001Okay. >> Hello everyone. Welcome to our regular meeting of the Quinsey School Committee on Wednesday, May 6th. Um see pursuant to the open meeting law any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting. This public meeting may be transmit through through transmit the meeting through any medium. Attendees are therefore advised such recordings are or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unperceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible. Superintendent could you please call the role? >> Mr. Begley >> present. >> Mrs. Cahill present. >> Miss Campbell. >> Mrs. Mr. Hubley >> present. >> Mr. Le Young >> present. >> Mrs. Cardios >> present. >> May co >> present >> and Mako Mano >> present. >> Thank you. >> At this time I'd like to have a motion. >> Campbell
002>> a motion to move the student recognition out of order. >> Second. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> All in favor. >> Oh, I'm very sorry. Um before that will please rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Please remain standing. Superintendent. >> Uh there are no memorials tonight, but if you could keep our uh men and women um overseas and here in the United States in our military service uh in your thoughts and prayers during this time. >> Thank you. >> And as we were saying, we had a motion and we had a second to have the National Honor Society taken out of order.
003And all in favor? Hi. >> Hi. >> Thank you. You can proceed, >> superintendent. >> Thank you. Good evening again, everyone. Hope everyone is doing well. Uh, it is my honor tonight to recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of our high school students who have been admitted into the National Honor Society. An amazing accomplishment. This moment marks a significant milestone in the academic journey of these remarkable individuals. And it is only fitting that we come together to honor their dedication, perseverance, and commitment. to excellence. Today we acknowledge not just the academic talent of these students but also their unwavering determination to excel in all aspects of their high school experience. Each one of them has demonstrated exceptional qualities that have earned them a place among the best and brightest in our school community. Whether be
004through their academic achievements, leadership endeavors, community service initiatives, athletic or artistic talents, these students have consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellent that sets them apart. As we celebrate the accomplishments of our National Honor Society members, it is important to recognize the immense support system that has guided guided them along the way. To the dedicated teachers and mentors who have served as beacons of inspiration and encouragement, thank you for your unwavering commitment to nurturing the talents and passions of our students. To the families and loved ones who have stood by these students through every challenge and triumph. Thank you for your endless support, love, and encouragement. To our students, National Honor Society is not just a recognition of past achievements, but also a testament to the potential and promise that you hold for the future. As
005you embark on this new chapter of your academic journey, we challenge you to continue striving for excellence, to embrace opportunities for growth and learning, and to never lose sight of the values that have guided you thus far. With great honor comes great responsibility, lead with integrity, serve with compassion, and inspire those around you to reach for the stars. Congratulations. How about a round of applause for our students? At this time, I do obviously want to recognize all of the staff at North Quinsey High School and Quinsey High School, Principal Keith Ford from Quinsey High School, as well as our um Yes. Oh, Mr. Gilbert, thank you. Sorry, I did not see you there, Mr. Gilbert. Welcome. Thank you for supporting our students tonight. Um, I also want to recognize our North Quincsey High School um,
006educators who are supporting our students today. From North Quinsey High School is Edward Marrian and from Quinsey High School is Sarah Lavine. At this time, if I could have Sarah Lavine from Quinsey High to come to the podium to recognize your students at Quinsey High School. And as you read the names of the students, if the students could come up to the deis and shake the hands of all of the school committee and just wait to the right so that we can take a photo at the end. Thank you. >> Good evening. Thank you. My name is Sarah Lavine and I am the adviser of the National Honors Society at Quinsey High School. Thank you for inviting us here tonight to recognize the incredible achievements of our 48 graduating members. I am honored to present
007to you our NHS students this evening. As I call your names, you can rise and shake the hands. Barza, Jake Bassan, Ramona Benel, Amy Bernard, Conrad Brown, >> Jacob Chan, Josie Chan, >> congratulations. >> Emily Chen, >> Patrick Clifford, >> congratulations. >> Alli Demopoulos, >> congratulations. >> Tracy Deng, >> Isabelle Egan, >> congratulations. Aviana Garcia Pizaro, >> Edward Giza, congratulations. >> Leia Gomes, Eliza Henry, >> Mayana Johnson, May J. Shayla Castradi, >> Vincent Lee, Alexander Lou, Nicholas Manino, Taylor Man, Jake McKenzie, Malcolm McMurro, Kathy May, Dylan Marcato, Lauren Murphy, Nathan Nuen, Pria Parisar, Pria Patel, Rachel Pavis, Cass Pertios, Ava Fam, Lulu Prono, Solana Celender, Batista, Lucas Snow, Audrey Talent, Teddy Thai, Sariah Tihawang, Maya Tiddle, Natalie Tom, Stephanie Tran, Theot Tran, Ethan Wick, Ramaratney, Paige Zaski, Tiffany Zang, and Yu Hong Zang. Thank you
