001Good evening. The Lawrence Alliance for Education board meeting for September 10th, 2025 will now come to order. The time is 6:06. >> Maria, would you please take attendance? >> Dr. Lores Galaf, >> present. >> Deleon, Arlene Garcia, >> present. Hana Matias, Maria Müller, >> present. >> Mayor Brian Deñena, Chair Patricia Mariano, >> present. All set. Um, would we please rise for the pledge? >> I pledge allegiance to the flag United States of America. >> One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Before we're seated, uh, I ask that we bow our heads and remember those impacted and their families during the tragedy of 911. former and and um we have someone close to home that we're going to um say a prayer for. I would like to take a moment to
002acknowledge the loss of our community that our community suffered yet excuse me yesterday when recently retired Lawrence High School wrestling coach Robert Nisa passed away. Coach Nisuro led our wrestling program for 20 years before retiring after the 2023 season. He was highly successful, becoming one of only three LHS athletic coaches in school history to win a state championship in 2011. But far more importantly, he was loved and respected by his athletes, colleagues, and family. His loss is always is also being felt by our friends and neighbors at the Greater Lawrence Technical School where he was a longtime teacher. Let's please pause for a moment of silence in recognition of coach Nissa's contribution to our city and community. Thank you. We'll now have public participation. The board welcomes public comment. We will call on people in
003the order they signed up. As you begin, please state your name and address for the record. Each person is permitted to speak for no more than two minutes. A bell will ring when you have 30 seconds remaining. Again, at the end of the two minutes, I ask that you please adhere to those limits. Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. If exhibited, we will turn off the microphones and the person will be asked to leave the meeting. I'd like to remind everyone that during public participation, the board is in listening mode and as such, the board members do not respond to comments. Written public comments may be emailed to lurence.k12. ma us no later than 2:00 the afternoon of our meeting and we have Mr. Molly declared the first day of the school the day of
004the teacher and public school appreciation day. We are proud public school with the impeccable leadership by honorable superintendent Raph Guerrero. Moving forward, we must know that the best teachers in the nation are teaching in Lawrence public school. The teachers, the true nation builder, the hope of this best future for our children of the Lawrence future of this great nation all depend on how well we support our teachers union. Lawrence, one city on God. We all we we all the citizen is united to support the teachers and the union. The teachers who inspire the whole world. The teachers who educate children of Lawrence. We the Lorentian champion of the support of teachers union in the nation. Lawrence teachers you are number one. Because of your hard work, because of your dedication, the children of Lawrence have
005a bright future. Lawrence always strong. Lawrence always unite in this important academic year. We pledge to support Lawrence teachers union. As a great Nelson Mandela said, "Education indeed the most powerful weapon to change the world. We the Lentian the changes is only possible if we support our teachers union. We support our teachers. Lawrence teachers, thank you for excellent job we have. Because of you, because of your best academic year and triumphant academic success, Lawrence teachers, because of you, Lawrence will rise again. >> Thank you, Mr. Molly. That concludes um public participation for this evening and we'll continue with my reports. As the new school opens, we need to continue our work within the current subcommittees. I am asking that the existing subcommittees remain intact. The only difference is that Maria will send out a poll
006to see if your availability has changed in any way and we will try to accommodate you as best we can. As a reminder, these are the people that are on our subcommittees. We have the policy subcommittee, um, superintendent, um, Carrerero, Edgar Dleon, Maria Mohler, myself, Christopher Mock, and Alicia Melon, the MASC field director coordinator. The budget subcommittee includes Mayor Brian Depia, Superintendent Carrero, Jason Cabrera, Alen Garcia, and Wana Mateas. Curriculum and Instruction Subcommittee includes Superintendent Carrera, Jen Perry, Assistant Superintendent, myself, and Warner Mateas. So, bear in mind that Maria will be sending out a poll to find out what the best days are for you to meet as a group. And I thank you for that. We have three items this evening to vote on. The first one being a transfer of land at 47
007Hamlet Street. Could I have a motion to open this up for discussion? Do I have a motion? Can you repeat? Who was that? Sorry. Who was it? Suzanne. >> All right. Maria Mohler. Could I have a second? >> Second. >> Alen. Thank you. Um, Maria, please call the role. >> Lores. >> Yes. To discuss the motion. >> Yes. Arin Garcia, >> yes. Maria Müller, >> yes. >> Chair Patricia Mariano, >> yes. And this evening we have Dan McCarthy from the planning board to explain the transfer. >> Good evening everybody. Um, Superintendent Carrero. Um, Chairperson Mariano and board members. Uh my name is Daniel McCarthy. I work in the office of planning and development. I am the planning director for the city of Lawrence and I'm here to make a rep a presentation to you and
