Agenda for the September 23 Regular Meeting of the Medford School Committee

Sep 19 2024 5:51 PM

The Fourteenth Regular Meeting of the Medford School Committee

Date/Time

Monday, September 23, 2024

Executive Session: 5:00 p.m.

Regular Meeting: 6:30 p.m.

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 September 23, 2024 Fourteenth Regular Medford School Committee Meeting

Zoom Link

https://mps02155-org.zoom.us/j/96559996881

Complete Agenda

I. Roll Call for Attendance of Members and Student Representatives

II. Salute the Flag

III. Executive Session

Executive session pursuant to Chapter 30A section 21 (2) to conduct strategy in preparation with nonunion personnel or contract negotiations with nonunion personnel specifically Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Assistant Superintendent of Enrichment, Innovation and Operations, Director of Student Services, Director of Human Resources, Elementary, Middle and High
School Principals, Executive Assistant, McGlynn Middle School Principal Stipend, Director of Arts Stipend and Data Manager. Refer to Appendix A and Appendix B for the full list.

Agenda for the September 23, 2024 Fourteenth Regular Medford School Committee Meeting

IV. Consent Agenda

Approval of Bills and Payrolls
Approval of Capital Purchases
- Ongoing Lighting Upgrades
Approval of Grants
- Municipal Local Cybersecurity Grant $50, 231.00
Approval of Field Trips
Approval of Meeting Minutes
- Regular Meeting - September 9, 2024

V. Report of Subcommittees

VI. Report of the Superintendent

Superintendent’s Updates and Comments — Dr. Marice Edouard-Vincent, Superintendent
Recommendation to Approve Budget Transfer for City Year Work — Mr. Gerald McCue, Former Finance Director
Recommendation to Approve $10,000 Donation from the Cummings Foundation — “Make A Difference Dollars Program” - Ms. Suzanne Fee, Director of Arts
Recommendation to Approve a $1,000 Donation to Project Transition—Ms. Joan Bowen, Director of Pupil Services
City Year Partnership Update — Ms. Monica Roberts, Executive Director of City Year, Ms. Erika Alvarez-Werner, City Year Chief of Staff, and Mr. Nick Tucci, Principal of McGlynn Middle School
Recommendation to Approve New Senior Parking Fee of $150—Dr. Peter J. Cushing, Assistant Superintendent

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

VIII. New Business

2024-31: Offered by Member Ruseau

Second Reading of Policy AC - Non-Discrimination Including Harassment and Retaliation

The Medford School Committee and the Medford Public Schools are committed to maintaining an education and work environment for all school community members free from all forms of discrimination, including harassment and retaliation. The school community members include the School Committee, employees, administration, faculty, staff, students, volunteers in the schools, and parties contracted to perform work for the Medford Public Schools.

The Medford Public Schools does not exclude from participation, deny the benefits of the Medford Public Schools from or otherwise discriminate against individuals on the basis of race*, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, religion, disability, age, genetic information, active military/veteran status, marital status, familial status, pregnancy, or pregnancy-related condition, housing status, ancestry, ethnic background, national origin, or any other category protected by state or federal law in the administration of its educational and employment policies, or in its programs and activities.

This commitment to the community is affirmed by the following statements. The School Committee commits to:

Promoting the rights and responsibilities of all individuals as set forth in the State and Federal Constitutions, pertinent legislation, and applicable judicial interpretations.
Encouraging positive experiences in human values for children, youth, and adults, all of whom have differing personal and family characteristics and come from various socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic groups.
Working toward a more integrated society and enlisting the support of individuals as well as groups and agencies, both private and governmental, in such an effort.
Using all appropriate communication and action techniques to air and address the grievances of individuals and groups.
Carefully consider, in all the decisions made within the school district, the potential benefits or adverse consequences of those decisions on human relations.
Initiating a process of reviewing policies and practices of the school district to achieve, to the greatest extent possible, the objectives of this statement.

The Medford Public Schools require all members of the school community to conduct themselves in accordance with this policy.