008again. >> Congratulations. I don't round this. Come on. Not going to see us anyway. be a top of our heads. Awesome. Congratulations, Quinsey High School. Fantastic job. Now I would like to ask um teach uh North Quinsey High School educator Edward Marrian to come to the podium to read the names of the North Quinsey High School students again. We'll follow the same process. Okay. >> Thank you to the school member committees for h or school committee members for having us. Um North has 57 graduating seniors. So same thing. Um, stand up. Um, EMTT Allen, Thea Banzac, Brooke Blut, Kitty Chen, Johnny Chen, >> Lily Chen, Michelle Chen, >> Mika Chen, >> congratulations. >> Tammy Chen, >> congratulations. >> Tracy Chen, >> congratulations. Vincent Chen, >> Willa Chen, Elmarie Chung, >> Elizabeth Evans, Rita Fatima, >>
009Jacqueline Ferrara, Nicholas Francis, >> congratulations. Christina Guan, >> Elizabeth Hong, Terry Hua, CeCe Hang, >> Fiona Hai, >> congratulations. >> Anna Kang, >> Andrew Lee, >> congratulations. >> Esther Lee, >> congratulations. >> Anna Lee, >> Bell Lee, >> Emily Lim, >> Angelina Lynn, >> congratulations. >> Ethan Lou, >> congratulations. Baying Ma, Marco Mano, >> Colin McCarthy, >> congratulations. >> Mave Murray, >> Olivia Ing, >> Justin New Yen, >> congratulations. >> Alvin Nicola, >> great job. >> Kevin Ni, >> Markeel Nie, >> Caroline Fam, >> congratulations. >> Amelia Sleus, >> congratulations. Jenny Tion, >> congratulations. >> Owen Shran, >> congratulations. >> Ethan Wong, >> Nicole Wong, >> congratulations. >> Helga Jalari, >> great job. >> Kyle Xi, >> congratulations. >> Ethan Zoo, >> Ryan Zang. Justin Zho, >> congratulations. >> Ella Zang, >> congratulations. >> Jun
010Zang, >> Sophia Zang, Monica Zhao, Jonathan Zoo, Nikki Zu, and Julia Zinda. Thank you. Yeah, I'm gonna congratulate them one more time. >> We have the biiteracy one next. >> Yeah, I'm ready to go. Congratulations, North Quincsey High School students. How about a round of applause for all of our students? Congratulations. And the honors continue tonight. Uh it is again uh my honor to recognize and celebrate with you a momentous occasion in the academic journey of our high school students. the attainment of the seal of biiteracy. Today we come together to recognize and applaud the exceptional dedication, perseverance and linguistic talents demonstrated by those outstanding individuals. The attainment of the seal of biiteracy is a testament to the linguistic proficiency and cultural understanding that these students have cultivated throughout their high school years. By mastering
011not just one but two languages, they have not only expanded their academic horizons but also enriched their personal and cultural experiences. Whether it be through the study of Albanian, Bengali, Farsy, French, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Lutheranian, Mandarin, Portuguese, Sinhala, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, or any other language. These students have embraced the challenge of becoming proficient in languages beyond their native tongue and in doing so have opened the doors to endless opportunities both at home and abroad. As we celebrate the achievements of our sale of biiteracy recipients, it is important to acknowledge the individual the invaluable support system that has played a pivotal role in their success. to the dedicated language teachers and mentors who have guided and inspired these students along their journey. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to fostering a love of language and learning
012and cultural appreciation. To the families and loved ones who have stood by these students through every step of their linguistic odyssey, thank you for your unwavering support, encouragement, and belief in their abilities. The attainment of the seal of biiteracy is not just a recognition of linguistic proficiency but also a celebration of diversity, inclusion, global citizenship in a world that is increasingly interconnected and interdependent. The ability to communicate across languages and cultures has never been more important. As recipients of the seal of biiteracy, these students are not just bilingual. They are bridges between cultures, ambassadors of understanding, and advocates for unity in diversity. In conclusion, your achievements are a testament to your hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment to excellence. As you continue on your academic journey, may you continue to embrace the beauty of language,
013the richness of culture, and the power of communication to make a positive impact in the world around you. Congratulations once again, and may your linguistic journey be filled with endless possibilities and boundless opportunities. Thank you all. Heather, >> welcome to to the podium EEL director Heather Wick to continue with the recognition of our students. >> Thank you, Superintendent. I'm also my pleasure to recognize this extraordinary group of students who represent the fourth graduating class from Quinsey public schools to participate in this prestigious program. In these four years we have recognized 199 students who have earned the seal of biiteracy. This seal has earned they have earned actually with this class 14 languages noted for this particular class and for the first time we are proud to recognize these four languages Bengali, Farsy, Hindi and Sinhala