008a request for to subdivid to subdivide a portion of land off of the campus of the Robert J. Rosco uh for the purposes of disposing that to a uh one of the ab budding neighbors who's made a request for this land where you line >> those are nice trees and they're in my backyard at the frost. >> Oh no. Okay, you got some other trees. So, what I have before you is a map of the Robert J. the Robert Frost School um on Hamlet Street. The property is approximately 26 acres of land. Um, anybody familiar with the property knows it's surrounded by granite ledge. Um, which makes a good portion of the land undevelopable. We have a request from an abuing land owner, uh, the Stannisi family who live right here to purchase a portion
009of land behind their home, um, to add to their yard, increase for increase their space uh, for for future living space in the home. Um, as you can see here, there's a a blue line that goes across here. That is the limits of the ledge that runs behind their home. >> Deian, excuse me. Could I ask you a question? >> Yep. >> Does that the blue lines does that impact the other um abutters? >> That blue line just shows you where the ledge is. The the the the small blue line is what's behind her home. the next picture, if I can get this to work. >> Okay, >> that's what she's >> So, here this is this is her home. A smaller picture here. This is I've gone out there with a lance surveyor and
010measured this out. Uh it's approximately 4,97 square ft. As you can see, this area back here is Ledge, and it doesn't interfere with any of the other properties. Um, anybody familiar with the with the neighborhood knows a lot of the people who have lived there have lived there for for decades and many of them have been using the woods behind the home. Um, though they don't own it, Mrs. Stannis Susi and her family just want to purchase this property as part of theirs. Um, all right. This is a plan that a land surveyor put together for her showing the ex the where the area is behind it. As you can see, this is a a map of the entire city. I mean, of the entire campus, and this smaller little square here is it. So,
011it's a it's a minute portion. Like I said, it's 26.6 acres of land. And this is a little under 5,000 square ft of land. Here's another plan we're showing where her existing fence is. This is actually her fence here. As you can see, her fence is about 15 ft onto state city property already. and a lot of the neighbors have already done that. Um they've improved their properties into the city land. So this is behind her house now. This is the this is the area that is belongs to the city. As you can see, they've been maintaining for a period of time. This is the this is the fence in the rear yard. This area up here, you see that line, the dark line? That is the granite ledge. It's like a cliff behind their
012house and above that is all solid rock. Really land that's undevelopable and of no use. The ledge goes all the way to a point behind here. So, this land is really inaccessible for anybody else except a few families that live back there. Here's another photo showing the ledge and the fence where it is. This is next to her her neighbor's land. As you can see, the neighbor's fence is isn't in line with her fence. And here's another area showing where the ledge is. But here again, you can see the extent of the ledge. And here's a view from uh the back of the ledge looking towards the houses. So that's that's the end of my uh presentation. Uh it's a pretty um straightforward request. We've done this in the past before. We the city sells
013these properties to uh abing property owners under a program we've had for 20 years called the yard sale program where available land can be used for for yard greenery, parking, recreation, anything like that. It's not to be used as a buildable lot. You can't build a house back there. It's not to be used for can be used for accessory uses uh such as garages or uh a garden shed or something of that nature, but you couldn't build a home back there and subdivide and sell it. This has to remain part of her property. So, one of the conditions of the sale will be that she needs to merge the land with the city. So the first plan that you saw up there is what we call a subdivision plan and that will be uh submitted
014to the registry deeds subdividing that property off um from the larger parcel belonging to the school. After that the land will go through the regular process. We'll go to city council where it'll be reviewed and made um dispos made u dispositive um by the uh board for a vote and then we'll go through the yard sale program. Uh the right now we sell these lots for a dollar a square foot as again they're very limited on use. Um that's that's essentially it. This is a request of this person who lives here and we've done this in the past to other property owners to assist them with uh you know increasing their yard. If this if this land had any value to the school um we would have assessed that and and been against this transaction
