December 5, 2024 Meeting
Weymouth School Committee
Weymouth School Committee Meeting
MJL Humanities Center
1 Wildcat Way, Weymouth
December 5, 2024|
7:00 p.m
Chair: Ms. Tracey Nardone Vice Chair: Dr. Rebecca Sherlock-Shangraw Secretary: Ms. Mary-Ellen Devine
Ms. Kathy Curran Ms. Danielle Graziano Mr. Dana Scott Mayor Robert Hedlund
Agenda
Pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023, this meeting will be conducted in person and, as a courtesy, via remote means in accordance with applicable law. Remote means will include the WETC8 live feed (https://weymouth.tv/video-on-demand/) and the Zoom link below. Please note that while an option for remote attendance is being provided as a courtesy, the meeting/hearing will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless required by law.
To join the meeting via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82359504123?pwd=ojp0Obc1Z8x1PNTb5ReP1whlFcqVnB.1
I. CALL TO ORDER 7:00 pm
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
III. CONSENT AGENDA
a. Confirmation of Warrants: 20-2025 Date: 11/12/24 Amount: $ 1,147,086.62
22-2025 Date: 11/25/24 Amount: $ 874,527.59
b. Approval of Minutes: Meeting of the Whole 11/7/24
Regular Minutes: 11/7/24
Meeting of the Whole 11/21/24
c. Overnight Field Trip: January 7-8, 2025 - WHS DECA to DECA Competition in Quincy, MA
IV. STUDENT SENATE REPORT
V. REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT
Interim Superintendent Melanie Curtin
a. Celebrations
i. Unified Jamboree @ Chapman
ii. Community Unity Event @ WHS
b. Staggered Start Times @ WPS Elementary Schools
c. Staffing Updates
VI. SCHOOL COMMITTEE SUB-COMMITTEE REPORT-OUT
a. Budget Sub-Committee - Ms. Danielle Graziano
b. Collective Bargaining Sub-Committee - Dr. Rebecca Sherlock-Shangraw
c. Policy Sub-Committee - Mr. Dana Scott
d. Wellness Committee - Dr. Rebecca Sherlock-Shangraw
e. Memorial Committee - Ms. Kathy Curran
f. Weymouth Scholarship Committee - Ms. Mary-Ellen Devine
g. Facilities Master Plan Committee - Ms. Kathy Curran
h. Townwide Parent Council - Ms. Mary-Ellen Devine
i. SEPAC - Ms. Danielle Graziano
j. Health and Safety JLMC - Mr. Dana Scott
VII. OLD BUSINESS
VIII. NEW BUSINESS
a. Fall Athletics Update - Mr. Robert O’Leary
b. Formation of Athletics Subcommittee (Action Requested)
c. Vote to Enter Negotiation for a 3-Year Superintendent's Contract with Melanie Curtin (Action Requested)
IX. PUBLIC COMMENT
Public Comment shall be in accordance with Policy BEDH
X. ANNOUNCEMENTS
XI. ADJOURNMENT
NEXT MEETING OF THE WEYMOUTH SCHOOL COMMITTEE:
Thursday, December 19, 2024 - 7:00 p.m. School Committee Meeting
Meeting Recording
Meeting Minutes
Weymouth School Committee
MaryJo Livingstone Humanities Center & Zoom
December 5, 2024
MEETING MINUTES
Members In Attendance: Tracey Nardone, Chair; Rebecca Sherlock-Shangraw, Vice Chair; Mary-Ellen Devine, Secretary; Kathy Curran; Danielle Graziano; Dana Scott
Members Absent: Mayor Hedlund
Also Present: Melanie Curtin, Interim Superintendent; Brian Smith, Assistant Superintendent
The meeting was called to order at 7:00pm
The Chair informed that the meeting is being recorded and available on WETC.