014bringing the total number of languages recognized in Quinsey public schools to 23. These students have shown outstanding dedication to their language studies and in many cases celebrate and honor their heritage languages. So to the families gathered here today, thank you. Your support, encouragement, and commitment to learning and maintaining language have played a vital role in your children's success. And to all our recipients, congratulations on this well-earned accomplishment. You have embraced the power of language to connect, to understand, and to bridge cultures. We are so proud of you. And now it is time to formally recognize our recipients. I would like to invite North Quinsey High School World Language Department head Alicia Tempo Najeri to the podium. She will read each student's name and a group photo will be taken at the end to commemorate this
015special event. I apologize. >> Thank you so much. My name is Alisa Tenpanagary. I'm the World Language Department chair over at North Quincy High School and I'm so proud to say that we have uh 41 students who are seniors that are graduating who have received the seal of which 22 are present here. Sorry, 39 of which 22 are present here. When I call your name, please come up, receive your certificate and then um shake the hands and again stand over here as we've been doing so far. Fiona Chen, Kitty Chen, Yuki Chen. >> Congratulations, El Maria Chang. Kelly who? >> Terry Hua, >> Esther Lee, Ethan Leu. >> Congratulations, >> Nikki Lou. >> Congratulations. Baying Ma, >> congratulations. >> Marco Mano, Alvin Nicola, Congratulations, >> Kevin Naughty, Markeel Naughty, Congratulations. >> Congratulations. Congratulations >> Amelia
016Sleszas. >> Congratulations >> Vahidi. >> Moku Zen. >> Awesome job. Congratulations. Jerry Zang. >> Congratulations Gia Jun Zang and Julia Zinda. >> Congratulations. Congratulations. >> Congratulations. There's Okay. Next, I would like to invite the Quinsey High School World Language Department head, Amanda Rosenhagen, to the podium as she will read the students names. Good evening. My name is Amanda Rosenhagen and I just want to say it is an honor and a privilege to be here tonight with this amazing group of seniors who have I've had the privilege to get to know. So the first we have Ramona Benel Ray Dienne, Emanuela Dybal, Avana Garcia, Leia Gomes, Lucas Gomes, >> Sheila Castradi, >> Dylan Marcado, Priya Parasar, Laura a pause. >> Oh, sorry. >> Amy Ruiz, Solana Celinger, Batista, Owen V and Ethan Rick Ramaratne. Congratulations. We
017are so proud of you. Oh, we have one more. Shed Zaman. Congratulations. All right. At this time, we're just going to take a brief recess so that we can let everyone go home and get their homework started. >> Congratulations again. >> Congratulations. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. We're going to go back into session now. Superintendent finish up. At this time, I just want to recognize Quincy High School student representative Sa Nijawan. Thank you for coming tonight. Thank you. I'll say >> okay. Thank you. >> All right. Next on the agenda is open forum, an opportunity for community input regarding the Quinsey public schools community and its context as defined as a resident of the city of Quinsey, a non-resident parent of a student who attends the Quinsey public schools or a non-resident employee of the
018Quinsey schools Quinsey public schools. After giving his or her name and address, each speaker may make a presentation of no more than three minutes to the school committee. An individual may not exchange their time or yield to others. Residents or non-comm community persons may submit written statements of up to 300 words to the school committee at QSC open forum at quinseyublicschools.com by 4:00 of the day prior to the posted school committee regular meeting. Written statements will be posted to the school committee section of the Quinsey Public Schools website by noon on the day of the posted school committee regular meeting. Laura, did we have meetings? M. Um, >> yes, there were 16. >> Oop, sorry, you're not on. >> Yes, there were 16 letters posted. Um, and they're under the May 6. They follow the
019meeting agenda on the website. >> Great. Thank you very much. And with that, I will open open form. Do we have someone for open forum? Please come right up. Hi there. Uh my name is Maggie McKe. I live at 117 Rosson Road. Um I'm here to urge you to vote to make Lunar New Year the most important holiday of the year in many Asian cultures an official school holiday. When this issue first came up a handful of years ago, I could understand the slippery slope argument against it that adding one cultural or religious group's holiday could lead to adding every group's holiday. And that in turn could complicate union contract negotiations and summer vacation schedules. But soon I came to feel the case for Lunar New Year was stronger. For one thing, the school calendar
020already includes a holiday celebrated by just one subset of residents, Good Friday. That Christian Holy Day is not recognized by the state or federal governments, nor is it written into teachers contracts. If this committee wishes to avoid slippery equitable slopes, it needs to remove Good Friday from the school calendar. The fact that it hasn't yet, while simultaneously refusing to include a cultural holiday that is celebrated by an estimated 40% of the student body, feels like a slap in the face to the Asian community. You only have to look at the results of the last city election to see that representation matters, that officially recognizing Lunar New Year matters, not just to Asians, but to a majority of voters. Finally, holding class when a large percentage of the student body stays home is inefficient and ineffective