It shall be a violation of this policy for any member of the school community to engage in any form of discrimination, including harassment and retaliation, or to violate any other civil right of any member of the school community. We recognize that discrimination can take a range of forms and can be targeted or unintentional; however, discrimination in any form, including harassment and retaliation, will not be tolerated.

It shall also be a violation of this policy for any school community member to subject any other member of the school community to any form of retaliation, including, but not limited to, coercion, intimidation, interference, punishment, discrimination, or harassment for reporting or filing a complaint of discrimination, cooperating in an investigation, aiding or encouraging another member of the school community to report such conduct or file a complaint, or opposing any act or practice reasonably believed to be prohibited by this policy.

*race to include traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture, hair type, hair length, and protective hairstyles.

Policy Information
First Adopted: Unknown
Last Amended: TBD
Last Reviewed: TBD
Review Frequency: five (5) years Next Review: TBD
Version: 2
Policy ID: AC
Original Source: MASC - July 2024

Legal References:

Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964
Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 Executive Order 11246, as amended by E.O. 11375
Equal Pay Act, as amended by the Education Amendments of 1972 Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, 20 U.S.C. § 7905 (The Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act)
M.G.L. 71B1 et seq. (Chapter 766 of the Acts of 1972)
M.G.L. 117

Cross References:

ACE, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability
ACAB, Harassment
ACAB-R, Policy Prohibiting Sexual Harassment and Violence GBA, Equal Employment Opportunity
IJ, Instructional Materials
JB, Equal Educational Opportunities

Date Submitted: 9/3/2024
Date Requested to be on the Agenda: 9/9/2024

2024-33: Offered by Member Reinfeld

Resolution in Support of November 2024 Ballot Questions
Be it resolved that the Medford School Committee supports the following ballot initiatives:

Question 2 concerning the use of MCAS as a high school graduation requirement (1).
The Medford School Committee supports the use of robust assessment and rigorous educational standards in public education, but rejects the use of high stakes testing as a gate-keeping tool to define student competencies. This ballot question does not eliminate the MCAS as a standardized assessment tool but rather, constrains its influence over classroom teaching practices and empowers our educators to consistently employ equitable practices for facilitating student learning.

Question 7 concerning the stabilization of the Medford Public Schools budget and investment in the Medford Department of Public Works (2).
The Medford School Committee recognizes the need to permanently fund essential activities and jobs previously and currently supported by temporary pandemic relief funds. The assessment of tax dollars for this purpose avoids in perpetuity the suite of devastating cuts for staff and services proposed in the last budget cycle, and establishes these roles and responsibilities as essential
fixtures in the fiscal year 2025 budget and beyond.

In addition, the Medford School Committee believes that timely and effective maintenance of the city’s roads and sidewalks is essential for student and staff safety. Increased staff capacity within the Department of Public Works improves accessibility and expands transportation options for all members of our school community.

Question 8 concerning the expansion of educational offerings and services for Medford Public
Schools (3).
The Medford School Committee is keenly aware of existing and emerging operational and instructional challenges in our schools, as well as increasing competition with neighboring districts to attract and retain staff. The funds assessed by this initiative will allow the district to expand educational offerings for students, make long-deferred improvements to infrastructure, and
increase compensation for educators and paraprofessionals.

In supporting the above measures, the Medford School Committee recognizes the multifaceted
impact of these actions on Medford’s taxpayers and affirms Medford Public Schools’ commitment to:

Open and transparent budgeting, as dictated by law and our professional and personal responsibility to the citizens of Medford;
Continued collaboration with our state delegation as well as public and private partners to increase revenue to the district in support of diverse and impactful learning opportunities;
Data-driven and pedagogically sound decision-making centered on the educational needs of the students;
Access to high-quality professional development for educator and staff professional development; and
Providing financial assistance for economically disadvantaged members of our school community as we work toward fee-free enrichment and extracurricular activities while maintaining affordability of services and educational opportunities

(1) Elimination of MCAS as High School Graduation Requirement

Be it enacted by the People, and by their authority:
A law requiring that districts certify that students have mastered the skills, competencies and knowledge of the state standards as a replacement for the MCAS graduation requirement.

