Minutes - January 17, 2023

 

Brockton, Massachusetts          Brockton School Committee Meeting         January 17, 2023

 

A meeting of the Brockton School Committee was held this evening in the George M. Romm Little Theatre of Brockton High School at seven o'clock. These minutes contain a summary of the meeting and lists items that were under discussion.

Present

Ms. Asack, Ms. Ehlers, Mr. Homer, Ms. Rivas Mendes, Mr. Rodrigues, Ms. Sullivan, Mr. Sullivan, Superintendent Thomas

Absent

Chair, Robert F. Sullivan, Mayor

Also Present

R. Heywood, S. Présumé Calixte, S. Wolder, K. Silva, P. Mello

 

Vice-chair Kathleen Ann Ehlers called the meeting to order at 7:00P, followed by a salute to the flag.

Ms. Ehlers reported that she would be conducting tonight’s meeting in the absence of Mayor Sullivan, who was in Washington, DC representing Brockton at the United States Conference of Mayors 91st Winter Meeting.

The Vice-chair then took a roll-call vote to establish a quorum.

Ms. Sullivan (Here)                     Mr. Rodrigues (Here)                  Ms. Asack (Here)

Mr. Homer (Here)                        Mr. T. Sullivan (Here)                Mr. R. Sullivan (Absent)

Ms. Ehlers (Here)                         Ms. Rivas Mendes (Here)

Hearing of Visitors

Speaker(s): Gregory Fernandes, Larry Howell, Laurel Gibau-Bala, Nathania Yassen-Royce Topic: Rose Conservatory

 

Ms. Ehlers thanked the speakers for bringing their thoughts and stories to the meeting.

Consent Agenda

Ms. Ehlers explained the purpose of the Consent Agenda, read the items aloud and asked members for any requests to remove items for further discussion. No items were removed for discussion.

Ms. Sullivan made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda, seconded by Mr. Homer.

Voted: to approve the motion, unanimously.

Superintendent’s Report

Teaching & Learning

Superintendent Thomas welcomed back student representative Abigail Bertocchi, who had been absent from meetings due to a concussion.

Student Rep Report

Abby, using PowerPoint, reported on High School activities including the Adams Scholarship, an extracurricular Club Fair, the results of the DECA district level competition where eight seniors placed to compete at the state level, a visit from Stonehill Assistant Dean Kate Brennan, informing seniors of 30 potential scholarships and mentoring opportunities with past BHS students, the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship presentation/recipient, FebFest auditions, two freshman qualifiers (400m) in the New Balance Nationals and two Posse Scholars.

Parent Engagement and Equitable Design

Renée Heywood, Assistant Superintendent of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion introduced Dr. Soraya Présumé Calixte, Parent Engagement Specialist who gave a PowerPoint presentation

 

on Family Engagement and shared literature from the Parents’ Academy. Following her presentation School Committee members asked the following:

Ms. Rivas Mendes asked how communication with families with respect to our 90% Proficiency goal has progressed post-pandemic and who in the district she works with?

Dr. Présumé Calixte explained that it was important that families understand the meaning of proficiency in order to achieve the 90% goal. She works with the Bilingual Department, Teaching & Learning, Principals and the school-based Parent Liaisons.

She uses, in addition to the literature shared, “What’s Up, voicemail, the BPS Website, and personal appearances in shops and restaurants for touching base with families.

Mr. Holmes offered to share the message from Parent Engagement within his PAC and Ward Meetings.

Deputy Superintendent of Learning & Teaching Sharon Wolder, spoke on the formation of the Proficiency Commitment Leadership Team(s) at every school. TAG funding is being used district-wide to support this endeavor. These teams will focus, strategically, on meeting the proficiency goals backed by input from community engagement and data collected.

Quarterly meetings are held with the community and the Superintendent’s Cabinet. The upcoming meeting (1/19/23) will define “what it means to be partners in educating their children, what we are doing with our commitment to proficiency and how do we make sure our connection to them is proficient.”

Superintendent Thomas took a moment here to recognize community partners in attendance: Dr. Aminah Pilgrim, Mr. Lenny Monteiro (SABURA Youth Program), and Ivelisse Caraballo (CPlan), all of whom he has worked with, before, during and since COVID. He spoke of how he appreciates these partners and the way these groups push us to get better.

Multilingual Parent Communication and Engagement

Ms. Heywood introduced Ms. Kellie Jones, Director of Bilingual Education, who presented using PowerPoint.