021from a learning standpoint, says Joshua Goodman, director of the educational policy studies program at Boston University. He made that point in an NPR story this January about how snow days affect students. Quote, "If you don't declare a snow day when there's a lot of snow out, what tends to happen is you still get a lot of people absent from school." He said, "It turns out that's actually harder to deal with in terms of learning and more disruptive in the long run than just saying everyone's out today." He continued, "It's very hard for a teacher to teach half of the students in a room and catch the absent kids up the next day. It just wastes everyone's time. So, it's better to just coordinate and all agree to go sledding together and come back for learning
022tomorrow. Let's not waste any more time. Please show our community that you respect our voices and votes and make Lunar New Year an official school holiday. Chair Hubley, Mayor Ko, members of the school committee. My name is Russ Wilcox, 1205 Hancock Street, Quincy, Massachusetts. Last week, the Supreme Court gut gutted the Voting Rights Act. Justice Toledo called it merely an update. Millions of Americans were told what happened to them doesn't count because no one said it out loud. That they're still seen, but they no longer count. People in Massachusetts say it's different. That Massachusetts fights. And we have a history of that. Families in this room believed that. They learned the process. They showed up year after year. They brought data. They brought their children. And every year they heard the same excuse, but for
023a different reason. Subcommittee, legal opinion, threshold vote. They're told it's not what it looks like. In this room, the word was, "It's not a lack of recognition." At the Supreme Court, the word was it was merely an update. Last Lunar New Year, half of North Quincy's High stayed home. The school ran anyways. Four out of every 10 kids here celebrate Lunar New Year. and their families in this room asking for one thing to be seen like everyone else. The calendar already makes room for some traditions. Yours doesn't include them. They're still here three days, three years later, and they keep on showing up again. Last week, the Supreme Court told the country that some people don't count. Tonight, one of the so oldest cities in Massachusetts can show the country whether it recognizes those voices
024or silence them. Do us all a favor and put an H on the calendar. Good evening, members of the Quinsey School Committee. I'm David Jacobs. I live at 10 Charles Street here on House Neck. I'm here tonight to urge you to support the majority of Quinsey residents who have made it clear in no uncertain terms that they want Lunar New Year to be recognized as a holiday in on the Quinsey public school calendar. I'm going to start with a quick story. A few years ago, while visiting my wife's extended family in Bingmpington, New York, the conversation turned to what was happening in our home communities. My wife's cousin, who's a teacher in Liverpool, New York, mentioned that they would be observing Lunar New Year. uh as with a day off that year. I remember asking
025her, "Do you have a large uh Asian student population?" She had told me that some she had some uh students of Asian descent, but certainly it was not a majority. That stuck with me because at that very same time right here, residents in Quinsey were beginning to push for this change. And Quinsey is a community where the holiday uh reflects a significant portion of our population. When I looked into it further, I learned that in 2023, New York State made Lunar New Year a state holiday. Now, think about that. In New York State, roughly uh 10% of the residents in the entire state are of Asian descent. In New York City, that number is 19%. But here in Quinsey, according to the 2020 census, approximately 31% of our residents are of Asian descent. And in
026our schools, that number is even higher at about 40%. 40%. That is not a small group. That's is a core part of our student body. It's the largest part. And this city has already recognized that. In 2024, the Quinsey City Council passed an order recognizing Lunar New Year and calling for the closures of schools in observation of the holiday. In 2025, the council reaffirmed that position again called for action after the after this body declined to move forward. So tonight, again, this is not new and this is not unsupported. It's backed by data and it's backed by precedent. And most importantly, it's backed by the people of Quinsey. At its core, this is about respect. It's about recognizing the significant portion of our students and families should not have to choose between being in school
027and being with their families on the most important holiday of the year. Allowing an excused absence is not a solution. Simply shifts the burden on to families. True recognition means closing the schools just as we do at other holidays we value as a community. You have an opportunity to align the school calendar with the community it serves. I understand there are concerns about scheduling instructional time and how it fits into an already full calendar, but other districts, even entire states, have found ways to make this work, and I know Quinsey can too. At the end of the day, this is not a question of whether it's possible. It's a question of whether it's a priority and I especially urge that you make it one. Thank you. Hello. Good evening, members of the school committee. Mr.