Section 1D of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking from the first sentence of sub-paragraph (i) the words, “, as measured by the assessment instruments described in section one I.” and replacing them with the following: “by satisfactorily completing coursework that has been certified by the student’s district as showing mastery of the skills, competencies, and knowledge contained in the state academic standards and curriculum frameworks in the areas measured by the MCAS high school tests described in section one I administered in 2023, and in any additional areas determined by the board.”

(2) Shall the City of Medford assess an additional $3,500,000 in real estate and personal property taxes for FY2025 general operations of the Medford Public Schools ($3,000,000), including but not limited to funding costs of teacher(s), literacy coach(s), behavior specialist(s), administrative assistant(s), and nurse(s) positions, and for regular facilities maintenance, and for FY 2025 general operations of the Department of Public Works ($500,000), including but not limited to additional staff for road and sidewalk infrastructure repair, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024?

(3) Shall the City of Medford assess an additional $4,000,000 in real estate and personal property taxes for FY 2025 general operations of the Medford Public Schools to create a high school schedule that increases access to arts and vocational programming, expands classroom instructional opportunities, and for classroom teacher and paraprofessional compensation for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024?

Date Submitted: 9/17/2024
Date Requested to be on the Agenda: 9/23/2024

2024-34: Offered by Member Russeau

First reading of Policy ADC - Tobacco Products on School Premises Prohibited

Tobacco Use on School Property by Staff Members Prohibited

Use of any tobacco products, including, but not limited to: cigarettes, cigars, little cigars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco and snuff and electronic cigarettes, electronic cigars, electronic pipes or other similar products that rely on vaporization or aerosolization, within the school buildings, school facilities, on school grounds or school buses, or at school-sponsored events by any individual,
including school personnel, is prohibited at all times.

Staff members who violate this policy will be referred to their immediate supervisor.

Policy Information
First Adopted: Unknown
Last Amended: TBD
Last Reviewed: TBD
Review Frequency: five (5) years
Next Review: TBD
Version: 2
Policy ID: GBED
Original Source: MASC - 2022
Legal References:

M.G.L. 71:37H

Cross References:

ADC, Tobacco Products on School Premises Prohibited
JICH, Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Use by Students Prohibited

Date Submitted: 9/18/2024
Date Requested to be on the Agenda: 9/23/2024

2024-35: Offered by Mayor Lungo-Koehn

Consolidation Language for Facilities Maintenance
The City Facilities Director would support School facility needs by being a resource to the Assistant Superintendent for Enrichment and Innovation and the Director of Buildings and Grounds. The support that the City Facilities Director would provide to the School Department will include:

Creation of policies and procedures to ensure preventive maintenance tasks are completed promptly.
Establishing regular maintenance contracts that comply with procurement law for school facilities beginning January 1 or sooner, depending on funding and need.
Review the RFP for the new cleaning contracts at the McGlynn & Andrews and serve on the review and selection committee.
Create a list of annual maintenance tasks to feed the deployment of operations HERO.
Assess skill gaps and professional development needs and provide training as identified.
Sit on the hiring committee for the planned MSBA Operations/facilities professional(s).
Other related items as identified by the team.

The Assistant Superintendent for Enrichment and Innovation will continue supervising the Director of Buildings and Grounds. The Director of Buildings and Grounds will continue to oversee all school building staff with the support of the Assistant Superintendent for Enrichment, Innovation, and Operations.

Date Submitted: 9/18/2024
Date Requested to be on the Agenda: 9/23/2024

IX. Reports Requested

X. Condolences

The Members of the Medford School Committee express their sincerest condolences to the family of Francis Alfe, husband of the late administrative assistant to Assistant Principal Stephen Mascoli, Rosemarie Alfe and uncle to former Public Information Officer Lisa Evangelista.

The Members of the Medford School Committee express their sincerest condolences to the family of Kevin A. Byrne, brother of John Byrne who is a member of the High School Buildings and Grounds Department.

XI. Next Meeting

October 7, 2024 - held at Alden Memorial Chambers in addition to Zoom.

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