015but since it really has it has no value for the school department or the city and hold we think it's a good transaction. Two questions, Dan. What What is the cost for to the um owners? >> It's going to be about $5,000. $4,97 exactly. And they have to pay for all the legal portions of it. They have to f pay for the planning. So, there's sever several pans plans that need to be record the registry deeds. They cost $1,000. So, it may cost them in total about $10,000. All right. And could the owner do an addition to their existing house? >> That they could do. Yes. >> Pardon me. >> Potentially, yes. But that would they would be required to go to zoning and permitting. They would be limited on on how far they could
016go. And again, we we went out there with uh several members of the city and drew the line so that it doesn't interfere. it doesn't come within 20 ft of the stone ledge because of water issues and things of that nature. We didn't want this to interfere with that. I believe her interest, like I said, the fence right now that she has is on is on your land and I think she wants to put a garage out to that out to that fence. >> Okay. Any other questions from the board? Is that um is that price market rate? I mean, how do how is the price determined? >> So, the price was determined through a program that the city went into we entered into years ago with the state for disposing of land. And when
017we do these lands, we do it with certain conditions that it can all be used for open space, accessory use, parking, um, you know, they could put a pool there or they could put a tennis court or something like that, but you couldn't build a house there and sell it and profit off it. That's what the intention is. So, for the last 20 years, we've been selling these for a dollar a square foot. That way, it's fair. We don't we don't don't just make up numbers. Whether a dollar scrift's fair nowadays may maybe we might have to go to $2, but it's still a a relatively good deal for the property owner. >> $2. You know how much a gallon of regular gas is? >> Excuse me. >> You know what a gallon of regular
018gas is? >> Gas? >> Yeah. >> Um I believe it's probably in the street. >> 340 something and we're giving out land for $2 a square foot. >> I didn't know that. >> Oh, okay. How I I have another question. Um Yes. Sorry, Superintendent. >> I um what's stopping other neighbors from coming to the city to do the same thing? And and I mean I guess you mentioned that some of them already have fences that cross the border of the city. Um this let me go back. This this is money for the city, not for the schools, right? It's it's it's it's a big question. Um on a lot of the streets around there, you'll find people essentially trespassing on our land. And do we go out there and tell them, you know, you got
019to start paying us for this? This this will be putting 5,000 square feet back on the tax role. If if this was land that was any value to the city, I would have recommended it against this. But because this land is of no value to the city, it's completely landlocked, surrounded by this ledge, and it can't be developed for any other purpose than what the uh the family's asking to do, use it for yard space in the garage. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Madam Chair. >> Yes. I was encouraged when earlier you said that it's a power land >> referring to the city schools. Can I assume that the transfer of pop property and money the the money comes to the schools ledger? >> Uh that is a question above my pay grade. >> I
020knew that was coming. So if it if if it can happen, yes, I'm advocating it's it's a found money. >> Think it's time for us to start building our scholarship fund >> for our kids >> and that would be a perfect place for it. >> I agree. That sounds like a great idea. >> I like that. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Any other questions from the board? hearing none. Um, could I have a motion to approve this transfer >> with I'm going to I really like what the superintendent suggested with the possibility that the payment go into a scholarship fund for Lawrence students. >> I I will make that a note in that condition when I bring it to the mayor and to the city council. Yes. >> All right. Could I have a motion?
021>> So move. >> Thank you. Second. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um, Maria, please call the role. >> Dr. Lores Galaf, >> yes. >> Alen Garcia, >> yes. >> Maria Müller, >> yes. >> Sher Patricia Mariano, >> yes. Thank you, Jan. Thank you. Thank you very much. >> All right. The next item that uh requires a vote is the facilities rentals as well as a new policy. And is there anybody? >> I will uh present that, Madam Chair. >> Okay. >> Uh our chief operating officer, Miss uh Hernandez, uh reluctantly had to take a plane to a Spain to engage in a wedding. The only thing she knows how to do is send me nice uh cuisine that I tell her stick to the wedding. However, before you uh before she left, she went over
022uh the requests that we have that are before you and we can take them all at one time unless you have any questions, Madam Chair. Um, and then I'd like to go over some of the highlights of the revisions that we're adding to the policy for the rental agreements for uh our facilities. And that has a little bit of history to it. But nevertheless, you have uh Charter Day uh Charter Day uh Charter Public School, the Partam School Gymnasium. They have winter basketball there and obviously our kids are involved in that. Uh we're recommending uh approval of the request. Lawrence International Book Fair, which is a wonderful event that we have around the city this year, they're hoping to host it right here in the South Lawrence East School Auditorium, and we're recommending that also.