028Mayor, my name is Kim Horgan. I live at 139 West Guantanam Street. I'm here tonight not only as a parent of three children in our school system, but also as someone that once sat in the same classrooms at Montlair, Atlantic, and North. Growing up, I learned early on that fitting in often means just being like the rest of them. look like them, talk like them, just wanting to feel the need to be accepted. Acquired in my culture, internalizing the belief that success required assimulation rather than being authentic to myself and those around me. Subtle and overt racism reinforced that message. Today, as a parent, I see echoes of that same struggle. Our district serves a student population that is roughly 40% Asian. Yet representation, understanding, and cultural affirmation do not reflect that reality. When students
029rarely see themselves reflected in curriculum, leadership, or decision-making spaces, the unspoken message is clear. You are present, but you are not central. Representation matters, cultural understanding matters, and listening to these families matters deeply. My hope is simple. that our children will not feel the need to reshape themselves just to fit in, but instead be welcome as they are proud of their heritage, confident in their identity and assure that they belong. So that's the single holiday that truly matters to the Asian community can be observed allowing families to celebrate, embrace their culture and tradition. In the last meeting, we heard some very emotional plea to the same committee. I have also spoken to other families who felt deeply disrespected going on nearly five years advocating for new new year. Please know that we are here to
030stay and we will continue to line these halls and hit the polls until our voices are heard. My family does not need an excuse to celebrate my holiday. We need a sense of belonging in this wonderful city of Quinsey where always called home. Thank you for listening. Good evening members of the school committee. My name is Yaoen and I live at 149 South WA Street in Quincy. I'm an English language teacher in Quincy public schools and I've been living in Quincy for four years. I'm here to share why making Luna New Year a school holiday is important to me and to many families in our community. I'm originally from China and I've been living in the United States for seven years. Every year when Luna New Year comes, I feel a deep sense of homesickness.
031Back home is a time when the whole family gathers, sharing meals, honoring traditions, and welcoming a new year. But here, my family is far away. The only way I can celebrate with them is through a video call, watching from a screen while they sit together at the table. It's meaningful, but it's not the same. Now, as a new mother to a five months old baby, and actually my baby's here today to support this. Yeah. Um, this feeling has become even stronger. I think about the traditions I grew up with and how important it is for me to pass them on to my child. I want my child to feel connected to their roots, to understand where they come from, and to experience the joy of this celebration, not just hear about it. As a teacher,
032I also see how much it matters for students to feel that their culture is recognized and respected. When school is in session on Luna New Year, many students have to choose between pe being present in class or being present with their families. That's a difficult choice and one that can make them feel unsane. Recognizing Luna New Year as a school holiday is not just about a day off. It's about belonging. It's about telling students and family, "We see you. Your traditions matter. Thank you for your time and consideration. Hi, my name is Sharon Man. I'm from 95 Montlair. Sorry about my voice. Um, my students are actually um did attend Quinsey Public School and I myself am a graduate of Parker School, Atlantic Middle School, and North Quinsey High. So, I'm back here to speak
033on behalf of the community and not just myself because I have a lot of friends and family that are here. Actually, my cousins aren't here right now because they're watching the little ones, but they attend Monontlair School. Um, some of them attend North. I've got a couple at Atlantic. So they're across Quinsey. I'm also speaking in on behalf of my neighbors and um a friend that I met new here today. And what Luna New Year means to us, it's like and it's Luna New Year. It's not just Chinese New Year. So it does not just pertain to the Chinese community because Vietnamese celebrate Japanese, Korean, uh Malaysian, Singaporeans, they all celebrate Luna New Year. And the problem is I would love to see it on the um QPS calendar because on that day, each family
034is a little bit different, but on that day, the way I celebrate with my kids and my family is we take that day off. I have it off every year from work and work gives it to me knowing that it's a huge holiday for us. It's actually the number one holiday for us. So we in the morning we eat vegetarian. So the children not only is their diet changed, lunch is vegetarian, dinner is vegetarian. So they will stay home, have this day off, they will go to temple, they will dress in traditional garb, they will pay their respects to their elders and of course get their lucky red envelope, you know, full of money. So um but that is what we do on that day specifically. and we go on through the week normally, but
