be authorized by a majority vote of both the School Committee and the City Council;
6. Requires that all distributions and transfers from the Special Education Reserve Fund shall be approved only by a majority vote of both the Medford School Committee and the Medford City Council, and that no distribution shall be made without prior written request from the District Superintendent or designated school administrator documenting the necessity for the withdrawal;
7. Limits the maximum balance of the reserve fund to 2% of the annual net school spending established for the school district, in accordance with state law;
8. Establishes a minimum balance of $200,000 in the interest bearing reserve fund once that level has been achieved, below which transfers out shall not be permitted;
9. Affirms that the Special Education Reserve Fund is complementary to, and shall not replace, other district financial management practices including the Circuit Breaker reimbursement program, budgeting for anticipated special education costs, and maintaining emergency reserves for general operating contingencies; and
10. Directs the School Committee to report to the community annually on the status of the Special Education Reserve Fund and its role in maintaining fiscal stability and program quality in special education services.

Date Submitted May 27, 2026
Date Requested to be on Agenda June 8, 2026

X. Reports Requested

XI. Condolences

The Members of the Medford School Committee express their sincerest condolences to the family of Maureen Hennigan who was a dedicated member of Medford Public Schools for 28 years, most recently at the Andrews Middle School. This loss is deeply felt across our entire district. Maureen’s former husband, William Hennigan, and her grandchildren are members of the Missituk School community.

XII. Next Regular Meeting

• June 15, 2026 -Alden Memorial Chambers, Medford City Hall in addition to zoom

XIII. Adjournment