023The Lawrence Papa chair uh here at the South Lawrence East uh school gymnasium, we're recommending that also. They participate by practicing in the fall season indoors Lawrence Papa football and cheer inc also um using Lawrence High School the lower calf and gymnasium. Now I don't know if that is the new uh complex or if that's the old uh complex but nonetheless the space is available and we're approving that. Also, Marramac Valley Spartans football, Weatherbe School Gym. We're partnering with them, especially in allowing our kids to participate. Um, Plan B advertising, Popsy Production, Lawrence High School Performing Arts Center. Those of you that were at opening day saw what our kids capable of doing and we want to continue to push that with partnerships. So, we're asking to approve that. Also, Sueno's basketball utilizing the Arlington
024school gymnasium for afterchool program basketball practices and they also allow for our kids to participate. So, all of those have have be have just come in for the beginning of the school year and we have the space and the coordination. So, we're asking for approval of that. >> All right. Would you like to take them as two separate? >> Yes. >> Okay. Could I have a motion to approve the um requests for facility use for the month of well as presented by the school department. It's not just September. It goes on. >> Yeah. >> Could I have a motion, please? >> So moved. >> Thank you. Maria, would you please call the role? Second. I'm sorry. >> Dolores, I'm going to ask you to second because I'm going to abstain myself specifically from one of
025the renters. >> I have the same situation. >> So, so let's pull those two separately. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Sorry. So, we're going to pull from the vote the community day charter school uh at this time. No, and we're pulling the uh where am I? The Lawrence International Bookf Fair. Let's pull those two. Okay. So, all of the rest of them are before you. >> All right. So, move without those. Yes. >> Okay. >> Second. >> Thank you, Alen. Um, Maria, please call the role. >> Escal, >> yes. >> Arlene Garcia, >> yes. >> Maria Müller, >> yes. >> Chair Patricia Mariano, >> yes. Uh, Madam Chair, I recommend that we uh enter into a rental agreement with the Lawrence International Bookf Fair that they will host here at the South Lawrence East Auditorium
026uh this coming up October. >> So, move. >> Thank you. Second. >> Second. >> Thank you. Maria, please call the role. Toto >> abstain Garcia. >> Yes. >> Maria Müller. >> Yes. >> Patricia Mariano. >> So those are we already called community day. Correct. >> We have to do community day. So, I I'm recommending also that we uh enter into a rental agreement with Community Day Public Charter School for the use of the Partam School Gymnasium. That would be Monday through Friday, 5 to 8:00 p.m. from December 1st through March 6th. >> Could I have that? Um, >> now call the RO. Maria Lores Kalaf >> abstain. Um, Arlene Garcia, >> yes. >> Maria Müller, >> yes. >> Chair Patricia Mariano, >> yes. >> Thank you. The uh the rental facility policy that the board
027uh for terms uh >> I'm sorry, miss superintendent, we did not vote on the other one. >> No, I'm presenting it now. >> Oh, okay. So in your packets you have the non-school use of LPS facilities. And if you I try to make this simple by highlighting what changes we're recommending. >> Yeah, we did community day. >> This one is going to come now. >> We did we did community day separately. We did international book fair separately and we did all the other ones clustered together. >> No, we did international book fair twice. >> Maria. >> All right. So, we're missing community day. Correct. >> I recommend the the usage of our facilities by community day charter school. Madam Chair, uh, Partam School Gymnasium during the winter months from Monday through Friday from 5 to
0288 December 1st, 2025 through March 6, 2025. >> 2026, >> sorry, 2026. Did we hear everything? >> Yes. >> All right. Could I have a motion, please? >> So moved. >> Thank you. Second. >> I second. >> Thank you. Uh, Maria, please call the role. >> Galaf, >> yes. >> Arlene Garcia, >> yes. >> Maria Müller, >> abstain. >> Chair Patricia Mariano, >> yes. >> All right. Now, are you going to do the um >> Yes. So, on your facilities uh terms and condition, if you turn to the second page down the bottom in yellow, it says gymnasiums. We added gymnasiums. At no time will any food or beverages be sold, brought into, or consumed in the gymnasium. Uh we're encountering several issues with that. On the next page, the booklet that says the use
029of cooking appliances, open flames, or any equipment that produces heat or fire such as stove, grills, hot plates, candles, sternos is strictly prohibited inside of or any place within Lawrence public schools facilities. I think that's pretty self-explanatory. We've had these issues. And on the bottom paragraph, it talks for any event with fewer than 50 anticipated attendees, the district design will determine what, if any, school resource officer personnel is required for the safety and security of the event. Okay, one last one on page five. Use of the performing arts center, the pack, requires a minimum of 500 confirmed attendees in order to be eligible for the rental requests that do not meet with this attendance threshold will not be approved for usage of the performing arts center. That would be the change. >> Superintendent, one question.
