February 6, 2025 Meeting

Weymouth School Committee

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

WEYMOUTH SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING

MJL Humanities Center  | Weymouth High School  |  1 Wildcat Way, Weymouth

February 6, 2025  |  7:00 p.m

Revised 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 by computer or internet-enabled phone: 
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82359504123?pwd=ojp0Obc1Z8x1PNTb5ReP1whlFcqVnB.1

I. CALL TO ORDER, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, MOMENT OF SILENCE           7:00 pm

II. CONSENT AGENDA 

a. Confirmation of Warrant:    32-2025 Date: 2/3/25 Amount: $1,361,916.51

b. Approval of Minutes:          Policy Subcommittee: 1/14/25
                                           Budget Subcommittee: 1/15/25, 1/22/25
                                           Regular Meeting: 1/23/25
                                           Athletics Subcommittee: 1/27/25

c. Overnight Field Trip:          March 14-15, 2025, WHS Dance Team to New England Dance Competition, Trumbull, CT

III. REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT - Superintendent Melanie Curtin

a. Kindergarten Registration

IV. SCHOOL COMMITTEE SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT-OUT

a. Budget Subcommittee - Ms. Danielle Graziano

b. Collective Bargaining Subcommittee  - Dr. Rebecca Sherlock-Shangraw 

c. Policy Subcommittee - 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. SEPAC - Ms. Danielle Graziano 

i. Health and Safety JLMC - Mr. Dana Scott

j. Athletics Subcommittee - Ms. Mary-Ellen Devine & Dr. Rebecca Sherlock-Shangraw

V. OLD BUSINESS

a. Graduation Requirements for 2025 (Action Requested)

b. Policy Manual Revisions Second Reading: Contact Information and Address Updates (Sections AC-R, ACAB-R, JBA, JBAA, KF-R, ACE-R)

c. WHS Program of Studies Second Reading - Ms. Karen Monahan & Ms. Malissa Northup

VI. NEW BUSINESS

a. Complaint regarding 1/14/25 Policy Subcommittee Meeting Agenda

b. Review Draft 2025-26 School Year Calendar - Superintendent Melanie Curtin

VII. PUBLIC COMMENT                                                                   
      Public Comment shall be in accordance with Policy BEDH

VIII. ANNOUNCEMENTS

a. Policy Subcommittee Meeting: February 11, 2025, at 6 p.m., Adams Library

b. Budget Subcommittee Meeting: February 26, 2025, at 6 p.m., Adams Library

IX. ADJOURNMENT 

NEXT MEETING OF THE WEYMOUTH SCHOOL COMMITTEE: 
Thursday, February 27, 2025 - 7:00 p.m. School Committee Meeting

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Meeting Minutes

Weymouth School Committee Meeting
Mary Jo Livingstone Humanities Center & Zoom  |  1 Wildcat Way, Weymouth
February 6, 2025  |  7:00 p.m

Members In Attendance:  Rebecca Sherlock-Shangraw, Vice Chair; Mary-Ellen Devine, Secretary; Kathy Curran;  Danielle Graziano; Dana Scott 

Members Absent:  Tracey Nardone, Chair; Mayor Hedlund

Also Present: Melanie Curtin, Superintendent; Brian Smith, Assistant Superintendent

The meeting was called to order at 7:01pm

The Vice Chair informed that the meeting is being recorded and available on WETC.

Dr. Sherlock-Shangraw led in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Moments of silence were observed for the passing of:
WPS ESP of 32 years Ellen Butler
Former WHS Math teacher of 39 years Paul Duseau
Former WPS custodian Fred Happel of 14 years; father of Councilman Happel
Former WPS nurse of 24 years Mary Dalton

WEA President Murphy spoke of the commitment, kindness and years of service of Ms. Butler.

Consent Agenda:

The Consent agenda included:

• Payment of Bills: 
  • Confirmation of Warrant: 32-2025 Date: 2/3/25 Amount: $1,361,916.51
• Approval of Minutes:    
  • Policy Subcommittee: 1/14/25
  • Budget Subcommittee: 1/15/25, 1/22/25
  • Regular Meeting: 1/23/25 
  • Athletics Subcommittee: 1/27/25
• Overnight Field Trip: March 14-15, 2025, WHS Dance Team to New England Dance Competition, Trumbull, CT  

Motion by Ms. Devine to accept the consent agenda. Seconded by Mr. Scott. Motion unanimously passed.

Report of the Superintendent:

Superintendent Curtin shared celebration kudos for:

WHS Girls 4x800 relay team Gracie Richard, Emma Daley, Jess Hardy, and Izzy Galusha for setting school and meet records at the MSTCA coaches invitational. The Girls also had the 7th fastest time in the country.

Following auditions, these students were accepted to SEMSA: Lincoln Clark, Theresa Connor, Oscar Cortner, Evan Menko, Maeve Monahan, Annabeth Navaro, Lee Yang, Serena Yang, Zach Cursin, Angelina Kelly, Bella O’Hara, Julianne Otera, and Melissa Rubiero.

Thanks and appreciation were expressed to Principal Dolan and her staff for the positive changes happening at Chapman; change in culture, increased pride and kindness.

Kindergarten Registration is open and applications submitted prior to April 1 will be given priority placement in their school zone. 

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 2/5/25 meeting included: Special education grant for IEP technology, Ms. Harris will present semi annual gift report on 2/26, Ms. Curtin and Mr. Smith will tour St. Jerome School with the Mayor for the new Don Bosco Tech site, The Governor's executive letter, budget proposals from Ed Tech, Maintenance, District, Primary Schools, and WECC. The next meeting will be 2/26/25.

b. Collective Bargaining Sub-Committee - Rebecca Sherlock-Shangraw

No updates at this time

c. Policy Sub-Committee - Dana Scott

The next meeting is 2/11/25 at 6pm, Policy BEDH will be discussed.