Mrs. Nardone led in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Consent Agenda:
The Consent agenda included:
- Payment of Bills:
- Confirmation of Warrant: 20-2025 Date: 11/12/24 Amount: $1,147,086.62
- Confirmation of Warrant: 22-2025 Date: 11/25/24 Amount: $874,527.59
- Approval of Minutes:
- Meeting of the Whole Minutes: 11/7/24
- Regular Meeting Minutes: 11/7/24
- Meeting of the Whole Minutes: 11/21/24
- Overnight Field Trip: January 7-8, 2025 - WHS DECA to DECA Competition in Quincy, MA
Motion by Dr. Sherlock-Shangraw to accept the consent agenda. Seconded by Mrs. Devine. Motion unanimously passed.
Student Senate Report:
Students Manton Du, Daniel Jacobson, Tina Pham, and Thomas Pham gave an overview (attached to these minutes) of happenings, clubs and activities at WHS. Topics included: ROAR golden paw award recipients, CTE Fall Advisory Committee meeting, Jazz & Marching Band and Color Guard, Active Minds, Art club, Asian Alliance, Best Buddies, Model UN, Queer Student Union, Robotics, Step Team, and class council news. The WHTC performance of Mamma Mia sold out Friday and Saturday night and the first issue of the Wildcat Word was released.
Report of the Superintendent:
Interim Superintendent Curtin gave an update:
a. Celebrations
i. Unified Jamboree at Chapman - A great event with students, families and staff. Thanks was expressed to Nikkie Loporto and Michaela Tobin for all their work in organizing and also to the volunteers
ii. Community Unity Event at WHS-held tonight showcasing amazing talents of WPS students
Thanks was expressed to the Mayor and Town Council for the measure passed on Monday night for the 6 modular classrooms, 2 each at Hamilton, Nash, and Wessagusset.
Congratulations was expressed to the fall athletes on their fantastic fall season as well as to the WHTC for amazing performances in Mamma Mia.
b. Staggered Start Times @ WPS Elementary Schools (attached to these minutes)
With traffic, providing private school transportation to more children, construction, the amount of time for buses to cross town and in an effort to be proactive, conversations to discuss a 15 minute delayed start time for Hamilton, Talbot, Nash, and Seach will begin. Surveys to these school families will go out in January.
c. Staffing Updates (attached to these minutes)
Also in an effort to be proactive and to truly identify needs of students, adding additional staff will help address gaps in special education in buildings. Higher needs buildings will have Assistant Principals whereas other schools with lesser need will have lead teachers. Adding district RBTs and a Special Education Coordinator would also be of service as needs are growing.
JLM and WEA conversations are already underway.
All questions by the committee were addressed.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE SUB-COMMITTEE REPORT
Members attend other meetings outside of school committee days. Updates of other committees:
a. Budget Sub-Committee - Danielle Graziano
Topics covered at the 12/4 meeting: grants/gifts, end of year reports, ongoing facilities projects,-Lovell Field bridge (Principal Ronan will send out messaging to families), ESSER III complete expenditure, calculated estimation for the Chesna donation, game worker rates, 5 year forecast, and FY26 budget planning and process.
b. Collective Bargaining Sub-Committee - Rebecca Sherlock-Shangraw
No updates at this time
c. Policy Sub-Committee - Dana Scott
The next meeting is January 14, 2025 at 6pm at Abigail Adams. Policies to discuss: public participation, AI, and sexual harassment
d. Wellness Committee - Rebecca Sherlock-Shangraw
No updates at this time
e. Memorial Committee - Kathy Curran
No updates at this time.
f. Weymouth Scholarship Committee - Mary-Ellen Devine
Next meeting is February 4, 2024. Deadline is March 15, 2025 and applications may be downloaded at:
g. Facilities Master Plan Committee - Kathy Curran
Town Council voted on funding measures on Monday for the 6 modular classrooms. RFPs are ready to go out.
h. Townwide Parent Council - Mary-Ellen Devine
Met 12/3 and learned about chapter 70 and net school spending. The next meeting will be 12/10 at 7pm in Humanities and Patrick O’Connor and his Chief of Staff Greg Denton will be attending.