030Are you seeing more activity with groups wanting to use the new buildings? >> Uh, so let's remember that part of the guarantee from the MSBA is that we can't allow the usage from from outside activities. I believe it's I know it's at least one year but possibly two years because they got to let the build the building settle down and they need to come in and supervise and monitor all of the things that stay the same. of their investment that they made. So, we will have signs and let the public know that we can't allow them to usage through the contract from the Mass Building Association. Um, these are issues that have come up inside of our buildings of cooking with grills. Um, there's a there's a lot of activities and there's a lot of
031groups that want to use our facilities and I think that that's a wonderful thing. And I think the reason they want to use it is because when they come in, they say, "Wow, look at our gymnasium. Our oldest gyms look like the Boston Celtics parquet floor." Okay, so Chris Molino or his team do an outstanding job and we're putting together a whole booklet so any youth group or what have you that wants to look at it can see that. Now, pertaining to the pack, the performing arts center, we're sitting in a performing arts center, but everybody dreams big with huge eyes, but yet that sits a little bit over a thousand people. If you put a hundred people there, you could hear like echoes. >> It's not good for the audience. So, we'll try to
032discourage them to show them a place like this or some of the other ones that we have. Since we brought Abbott online at the new north common, remember that's another performing arts center completely renovated, new chairs, carpeting, flooring. So, we have plenty of space for our partnership groups, our youth groups, and even outside the city. And Odonis does a great job of it. But we got to keep an eye that these folks that come in for some reason or the other don't know how to read or they don't adhere to their contract. So if they don't know how to do that and we find them in violation, we will we will uh redline them and not allow them to rent the facilities again. >> Now usually do you have custodial um >> yes >> there
033and they're monitoring what people are doing. >> They're the ones that inform the maintenance department. So depending on the amount of people that are using it determines the the amount of custodians that they need and the amount of school security officers. >> Okay. >> All right. Could I have a motion to um approve the non-school use of the LPS facilities with the changes presented? So move. >> Thank you. Second. >> Second. Maria, please call the role. >> Galaf, >> yes. >> Arlene Garcia, >> yes. >> Maria Müller, >> yes. >> Chair Patricia Mariano, >> yes. And the last item that requires a vote is our minutes from our meeting which was held June 11th, 2025. Could I have a motion to dis um to approve those minutes? >> So move. >> Second. >> Thank you.
034Any um any discussion? Any corrections or omissions in the minutes? >> None. Dolores. I don't see my name there. So, apparently I was absent. >> No, you weren't. >> I don't see my name on the vote. >> Which one? On >> on this on the June 11. >> Yeah, I don't see >> what page >> on on any of the votes. My name is not there. >> That means I was not at that meeting. >> Which page? Oh, the third page, >> third page, >> the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and the six. So, it's showing that you did not participate in the meeting, >> right? You're not there. >> So, >> I was going to suggest at the conclusion of the meeting because the me the meetings are videotaped. >> Yeah, she
035was present. she was present. >> So, let's check the minutes of the the video and if she's there, we need to add on whatever the the video recommend what her recommendations are. So, on video, you're there. >> I was present, but I was not counted, >> right? >> I was invisible. >> All right. What what I suggest we do is um we table these minutes until the the corrections are done and we'll vote on them next >> at the next meeting >> which also I'm not if I'm out of order but I was also on the curriculum committee and I was not included either so I don't know what's happening. >> You got to speak louder. >> Huh? >> You got to speak louder. I was saying >> I'm talking about at those subcommittee meetings.