Ms. Jones reported that 44.7% of Brockton’s students identify as “English not their first language.” Home languages primarily consist of Cape Verdean/Creole, Spanish, Haitian, Portuguese, and Vietnamese.

Ms. Jones spoke on three avenues for connection with families: Multilingual Parent Communications Center (MPCC), Equitable Design Projects, funded through a Novo Foundation grant and the Bilingual PAC.

Some questions, following the presentation included:

Ms. Sullivan, “Will parents know about the Bilingual Parent Advisory Council?” Yes. Flyers in all languages go to schools and are posted on our website

Ms. Asack, asked about the Multilingual Parent Communications Center.

The MPCC staff communicates orally with parents and families.

The Bilingual Department will translate, given appropriate time, and text messages in languages.

Ms. Jones closed with the fact that Brockton Public Schools was the first system in Massachusetts, SY 1972-73, to offer bilingual education, making this 50 years providing bilingual education.

First Read of the BPS 2023-2024 District Calendar

Superintendent Thomas asked that the District Calendar be on a subsequent meeting, in order to correct some dates.

 

 

 

Ms. Rivas Mendes made a motion to postpone the reading of the 2023-2024 District Calendar to our next official school committee meeting, seconded by Ms. Sullivan.

Voted: to approve the motion, unanimously

Items to Refer to Subcommittee

The Superintendent requested that subcommittee chairs work with Ms. Campbell to arrange the following meetings:

Facilities Usage & Planning Subcommittee (6p): MSBA HS Project, Bus Depot, Turf Field Plans, Keith Field Update from the Mayor’s Office, Lease Bid for Vocational School

Security/Safety/Transportation: Sgt. Livingston, Lt. Maker on new officers and ALICE training. Also, Dr. Murray on the Transportation Department.

Unfinished Business

Appointment of Subcommittee Assignments

Ms. Ehlers read out the list of 2023 Calendar Year Subcommittee/Assignments, explaining that the subcommittees were populated by taking the configuration of last year’s

assignments and committee member’s requests.

 

Mr. Rodrigues made a motion; that we approve this subcommittee that’s listed before us, what’s subject to adding a fourth member to the committees that have three, and to postpone the Bid Review Subcommittee to revamp that with other, new members, seconded by Ms. Rivas-Mendes.

 

Discussion on the motion ensued.

 

Ms. Asack posed a question to Attorney Peter Mello about the correctness of not having four member subcommittees and on assigning members to the Negotiations/Other Bargaining Units that do not have agreements in need of negotiations in the upcoming school year.

 

Attorney Mello responded that configuration of the subcommittees is at the discretion and recommendation of the Mayor. The School Committee can accept or reject the recommendation, which sends the document back to the Mayor with School Committee input. He also responded that the number of sitting members on a subcommittee is changeable.

 

Mr. Rodrigues amended the motion on the table as follows: that we approve this subcommittee that’s listed before us, what’s subject to adding a fourth member to the committees that have three, and to postpone the Bid Review Subcommittee, to revamp that with other, new members, and the negotiation for the barging units, members be added to the School Police, Custodians, MTAs/Paraprofessionals, and the IBAA & TEA, seconded by Ms. Rivas Mendes.

Voted: to approve the motion, 5-2

 

Approval of Rules and Orders of the School Committee

 

Ms. Ehlers pointed out, in going over the Rules and Orders of the School Committee, some of the policies in the document had been updated and were indicated in red.

 

Ms. Sullivan made a motion to approve the Rules and Orders of the School Committee, seconded by Mr. Sullivan.

 

Voted: to approve the motion, by majority

New Business

None

 

 

Closing Statements &

Adjournment

Ms. Asack spoke on the 227 Abigail Adams Scholarship recipients honored in assembly. These students came in as freshman during the pandemic/COVID, making this success even more special. She also wanted to remind the committee of the Brockton Area Brand of the NAACP annual MLK Breakfast on Saturday, January 21 at Lombardo’s.

 

Superintendent Thomas thanked Principal Burns and her staff for organizing the Adams Scholarship event and congratulate Mr. Rodrigues on his daughter being one of the recipients.

He also thanked Coach Manny DeBarros and his BHS Boys Basketball team for making them most welcome at the 6p game.

 

Ms. Rivas Mendes made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Mr. Sullivan.

Voted: to approve the motion, by majority

Meeting adjourned at 9:21p.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Michael P. Thomas Secretary

 

mdc

 

Enclosure(s): Student Rep (PPT), Family Engagement (PPT), Parent’s Academy Literature (TriFolds/Calendars), Multilingual Parent Communication and Engagement (PPT)
Published