i. SEPAC - Danielle Graziano
The next meeting will be 12/17, 7pm via Zoom, Adam Tiro will be presenting on the Bureau of Special Education of Appeals
j. Health & Safety - Dana Scott
Next meeting is 12/18/24 at 4pm at Abigail Adams
OLD BUSINESS
No items
NEW BUSINESS
a. Fall Athletics Update - Mr. Robert O’Leary & Principal Monahan
The following athletes were recognized for being named Baystate Conference All Stars:
Unified-Henry Dionne, Aisnley Webber (also spoke on her experience and how great the program is), Connor Sullivan, Jacob Lynch
Football-Naheem Ridore, Anthony Marques, Michael Farrow, Tom Kelly, Tyler Munchbach, Cam Aieta
Cheer-Kendall Crowley
Swim-Ryan Thin, Corey Mei, Hayden Mei, Elsa Mustin, Samantha Noble
Boys Soccer-Cameron Walty (MVP), Mason Fasoli, Gabriel Ray, Michael Primo, Nathan Pujois
Girls Soccer-Ella Scalisi, Molly Tufts, Katie Fuller
Dance-Bridget Ryan, Madison Grant
Girls Cross Country-Kate Carnes, Emma Daley, Isabella Galusha, Gracie Richard, Jessica Harding, Boys Cross Country-Patrick, Geagan, Seamus Eagan, Aidan McIntrye
Volleyball-Lillian Hayduk, Delainey Dunkerly
An overview (attached to these minutes) of the fall sports season was given. Topics included: Fall Accomplishments, Teams that made the postseason, Doug Flutie Bay State award winner Megan Doyle, 18 senior intent signings, participation, user fees (collected for fall as well as previous outstanding), Gate receipts including Chesna donation, Revolving and Operating expenses, Middle school athletics, and uniform replacement cycle.
Discussion of sports included in MIAA and potentially Step Team running a pilot program, Unified Sports, college recruitment, and collection of overdue user fees was had.
All questions by the committee were addressed.
b. Formation of Athletics Subcommittee (Action Requested)
Previously discussed (preview/format) at Meeting of the Whole. With a district this large and to increase communication, collaboration, clarity, and transparency in growing the athletic program to be as successful as can be, a school committee athletic sub committee is proposed. Meetings would be once every 2 months and include the AD, Middle and High School Principals, The Superintendent & Assistant Superintendent, 1 or 2 parent representatives (maybe from Boosters), also inviting parents and student athletes. The chair of the sub committee would facilitate (similar format to budget or policy sub) and set the agenda.
Mrs. Curran and Mrs. Devine expressed thanks and appreciation for the many teacher, parent and student emails of support.
Motion by Dr. Sherlock-Shangraw to establish a school committee athletic sub committee; meeting once every 2 months. Seconded by Mrs. Devine. Motion carried unanimously.
c. Vote to Enter Negotiation for a 3-Year Superintendent's Contract with Melanie Curtin (Action Requested)
Options of a Superintendent search versus naming Ms. Curtin as permanent Superintendent was discussed at a previous Meeting of the Whole. Ms. Curtin has been serving as interim since May. The committee expressed confidence in her performance over the past months. A formal Superintendent search would be costly and time consuming.
The Chair opened public comment on the Superintendent contract.
-Kim Ferreira, Charles Diersch
Expressed support for Ms. Curtin to become the permanent Superintendent. She commented on her positive work throughout her years of service to Weymouth Public Schools, emphasizing her integrity, acknowledgement, communication, and commitment.
Motion by Dr. Sherlock-Shangraw and seconded by Mrs. Devine to enter into negotiations for a 3 year contract with Melanie Curtin. Motion passed unanimously.
It was confirmed that negotiations will be over a period of a couple of executive sessions.
Public Comment
In accordance with Policy BEDH and kept to 3 minutes; this period is an opportunity for community members to comment on items on the agenda, not a conversation or back and forth with the members.
There was none.
Announcements:
WHS Craft Fair-Saturday, December 7, 2024-9am-3pm
SEPAC-December 17, 2024, Zoom-South Shore Special Education Services presenting
Next School Committee Meeting:
Regular Meeting: Thursday, December 19, 2024 - 7:00pm
The Meeting adjourned at 8:30pm on the motion by Dr. Sherlock-Shangraw and seconded by Mrs. Devine. Motion passed unanimously.