036>> No, let's look at that. >> All right. Could I have a motion to table the minutes till our till our October meeting? >> So move. >> Second. >> Wow. >> Could I have a second, please? >> Second. >> Thank you. Maybe they don't want me here. >> This is important. This is important. Hector will need to know. >> All right. Um, Maria, please call the role. >> Dr. Doris. >> What am I doing? >> Uh, yes. >> Yes. >> Maria Müller. >> Yes. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Patricia Mariano, Chair Patricia Mariano. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. At this time, I will gladly turn the meeting over to the superintendent for his report. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh Madame Chair, uh we have before you uh our final draft of the
037Lawrence Public Schools strategic plan. I'm going to invite up to the uh podium Dr. Angela Smith and uh her colleague Isa Fka. Dr. Smith and Isabella has uh they're like employees of Lawrence Public Schools. They've been here since January. Um they have done an outstanding job at coordinating, solidifying, bringing together uh disagreements, agreements, visions, promises from every kind of stakeholder you can imagine to help bring together what we have before you what we believe is an outstanding strategic plan. But without further ado, let me introduce Dr. uh Dr. Angela Smith. Good evening. >> Thank you. Good evening, uh, Superintendent Caro, uh, board chair, and all the board members. We are pleased to have before you a draft copy of the strategic plan uh, for your consideration and for your review. Today I'm going to spend
038a little time walking you through the document, but I believe it is attached and I believe we have some copies for you. Um, uh, my colleague is making sure that it's coming. I think Maria might have it. Yes, you have copy. Okay, great. Um, so before we get into the actual copy of the strategic plan, I want to talk a little bit about how we got to what you're seeing in your handout. We began this work in January of 2025. Um and part of our goal was to develop a plan that the entire community um could really understand the direction for Lawrence. Um part of our process um that Lawrence wanted that Lawrence public schools asked us to do was to complete a diagnostic analysis to understand the current state of Lawrence public schools. There
039were several key takeaways from that diagnostic that really helped this team and this administration and the um crossf functional uh advisory members that also played a role in helping to develop this plan. the data help them to really understand where district. So um there are a couple of key facts here. One of the things learned from that diagnostic phase is that student outcomes vary widely between schools and within the district. So you've got schools at very different points in terms of student achievement. Um from your elementary schools, very significant differences. Um and from your middle schools, we also noticed a gap, but it's smaller. And we also started to see some of the disparities with um students with disabilities given the dynamic population within Lawrence public schools our population is growing rapidly and their success
040is very critical to the future. So we started to understand and biseect our analysis regarding your multilingual learner population. Um so we think that that's going to be very critical for this district for this administration and for this board. Additionally, we really wanted to understand how your dynamic and very diverse population um how how does that look amongst your staff and your principles and folks within your central administration team? Well, what we know is that Lawrence student body um is primarily his Hispanic or Latino and that you have done some dramatic work to increase the diversity amongst your staff, but this is another area of opportunity both amongst your teachers, your central office staff and your administrators. And then lastly, what we knew and what we learned in detail when we went into the analysis
041is that schools are serving higher need students with often less experienced teachers to address those needs. So we think that there is a lot of opportunity to one support your teachers, grow your teachers, build their capacity, but also there may be some opportunities for where you have openings to try to get more experienced teachers to especially work with your higher need students. We also did a number of focus groups. We attended a number of meetings and sessions all across the district. We also spent time with your principles. We also collected survey data and we also did interviews with a number of different staff members across the district. And so we heard a lot of messages. We know that families want transparency. They want consistent communication. They want to be involved and understand what's coming out
042of the district. and they want equitable service services across all schools. We heard that your students want to be want to feel seen and heard and cared for in every single classroom. Your principles want consistent alignment and follow through and timely support from your central office teams and a strong pipeline of teachers that they can have in their schools to support their students. Your teachers want professional development and they want uh support so that they can grow here in Lawrence public schools and they want more time and support for datadriven instruction. Lastly, we heard loud and clear that your central office administration team wants a clear district-wide vision setting and high expectations for all um and improved data use throughout the district at both the school level and central office and really thinking about how
043resources can be um allocated based on student need all across the district. So, this strategic plan was not built off of just ideas. It was built off of data. It was built off of surveys. It was built off of hearing from folks across Lawrence Public Schools. And so um from a number of sessions, I think we had about 15 sessions in total um besides all the surveys that went out and uh the website and a number of places where we collected data, what you see before you on the strategic plan is a focus on shaping the future for success. And so you'll see on the cover uh the mission statement preparing every student for success in college, career, and life as well as a focus on the future for Lawrence public schools. So let's go.
