June 17, 2021 Meetings

Weymouth School Committee

June 17, 2021
MEETING MINUTES
(Approved 8/19/21)

Members In Attendance: Lisa Belmarsh, Chair; Tracey Nardone, Vice Chair; John Sullivan, Secretary; Kathy Curran; Rebecca Sherlock-Shangraw; Carrie Palazzo

Members Absent: Mayor Hedlund

Also Present: Kathleen Smith, Superintendent; Brian Smith, Assistant Superintendent; Robert Wargo, Assistant Superintendent

The Meeting Came to Order At 7:03pm.

Chair Belmarsh led in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Consent Agenda:
The Consent agenda included:

• Warrant 50-2021 in the amount of $883,219.59. Dated June 14, 2021. ● Regular Minutes: 5/27/21

Motion by Mrs. Nardone to accept the consent agenda. Seconded by Dr. Sullivan. Motion passed unanimously.

Student Advisory
Josephine and Hannah Burke, and 8th grader Maya presented an update. They spoke briefly on end of year activities and lunches outside. The committee thanked the students for attending.

Public Comment
The Chair reminded that public comment be in accordance with Policy BED, items on the agenda and kept to 3 minutes; Dr. Sullivan advised that there is an 8 second delay and gave instructions if members wish to speak-name and address should be added in the chat.

-MTA Education Support Professionals (ESP) Bill of Rights - Joan Cederholm, WEA
Ms. Cederholm highlighted some rights that were created in response to a survey and compiled by Rutgers University. Over 2000 responses were received from ESPs. Ms. Cederholm drew attention to earning a living wage, health and safety of ESPs, medical leave benefits, job security, and being recognized as educators. Ms. Cederholm urges the School Committee to endorse the ESP Bill of Rights (a copy is attached to these minutes).

Report of the Superintendent:
Superintendent Smith shared her appreciation for working with Ms. Cederholm at the joint labor management meeting and expressed thanks to counselors and teachers for their hard work during mental health awareness month (May)

Social Emotional Learning Update-Dennis Jones, Assistant Director of Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Dennis Jones, Brynn Cooper, and Remy Sullivan gave an overview of the presentation. Topics included walking school bus at Academy Avenue, family and community brochures for tips of talking about mental health, mental health awareness week, goals and supportive services for mental health.

Work with the human rights coalition and student voice was discussed as well as mental health strategies.

An Instagram page has been created; whs_wildcats_wellness.

Weymouth Market will be in person and thanks was expressed to Mike Manning and his team. After School events will continue, RULER curriculum and SEL activities also continue in classrooms. Partnering with local organizations is ongoing.

Questions can be directed to WPS-SELTeam@weymouthps.org.

The committee stressed the importance of mental health and social emotional programming and thanked the SEL team for the great presentation and for being present. Volunteers for Weymouth Market can reach out dennis.jones@weymouthschools.org.

Metrics Advisory Group Recognition, Assistant Superintendent Smith
Assistant Superintendent Smith and the School Committee expressed their thanks for the efforts of the Advisory Group. Thanks was conveyed for the metric Dr. Sherlock-Shangraw created to help outline the group's determinations.The group met every Thursday. Certificates will be awarded to: Chair Belmarsh, Former Superintendent Curtis-Whipple, Superintendent Smith, Town Councilor Becky Hough, John MacLeod, Ted Langill, Elaine Lane, Gena O’Hare, Dan McCormack, Matt Brennan, Robin Magner, Julie Long, Mel Curtin, Brian Smith, Dennis Jones, Cindy Morrison, and Rebecca Sherlock-Shangraw.

Chair Belmarsh read a recognition thank you letter into the record from Dr. Curtis-Whipple,

A special thank you was conveyed to Elaine Lane for all of her hard work and professionalism during the pandemic. Ms. Lane expressed her appreciation for her team, nursing staff, and building support.

Superintendent Update
Superintendent Smith’s presentation (attached to these minutes) included an update on the third school committee retreat which met over the weekend, as well as senior gala and graduation, and end of your activities at Murphy, Academy, Wessagussett, Pingree, Hamilton, Adams. The Superintendent expressed her thanks to the WHS team and Principal Struass, Monahan, and Paulhus for their work and recognized donations from parent councils, local businesses and anonymous donors for enabling the gala to be free for students.

Assistant Superintendent Wargo added that the retreat was collaborative and productive and looks forward to working together in the future.

A retirement breakfast was held June 3, 2021 to honor 36 retirees.

Summer programming was reviewed and the next vaccine clinic is June 28, 2021 at WHS. Appreciation was expressed to Elaine Lane and the nursing team.

The last day of school is Friday, June 18, 2021, a half day.

NEW BUSINESS

a. Special Education Parent Advisory Committee Yearly Summary Report-Danielle Graziano & Kim Ferreira

Ms. Ferreira and Ms. Graziano gave an overview of the presentation (attached to these minutes). Topics included board members, SEPAC mission statement, 2020-2021 school year presentations, working with WISE (Weymouth for Inclusion, Solidarity and Equity), Tiered Focus Monitoring Review, and the Vision Community Conference.

The Friends of SEPAC group has been granted 501c3 status. The first fundraiser (clothing drive) will be at the end of June. Goals for the upcoming year were reviewed. Feedback received by SEPAC was highlighted. Special thanks and congratulations was expressed to Patti Hayes for her commitment and work with special education families and her retirement.

