Agenda for the May 20 Regular Meeting of the Medford School Committee

The Tenth Regular Meeting of the Medford School Committee

Date/Time

Monday, May 20, 2024
5:00 PM

Location

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

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 May 20, 2024 Tenth Regular Medford School Committee Meeting

Zoom Link

https://mps02155-org.zoom.us/j/95311987344

Complete Agenda

I. Roll Call for Attendance of Members and Student Representatives

II. Salute the Flag

III. Consent Agenda

• Bills and Payrolls

• Approval of Capital Purchases

• Public Budget Hearing Minutes, May 6, 2024

• Regular School Committee Minutes, May 6, 2024

• Behavioral Health and Special Ed Subcommittee Minutes, May 15, 2024

• Recommendation to Approve $3,000 grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council to fund Summer Art Workshops

IV. Report of Subcommittees

Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Handbook Process - May 8, 2024

CHCA-B - HANDBOOK REVIEW AND SCHEDULE

The School Committee is required to approve school handbooks annually. Preparations for annual approval of the school handbooks will be scheduled in phases throughout the school year with attention to certain deadlines.

Phase I - Initiation of Handbook Update Process
Target Dates: August 1 to September 30

1. The Superintendent will create versions of each school handbook to become the draft for the upcoming school year;
2. The draft handbooks will be updated to incorporate changes mandated by School Committee policy, district policy, law, regulation, and legal rulings impacting the content of the handbook;
3. A memorandum will be created explaining each change and the source or reason for the change and be named “Mandatory Changes Memorandum”;
4. A copy of the handbook prior to changes, the draft handbook, the memorandum explaining changes, and a copy of this policy will be sent to each school principal.

Phase II - School Council Drafting of Handbook Changes
Target dates: October 1 to January 31

1. The School Council will make updates to the draft handbook;
2. The School Council will create a memorandum explaining each change and the source or reason for the change and be named “School Council Changes Memorandum”;
3. The School Council will send the recommended handbook and memorandum to the Superintendent.
4. The Superintendent will review for consistency where appropriate between handbooks across the district and create a memorandum explaining changes made to the recommended handbooks after School Council approval and provide the memorandum to the School Council and the School Committee in the approval process.

Phase III - Committee Review and Approval
Target Dates: February 1 to April 30

1. “Review and Approval of School Year XX Handbooks” will be placed on a Regular School Committee Meeting agenda;
2. The School Committee will receive copies of the handbook prior to changes, the recommended handbook, the Mandatory Changes Memorandum, and the School Council Changes Memorandum;
3. The School Committee will take action such as approval, amendment to a handbook, or postpone approval to a subsequent meeting, committee of the whole, or subcommittee meeting. Approval can only be made in whole of a handbook.

Policy Information
First Adopted: TBD
Last Amended: None
Last Reviewed: None
Review Frequency: two (2) years
Next Review: TBD
Version: 1
Policy ID: CHCA-B
Original Source: None
Legal References: M.G.L. 71:59C, 71:37H

Behavioral Health and Special Education Subcommittee - Meeting held May 15, 2024

• Recommendation to co-localize the Curtis-Tufts with the main Medford High School campus.

V. Report of the Superintendent

1. Superintendent’s Updates and Comments - Dr. Marice Edouard-Vincent, Superintendent

2. CCSR Update and Student Recognition - Mr. Richard Trotta, Director of CCSR accompanied by Brooks Elementary School students Savannah McLaughlin and Adam Costello

3. Humanities Student Recognition - Dr. Nicole Chiesa, Director of Humanities

4. Medford High School Update and Survey Results - Ms. Marta Cabral, Principal

5. Medford Career Technical Education (CTE) Update - Mr. Chad Fallon, Principal/Director of Medford Vocational Technical High School

6. Budget Update - Mr. Gerry McCue, Director of Finance (estimated start time 6:30 p.m.)

7. Budget Vote of the Medford School Committee

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.

VI. Continued Business

MSBA / MCHSBC Update - Presented by Jenny Graham, Chair

• SBC Meeting May 13, 2024

VII. New Business

VIII. Reports Requested

IX. Condolences

The Members of the Medford School Committee express their sincerest condolences to the family of Daniel F. “Danny D” DiGiacomo, Jr., father of Denise Grieco, McGlynn paraprofessional and After School program assistant.

The Members of the Medford School Committee express their sincerest condolences to the family of Robert J. Brophy, father of Medford High School History teacher Matthew Brophy.

The Members of the Medford School Committee express their sincerest condolences to the family of Paul Arnold Pellini, father of Emily Pellini, EL Assessment Specialist and Lead Teacher.

X. Next Meeting

June 3, 2024 - Alden Memorial Chambers, Medford City Hall in addition to zoom

XI. Adjournment