044Um what's going to happen and and what you see here um is I think this is all draft. I must uh place that caveat on what you're seeing. This is a draft and over the next 30 days and when you have your October meeting, you'll have an opportunity to um vote and and and take formal action um on this document. But we wanted to share with you a draft of the document during this meeting to share uh where we are. Um and so there's opportunities for making some tweaks, some minor edits. Um so on the the they'll open you can open up the booklet and you'll see a draft uh again um this would be a draft letter from uh superintendent Carrero. Um just explaining about the process and um uh and this and this
045document itself. Um let's go on to the next page. Here you'll see um on the far left hand side a little bit about Lawrence public schools sharing some of the f what I'm calling fast facts um in terms of the numbers of schools and the types of schools that are in Lawrence public schools. So it gives a really great picture of um of what Lawrence public schools looks like as well as the table of contents and then the executive summary. Um so this uh executive summary goes into detail about what's included in this document and really uh lays out um the structure and in one page helps the reader to get a sense of what's included in the document. On the next slide uh we've or the next page you you'll see the district planning
046process. And so we worked with a number of different groups. Um we our advisory group which included parents and teachers and principles and partners um and students too um and they helped to co-design uh this process with us and to give us critical feedback along the way. We also met with a number of your families through the various um coffees and chats um and um sessions that were available for us to come and speak. Um we um collected feedback from your principles and your school leaders, your teachers. We also had a really good cross-section of of your teachers and school staff that participated as well. Um, and so we really feel like this is a very strong document that represents a number of your stakeholders. >> May I ask you a question? >> Yes, ma'am.
047>> How many people in total participated? Do you have a rough idea? >> I do not. I know our advisory uh committee is about 60 folks and then um we like I said we conducted 15 sessions. Um and um uh so we there were a number of different sessions and then we had very good attendance at all those sessions whether it was the the coffee um chats or the virtual coffees etc. So, lots of participation um through those uh current groups, but I don't have a total. >> What would you anticipate a good number for a district this size to participate in this um the surveys and the people that were engaged? We had um so what one thing I will say is we created your communications team um created a website where we posted
048for each meeting we had um we posted the information that was out there and then it was also disseminated through the through the internet or social media tools that you all have. Um, so you had participation whether it was in the meetings, it was also accessible on your website. Um, and so I don't know how many hits you had from that website or um, the turnover. So that's something we'll have to get back with you on, but there was very good um, I felt like there was very good uh, participation. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Angela. Was that posted in English and Spanish? >> Uh, I believe so. I believe so, but we can confirm. Yes, we did um all of your uh family engagement meetings. Um they were in English and Spanish. We had
049interpreters at every single meeting that we did in person. Um and so most of the materials and we were very thoughtful as we were engaging in the content about um the meaning um to make sure that the meaning was appropriate um for the translated um content. So on the next slide I I um I want to just share a little bit about these because I think these were very powerful and we we did co-design these co-write these um these are these are the words from your community. These are not uh the words from um from us uh we just help to facilitate the conversation. So prior to today, to my knowledge, can you go back? Um, prior to today, you all did not have that I am aware of a mission statement or a vision
050statement or core values. So I believe this may be the very first time this district has had this. I think it is powerful. Um the mission being through equitydriven inclusive schools that reflect and support our diverse community we are committed to empowering every student to excel on their path through college and career. The vision statement again this was co-written with the folks who participated. We believe all our students are full of promise, full of purpose, power, and promise. Through transformative teaching and learning and deep fan mailing partnership, Lawrence public schools are united in their purpose to prepare every student to drive change in their communities and shape a better world. You can see the core values down there. I won't read those. Um, but again, core values are an opportunity for employees to really understand
051what's expected of them in their daily roles and how we act and behave as an employee of Lawrence Public Schools. On the next page or slides, um, on the far left, um, this is what I call a strategy map. and it helps you to see a visual of this plan on one page. So even if you don't have the rest of the pages, this allows you to see the entire um strategies, all of the work in one page. And so, um, I'm going to actually kind of walk us through, but I'm not going to spend any time on this graphic, but I think it can be a powerful graphic that can be posted and people as a visual reminder of all the things that are in this strategic plan. So, on the far right, I
