Agenda for the May 4 Regular Meeting of the Medford School Committee

The Ninth Regular Meeting of the Medford School Committee

Date/Time

Monday, May 4, 2026

Regular Session: 6:00 p.m.

Location

Please be advised that there will be a Regular Meeting of the Medford School Committee held in the Alden Memorial Chambers at 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 4, 2026 Ninth Regular Meeting of the Medford School Committee

Zoom Link

https://mps02155-org.zoom.us/j/95788902268?pwd=nXKJGLgukcfJZQmeFq2KjVeIIx4Jyi.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. Consent Agenda

• Approval of Bills and Payroll
• Approval of Budget Transfers
  • Journal Entry 20804: $13,959.67
  • Journal Entry 20820: $581.60
  • Journal Entry 20821: $500.00
  • Journal Entry 20822: $4042.74
  • Journal Entry 20823: $85.66
  • Journal Entry 20824: 8,066.88
• Approval of Donations
  • $700 PTO Donation-Fine Arts and Music Student Field Trip
• Approval of Meeting Minutes
  • Regular Meeting - April 13, 2026

IV. Report of Subcommittees

V. Report of the Superintendent

1. Mustang Moment
2. After School Update (BASEC) - Andrew Mountford, Michael Clark,
   Annie Gladfelter and Viviana Sanchez
3. Recommendation of MPS After School Rate Card - Dr. Suzanne B. Galusi, Superintendent and William Pipicelli, Communications Director

VI. 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.

VII. Continued Business

1. Recommendation to Approve the Superintendent's 3 year Contract

VII. New Business

2026-10    Offered by Members Parks and Member Graham

Support of Massachusetts House Bill H.4361 (formerly H.2932), An Act Relative to Benefits for Teachers

WHEREAS educators in the Medford Public Schools and across the Commonwealth dedicate their careers to the academic and social-emotional development of our students and deserve to retire with dignity and financial security;

WHEREAS teachers hired after July 1, 2001 are automatically enrolled in the State’s
RetirementPlus enhanced pension benefit program that offers increased benefits for those who complete 30 years of service in exchange for a higher contribution rate;

WHEREAS over 6,000 veteran Massachusetts public school teachers hired before July 1, 2001, including dedicated Medford educators, were shut out of the RetirementPlus enhanced pension benefit program due to a confusing opt-in process and administrative errors;

WHEREAS an August 2023 ruling by the Division of Administrative Law Appeals stated that passing legislation is the only way to fix this administrative failure;

WHEREAS passage of either Massachusetts House Bill H.4361 (formerly H.2932), An Act
Relative to Benefits for Teachers or Senate Bill1884, An Act relative to Teacher Retirement Election establishes a “fair fix” mechanism that would create a one-time opportunity for teachers hired before July 1, 2001, to buy into the RetirementPlus program and secure the enhanced pension benefits they have earned;

WHEREAS this “fair fix” would eliminate the need for these veteran teachers to work 33 to
35 years to receive the same maximum pension benefits that 30-year members receive;

WHEREAS providing these veteran teachers a fair pathway to retire serves as a strategic
fiscal tool for school districts, generating substantial savings through natural turnover that eases the pressure on local budgets currently strained by soaring costs and the loss of
federal funding;

WHEREAS on July 30, 2025, the Massachusetts House of Representatives unanimously
passed H.4361 to secure a fair fix and sent it to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, making it imperative that the Senate passes either H.4361 or S.1884 before the end of the formal legislative session in July 2026;

WHEREAS the committee recognizes that formally backing this legislation demonstrates
our profound respect for our longest-serving teachers while advocating for fiscal relief for
our city; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, that the Medford School Committee:

1. direct the Superintendent to email a copy of this resolution endorsing MA Bill H.4361/S.1884 to Medford's state legislative delegation within fourteen days of this vote urging them to support the bill(s);
2. publish the full text of this adopted resolution on the official Medford Public Schools website to publicly document the Committee's stance; and
3. email a copy of this resolution to the leadership of the Medford Teachers Association to demonstrate collective support for our educators.

Date Submitted: April 29, 2026
Date Requested to be on the Agenda: May 4, 2026

IX. Reports Requested

X. Condolences

The Medford School Committee offers its sincerest condolences to the family of Leonard (Len) Glionna. Len was a lifelong Medford resident, graduate of Medford High School, husband to Jeanne Glionna who was an Executive Assistant to the Assistant Superintendent for many years, the father of Joshua Glionna, Physical Education teacher at the Missituk Elementary School and daughter in law Kristen Glionna is the Medford High School Varsity Cheerleading Coach.

XI. Next Budget Regular Meeting

• May 12, 2026 - Public Budget Hearing - Zoom Only 5PM
• May 18, 2026 -Regular Meeting at Alden Memorial Chambers, Medford City
  Hall in addition to zoom

XII. Adjournment