035that one day is the one day we take time off to have a huge family event. Um, my sister-in-law's take off, my husband's takes off for that day, and to get him to take a day off, it's crazy cuz he'll be on the computer if we're in Vietnam, you know, to try to work over here. So, but it's a huge holiday for us. And I just want um to let you guys understand because the majority, not the majority, but there's a large majority of Asian population in Quinzy nowadays. And I could see back in my time, 1989 when I first came here, it was like 5% Asian. So I understand during that time that wouldn't be a holiday to be celebrated. But currently with the times, it's now 2026 where there's like 40 something% Asian
036and sometimes I think more, but you you just see 40 something% in our schools that it would be great to recognize this holiday uh so that we can you know rest and not think stress too hard about taking a day off from school cuz academia is huge in the Asian family. So for us to think it's like, oh, it's Chinese New Year, >> but go we have to go to school, but we have to celebrate Chinese New Year. So in order for us to balance that, it would be nice if we didn't have to get um an absenteeism and then just be able to celebrate our holiday. Thank you very much. >> Good evening. My name is Amy Sorenson Alawad. I live at Three Root Street. I have two children in Quinsey public schools. I
037am here today in my role as co-president of the Quinsey Public Schools citywide parent teacher organization representing our leadership team and executive board. Citywide PTO's mission is to advocate for the achievement and delivery of high quality equitable education for every student in QPS. Our purpose is to represent the collective voice of parents and guardians across the city and bring the parent guardian perspective to QPS administration and members of the school committee. Tonight, I also speak on behalf of the many QPS families who are in support of Lunar New Year being recognized as an official holiday on the school calendar. As citywide PTO leaders, we have listened closely to families across our district. We have considered the facts and data surrounding this issue for the past five years. But beyond the numbers are the students, parents,
038grandparents, and caregivers who make up Quinsey Public Schools vibrant Asian community, many of whom are here tonight. They are the reason we are here. Their voices, experiences, and traditions are why Lunar New Year matters and why we believe it deserves recognition as an observed school holiday. As representatives of families across QPS, citywide PTO's role is to listen to our community and advocate for equitable treatment and inclusion within our schools. We paid attention when Quinsey residents voted this past November and elected two new school committee members that support Lunar New Year as an official school holiday. Members of the school committee, this is about being responsive to the requests and needs of the constituents you were elected to serve, the families who are the current and future students and staff in our school system. This is
039an opportunity for you to vote for what our school community clearly and overwhelmingly wants. When has there ever been another issue that you receive so many letters in favor of and that brings so many members of the community out year after year? Now you can show us all that you hear us and you recognize and values Quinsey's Asian community as an essential part of our city by leading with equity and adding Lunar New Year to the calendar. Quinsey has changed and grown into one of the most diverse communities in Massachusetts with 40% of the population identifying as Asian. Our school committee and our school calendar should reflect the students and families who make up our district today and will into the future. Thank you on behalf of the citywide PTO. The next speakers will speak
040in Cantonese and Mandarin and I'll be interpreting. >> Hi everyone, my name is UIU and I live at 1,00 Southern Arty. I have lived in the United States for more than 20 years and Quinsey is my favorite place to call home. This community is diverse. It's welcoming with people from many different backgrounds, including a large Chinese community. With its convenience to public transit and a strong sense of community, Quinsey has always felt both familiar and comfortable to me. for oneif of Quinsey's community is Asian. Um, and Luna New Year holds deep meaning not only for Chinese families but for many Asian communities. For us, the first day of Luna New Year marks a new beginning. A time for family reunions, for welcoming the year ahead together. Um every year on this day I celebrate with
041my son and grandchildren who are also um uh students at public uh Quincsey public schools and we wear new clothes, exchange new year greetings and new uh red envelopes and we visit the temple to pray for good health and happiness. Um these traditions are not just rituals. They are how we pass down our values, our history and our identity. My son's workplace recognizes the importance of this family uh of this holiday and gives employees a day off so they can celebrate with their families. But when Luna New Year falls on a weekday, uh my grandchildren still have school. That means they cannot fully participate in our family traditions and celebrations. Something meaningful feels lost. Coming up on time. Um I can we have a bit more time just for interpretation. We'll be we'll be wrapping