052want you to pay attention to this because this is the foundation for the entire strategic plan. If someone were to ask what are the things that are Lawrence public schools, what is it focused on? What is the district focused on? The answer is there are six priority areas that the district is focused on. The top one being an urgency to accelerate student learning. We're focused on staff excellence and effectiveness, data to inform decision-making, holistic student well-being, family partnerships, and responsive leadership. All of the work falls in one of those six buckets. And so when you turn to the next page, you'll see the the details around so what is an urgency to accelerate student learning? What does the work look like? Well, and I'm not going to spend all the time here, but you can
053see the strategies that are listed. It means that we plan on aligning our district-wide instructional framework. It means that we're going to design and implement a district-wide MTSS framework. It means that we're planning to improve services for our diverse learners. And you can see the details there. Under staff excellence and effectiveness, we plan to strengthen and diversify the educator pipeline. We plan on retaining and developing a strong diverse workforce. We plan on develing targeted professional learning and so on and so forth. So you can see what's there for data to inform decision making and holistic student well-being, the strategies that the district is going to be focused on. And then on the last page, you'll see the work around family partnership and the work around responsive systems focused leadership. And then lastly, I just love
054this picture. Um, but uh a thank you uh to all those that participated in this process and all of those that are going to really support the district as they move to implement this plan. So as I close, I will take any questions or comments you have about the strategic plan uh the draft strategic plan. Uh as you can see, this is for a five-year uh time horizon um from 2025 to 2030. Um and we believe that this will be the tool and the anchor for the work that needs to happen uh in the district moving forward. the well the suggestion that I would make there's an awful lot in here to absorb and um I'm sure we'll have questions at the next meeting. So, if you wouldn't mind, give us the month to um
055read it and and try to understand all the bits and pieces and responses to some of the questions that I asked you for and um then we'll we'll talk about it in October. >> Okay. Thank you. >> May I offer a suggestion, Madam Chair? >> Yes. Uh and for the sake of time, Angela is it would it be appropriate to give the team's email address so as they're reading it if they have questions that way in anticipation so we don't have such a long session next time. >> Sure. What I would recommend is that um maybe one of your team members email all the questions. Uh they send it to somebody internal and then you all send it to us so that we can um take a look at those. But happy to to address
056those content. >> Um who whoever doesn't bring me coffee tomorrow morning get drafted. Um Dolores, do you have any questions at this time? I want to I wanted to just make a a couple of comments, Madam Chair. Go ahead. First one being the picture that you see there. That's kind of like the same picture that I mentioned at our full staff uh inauguration when I talk to them about look at the eyes of our kids that they have confidence that they are ready to take risk and all we have to do as hard as that and work that through them. When you have kids that show that confidence and are eager to learn and show that focus of interest, it's exactly what a teacher wants. And I think that that picture is very, very powerful
057that it shows the focus of our kids, that they're interested. Um, if uh a picture says a thousand words, except for the ugly guy with the blue suit on the next picture, I think that that is an outstanding picture that really illustrates where we're moving forward to that our kids not only can academically do it, but they're also very talented whether in the arts, performing, or visual. And it was wonderful that this this current school year we've dedicated money to expand the arts in the uh earlier grades. And these are the kids that participated in our summer program with some of the other kids that are in our uh high school. So we see the pieces coming together. I believe with the strategic plan that we have in place uh as the team works to
058identify other leaders, we'll be able to annually come before you with this plan and show you exactly where we have made the gains. I think that that's important that this becomes a living document rather than a document that you just dust and put on on a shelf because a lot of time a lot of energy a lot of promise a lot of conversation went into this especially with our parents that felt very very very happy that we were addressing the needs of their kids through their lenses. So I want to thank you uh Dr. uh Smith for uh the work that you and your team have done throughout the last six, seven months with us and I don't and I know that the work will continue. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> I guess
059I'll entertain a motion to adjourn and any items that were not discussed this evening um will take up at our October meeting. Thank you very very much for being patient. Could I have a motion, please? Oh, I guess >> it's just you and me. Make the motion. >> Uh, >> motion to adjurnn. >> All right. And I'll second it. >> All in favor? >> I, Maria, please call the role. Yes. Thank you all for attending tonight. Um hopefully next month we'll get through the rest of these items. Thank you and good night.