Thanks was also expressed to Weymouth Street Hockey for instituting the Champions Division,, Transportation Department, Robin Howard and her team, as well as Assistant Superintendent Smith.

A thank you video for special education staff was shared.

To reach out to SEAPC: SEPAC.WPS@gmail.com

The committee shared their appreciation for the SEPAC organization.

b. Report of the Budget Subcommittee (action requested)

Assistant Superintendent Smith advised that Monday is the official passing of the school budget through the Town Council. At the budget subcommittee meeting the Before and After school programming RFP (request for proposal) was discussed and timeline reviewed. Proposal is for outside vendors to provide before and after school care in WPS buildings. There was an update on the bus contract as well as Esser funding.

Motion by Mrs. Nardone to accept the report of the budget subcommittee. Seconded by Dr. Sullivan. Motion passed unanimously.

c. Approval of Incoming Superintendent Robert Wargo to participate on the Board of South Shore Educational Collaborative effective July 1, 2021(action requested)

Incoming Superintendent Wargo will be replacing Dr. Curtis-Whipple on the board of SSEC.

Motion by Mrs. Nardone to approve Superintendent Wagro’s participation on the board of South Shore Educational Collaborative. Seconded by Dr. Sullivan. Motion passed unanimously.

d. Job Description: Executive Director of Elementary, Assistant Superintendent Rob Wargo (action requested)

Assistant Superintendent Wargo explained that with Melanie Curtin accepting the position of Assistant Superintendent that it is a great opportunity to review and redesign the position of Assistant Director for Curriculum and Instruction she is vacating. He further emphasized the need for support in PK-5 and outlined the importance of an Executive Director of Elementary Education.

Salary, required qualifications, and whether the position would evaluate teachers was discussed. All questions asked by the committee were addressed.

Motion by Mrs. Nardone to accept the job description of the Executive Director of Elementary Education. Seconded by Dr. Sullivan. Motion passed unanimously.

e. Nomination of Dr. Rebecca Sherlock-Shangraw to the MASC All State School Committee (action requested)

Ms. Palazzo and Chair Belmarsh crafted a nomination letter for Dr. Sherlock-Shangaw to the MASC All State School Committee that they would like to submit. The nomination is due by July 1. Chair Belmarsh read their nomination letter into the record.

Motion by Mrs. Nardone to nominate Dr. Sherlock-Shangaw to MASC All State School Committee. Seconded by Dr. Sullivan. Motion passed. Dr. Sherlock-Shangraw recused herself.

The committee expressed their thanks and appreciation to Dr. Sherlock-Shangraw for her creation of the metric used during the pandemic as well as her work as Chair of the negotiating sub committee.

Dr. Sherlock-Shangraw expressed her gratitude and thanks to the committee.

OLD BUSINESS

a. Review Unit D Job Descriptions for ESPs-Maryann Foley (action requested)

Assistant Superintendent Smith reviewed briefly the job descriptions for ESPs as a result of article 10 of the contract for new and revised job descriptions.

Descriptions are for Education, CNA, Clerical, Program, 1-1, ABA Security, and Library ESP’s

Thanks was expressed to HR Director Foley, Allyson Bell, and Katie Monteiro for their collaboration in revising the job descriptions.

Boundaries, and talk of the library ESP’s evaluators was had. As well as the general summary of the ABA job description

Allyson Bell clarified the ABA description.

Motion by Mrs. Nardone to approve as corrected the Unit D job descriptions. Seconded by Dr. Sullivan. Motion passed unanimously

b. Amended Measure 20 072 Adams Middle School Renovation as part of the new Chapman Middle School Project Filed with Town Council April 5, 2021 Update

There are no updates at this time.

c. Joint Committee on Community Host Agreement between Weymouth and Algonquin Gas Transmission regarding North Weymouth Compressor Station

There are no updates at this time.

Superintendent Smith read her farewell remarks into the record and expressed her heartfelt thanks. The committee presented Superintendent Smith with flowers. Assistant Superintendent Wargo also conveyed his appreciation and thanks to Superintendent Smith.

Chair Belmarsh thanked the GSA and HRC for meeting prior to the meeting to record a video in support of pride month and brought attention to Juneteenth(June 19)
Thanks for technical assistance for the meeting was expressed to Dr. Sullivan, Brett Lindholm, and everyone at WETC so that the meeting could be as accessible as possible.

Thanks was expressed to Diersch Flowers for the arrangements.

Announcements:
Weymouth Market-July 7, 2021-3:30pm-WHS, Gold Cafeteria-Market will return to pre-Covid model of in person pick up

Next School Committee Meeting:
Regular Meeting: Thursday, July 15, 2021 - 7:00pm

The Meeting adjourned at 9:37pm on the motion of Mrs. Nardone, seconded by Dr. Sullivan. Passed unanimously.

Documents Attached to These Minutes:

• Student Advisory Update
• Social Emotional Learning Update
• Letter of thanks from Dr. Curtis-Whipple
• Superintendents Presentation
• SEPAC presentation
• MASC All State School Committee Nomination letter
• Unit D job descriptions
• Superintendent Smith final remarks.

Respectfully Submitted,

John Sullivan
Secretary

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