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

Applications are available on line. Deadline March 15, 2025.

https://www.weymouth.ma.us/sites/g/files/vyhlif8386/f/uploads/scholarship_application-2025-online_form.pdf. All residents not just students may apply

g. Facilities Master Plan Committee - Kathy Curran

No updates at this time. Town is finalizing contracts for the modular classrooms. 

h. SEPAC - Danielle Graziano 

Last Unified Arts at Seach will be 2/13/25. TA Fitness will host a social group on 2/17 from 10-11:30, tickets are $10. The next coffee hour is tentatively scheduled for 3/26 at the WHS Wildcat Cafe. The next meeting will be 3/18/25 with an interactive presentation on the disability rights movement.

i. Health &  Safety - Dana Scott

Next meeting is 2/26/25 at Adams.

j. Athletics Sub-Committee

First meeting was held 1/27/25. Topics covered: overview of the purpose of the committee, middle and high school winter season schedule, revenue, spring season, unified sports, FY26 proposed athletics budget. The next meeting is in March, date TBD, Boosters will be on the agenda. 

OLD BUSINESS

a. Graduation Requirements for 2025 (Action Requested)

For students who did not pass MCAS for them to achieve competency determination they must complete all core and non core subject area requirement and:

1. Pass MCAS ELA or successfully complete ELA I and ELA II course work (9th & 10th)
2. Pass MCAS Math or successfully complete Algebra and Geometry
3. Pass MCAS STE or successfully complete biology or concepts of biology

Motion by Ms. Graziano and seconded by Ms.Devine to approve the 2025 graduation requirements. Motion passed unanimously.

b. Policy Manual Revisions Second Reading: Contact Information and Address Updates (Sections AC-R, ACAB-R, JBA, JBAA, KF-R, ACE-R)

Mr. Scott reviewed the summary of changes (updates of positions and addresses) to the above policies.

It was clarified that titles of the policies come from MSAC.

Public Comment:

There was none

Motion by Mr. Scott to combine the second and third reading of the policies covered this evening. Seconded by Mrs. Devine. Motion passed unanimously.

Motion by Mrs. Devine to approve the policy manual revisions of contact information and address updates to the policies presented tonight. Seconded by Ms. Graziano. Motion passed unanimously. 

c. WHS Program of Studies Second Reading - Ms. Karen Monahan & Ms. Malissa Northup

Principal Monahan reviewed the revisions/updates suggested from the last meeting.

The committee expressed thanks for listening and taking action on their feedback.

Public Comment:

There was none

Motion by Ms. Graziano to combine the second and third reading of the WHS program of studies. Seconded by Mrs. Devine. Motion passed unanimously.

Motion by Ms. Graziano and seconded by Mrs. Devine to approve the WHS program of studies. Motion passed unanimously.

NEW BUSINESS

a. Complaint regarding 1/14/25 Policy Subcommittee Meeting Agenda 

Dr. Sherlock-Shangraw read a statement into the record:

It has come to the Committee's attention that an error was made when posting the 1/14/25 Policy Subcommittee agenda. 

A draft agenda, which did not list the specific policies that the subcommittee intended to discuss, was accidentally posted in place of the final version of the agenda. 

Moving forward, our administrative assistant will create a Google Doc meeting agenda for each subcommittee meeting. Our administrative assistant will share access to meeting agendas with respective subcommittee chairs. 

Agendas will only be drafted using these shared documents. 

It is our hope that this process will resolve any future instances of this type of error, as we will no longer have to manage multiple versions of the same agenda. 

Further, all Weymouth School Committee members are reminded that concerns regarding meeting agendas and Open Meeting Law should be addressed prior to holding - or engaging in - an open meeting. 

Adhering to Open Meeting Law is a responsibility we all share.

b. Review Draft 2025-26 School year Calendar-Superintendent Curtin

First day for staff will be 9/2 with PD on 9/2, 9/3. First day for students in grades 1-6 & 9 will be ½ day on 9/4. First day for grades 7-8 and 10-12 will be ½ day on 9/5. Pre K and Kindergarten will begin 9/8. The last day of school with 5 snow days is 6/26. There potentially could be a local primary on 9/16-if so, there will be no school and the day will be added as a ‘snow day’.

Excitement was expressed for new format. The calendar will be on the next agenda for vote. 

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.

-Ashley Dickerman, 846 Pleasant St.

Inquired if Kindergarten students could begin school before other grades.

Announcements:

Policy Sub Committee Meeting-February 11, 2025, 6pm, Adams Library

Town Wide Parent Council-February 11, 2025-7pm

Budget Sub Committee Meetings-February 26, 2025, Adams Library; Budget Hearing-3/13/25-Humanities Center

SEPAC-2/17 at TA Fitness, 70 Finnell Dr, 10-11:30am

Scholarship applications due 3/15/25

Next School Committee Meeting:

Regular Meeting: Thursday, February 27, 2025 - 7:00pm

The Meeting adjourned at 7:42pm on the motion by Ms. Graziano and seconded by Mrs. Devine.  Motion passed unanimously.

 

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Meeting Materials

• Print-Friendly Agenda
• Field Trip Request: WHS Dance Team to Trumbull, CT
• Kindergarten Registration 2025
• Proposed Amendment for 2025 Graduation Requirements
• Proposed Housekeeping Updates to Weymouth Policy Manual
• Summary of Changes: WHS Program of Studies
• WHS Program of Studies 25/26 - Current Draft
• WPS DRAFT Academic Calendar for 2025-26