042up. >> Thank you. >> Rules are three minutes so we have to try to stick to the same rules. Access plan QPS to give more time for people who need interpretation. Thank you so much. My oldest grandson is now in 11th grade in Quincy public schools. He was born and raised in China where he experienced the full richness of Lunar New Year growing up. He often tells me how much he misses these traditions. While we understand that we cannot celebrate the full 15 days here as we did in China, he hopes that at least one day each year could be recognized so that he could be with his family and continue our culture traditions. I hope that recognizing Luna New Year as a school holiday can move forward soon. It would give families like mine
043the opportunity to celebrate and ensure that our children grow up understanding that no matter where they are, their culture is something to cherish forever. I respectfully ask the committee to support this proposal. Thank you. Good evening everyone. My name is Jai Chen and I live at uh 20 Elm Avenue. I'm I feel encouraged to see so many students here, parents, Quinsey residents coming together today to support making Luna New Year a school holiday. Your presence here shows that our community cares about culture, family, and inclusion. And that means a lot. I'm very touched by seeing everyone's support here. at the last meeting I shared a little bit about my story. I've come to the United States for eight years and when I first came here I wasn't very familiar with the community here but thankfully
044I landed in Quinsey and settled here close to um other Asian communities and Chinese community. Okay. And gradually I was able to find a sense of belonging. But even so, in many families, we're busy with work and daily responsibilities. And too often we miss the opportunities to celebrate important holidays, traditions together. And Luna New Year is not just another day on the calendar. It is a time for family reunion, honoring our ancestors, passing down our traditions to the next generation. We gather to make dumplings, share meals, and celebrate who we are. I have three grandchildren in Quinsey public schools and every year I hope to celebrate Luna New Year with them um to teach them about our traditions, creating lasting memories together. But because school is in session that day, the opportunity is taken away.
045Fore eating. Recognizing Luna New Year as a holiday is more than just a day off. It is about inclusion and ensuring that children feel seen and valued for who they are. If we do not create space for these traditions, we risk losing them. I don't want a future where our children and grandchildren grow up disconnected from their heritage because they never had the chance to experience it. Quinsey is home to many Chinese and Asian families. For years, our community has voiced its support for this change. Please support making Lunar New Year as a public school holiday. Thank you. Hi, my name is Heather Dhoni and I live at 912 Southern Arty. And I had something prepared to say tonight, but it's feeling like a personal sort of evening. My family is cinjun. We're from South
046Louisiana. I'm the only cinjun I know up here. The culture is lost. All I know is the food and my children are half Vietnamese. And I don't want to see that for them. I don't want to see that for any children uh here in in Quinsey or anywhere. And I think recognizing holidays is a very important part of what we can do. Um I'd sent a letter uh the other day um asking a question of this body. I said I'm one of the QPS parents who's been advocating and looking forward to Lunar New Year becoming a public school holiday, especially considering that 40% of the local student body is Asian and it's such an important cultural holiday and that I had heard news that it's expected not to pass with some sort of a rule
047around a twothirds vote passed last year being the sticking point. I said I looked for it on the website, but I couldn't find anything with content like that that I could see, and I didn't see anything on a 2025 school committee agenda containing anything on the matter. I I did see that the school committee operates using Robert's rules of order and that and I know that Robert's rules of order reserves two-third votes for serious things such as amending constitutions, impeaching officials, closing debate, expelling members, things like that. routine business is conducted using a simple majority. I would think that this falls under the category of routine business and I do not understand how a twothirds vote could be required in this circumstance and I asked for an explanation to be shown where the rules on
048this applied. I got a very nice email back from Superintendent Mulvi who said school committee legal counsel is looking into the matter and I respect that he's an appointed official who needs to follow the process asked of him but I do believe that if the mayor wants this to happen tonight or if he had wanted it earlier he would have asked everyone to vote accordingly and would have pulled the clout that he has in this situation. I also believe that it is supposed to be Robert's rules of order that governs this committee, not Robert's rules of chaos. And I believe we can stop this moving of the goalposts and the forced ambiguity that we are seeing and the pain that we are causing to our Asian community with the level of disrespect that is occurring.
049Um, Quinsey's Asian community has been a good part of the city. I married into it. That's what I learned first with Quinsey's Asian community. And I hate to see the games that are being played. This never needed to be some big standoff. It could always have been a time of celebration, joyous opportunity for all of us, everyone. You don't have to be Asian to care about Lunar New Year, to enjoy Lunar New Year, to do cool things for Lunar New Year. It's meant to be a time of good company and red envelopes and excellent. Okay. It still could be for all of us. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Deborah Riley. I uh live at Nine Landrain Street. I'm also the W 6 city counselor and I'm here tonight to express my support for
050my constituents in W 6 for the Luna New Year recognition on the school calendar. When I was campaigning, it was an issue that people asked me directly about where I stood on this matter and I told them that I would support moving this to a permanent um holiday. And I think it's time. It is time. Clearly, um, the passion and the emotion that you hear here tonight, I don't know how you could vote differently. I really do not. So, I hope you do the right thing. I hope you recognize that this is important to a large number of our community members and that we can see this on the calendar next year. Thank you. >> Good evening, school committee members and Mayor Cope. My name is Virginia Ryan. I reside at 89 Alwick Road in
051Quinsey. I am a resident. I'm also a Ward 4 city counselor, but I am here as a resident. I am here tonight in support of making Luna New Year a school holiday. Since the 1990s and actually before that, the Asian community community has settled in Quinsey and become a vital part of Quinsey with the population totaling 40%. That's a lot of people. a lot of folks that celebrate the Luna New Year. This holiday is about celebrating with family, honoring their family's lineage. Sometimes they will visit for two weeks. I strongly encourage the school committee to adopt this holiday. It is only one holiday, not 12. Hello, my name is Alexis Ve. I live at 8:15 Southern Arty. I am the mother of two Quinsey High students, a freshman and a senior who is recognized here
052tonight, but I would have been here anyway to address an issue that directly impacts our Quinsey school community. When you vote on the school calendar, you have the opportunity to correct an issue that has been under discussion for several years now because some of you have chosen to double down on the wrong side of this issue again and again. And I am of course talking about Lunar New Year and the obstinency of some in refusing to acknowledge this as a school holiday. I remind you that this committee is an elected body and your job is to represent your constituents and the best interests of Quinsey school community, 40% of whom are Asian and celebrate Lunar New Year. So, I can't understand why some of you still choose to dig in on denying families the ability
053to celebrate their most important holiday together. It's clearly not politically expedient for those of you who are up for re-election next year. Your newest colleagues were the top vote getters in the last election and were extremely vocal in their support of Lunar New Year. It's not in the best interest of students who have to either miss school or sit in half empty classrooms watching movies all day. It's not in the best interest of our teachers who have to adjust their lesson plans to account for the high number of absences or secure a substitute so they can celebrate with their families. And some of you have tried to dress up your refusal as an issue of logistics or equality, saying that acknowledging a cultural holiday with a date that changes yeartoyear is somehow an unprecedented act
054that would throw the calendar into chaos and serve only one cultural group within the city. But Good Friday has served for decades as proof of concept that it is logistically simple to accommodate a holiday when the timing changes yeartoear and it do only is relevant to one specific cultural group. So it seems to me like there's no actual reason to vote against Lunar New Year that isn't rooted in blatant racism. I know some of you are going to attend the multicultural festival this Saturday and use it as a photo op on your campaign Facebook page and then vote against Lunar New Year without a second thought. So, let's be real. Three plus years into this conversation, a vote against Lunar New Year is a dog whistle vote to reassure the old Quinsey you're still one
055of them while you use our diverse community as props for the sake of plausible deniability. Some of you have been on the right side of this issue from the beginning, and I thank you for standing up for your neighbors and constituents. Some of you have an opportunity to correct course. Will you take it or will you live down to our expectations again? Thank you. Go right ahead. >> That's going to be so hard to follow. Um, good evening, uh, Mr. Mayor, members of the school committee. My name is Susanna Lou. I live at 37 Ren Terrace. Um, I am a lifelong resident of Quinsey, having gone through the Quinsey public school system and a mother of two future Quinsey public school students. Um I am here today as a mother asking you to really really
056see my children and also the many many other children who is impacted by Lunar New Year. Lunar New Year is not just a date on the calendar. It's heritage and tradition. It's a time of renewed hope and setting new goals. It's the sound of my family gathered around the dinner table. It's the stories passed on from grandparents who have crossed oceans to really have their children and their children to stand in Quinsey public school system. It is the single most important celebration of the year for our family and also for a very significant number of families right here in Quinsey. Many other cities have already taken action to designating Lunar New Year as an official school holiday. So this would not be an unprecedented leap. It is not such a radical ask. Um we would
057simply be catching up to who the city already is. When a child walks into school the day after Lunar New Year and their celebration went unnowledged, they learn a quiet lesson that their family's joy doesn't count here. My daughters and many other children in this community deserve to grow up in a school system that sees them fully. And I believe that this committee has the heart and the responsibility to make that happen. So, please vote yes to making Luna New Year an official school holiday. Thank you. Good evening, Mr. Mayor, members of the school committee. My name is Virginia Luc Compton. I live at 39 Turning Milane. I was born and raised here in Quinsey. As an 80s baby, I've had the privilege of watching our community grow into the diverse city that it is
058today. As a child of immigrants, I grew up with my culture naturally into my daily life. My parents spoke our language at home and traditionals were traditions were simply part of how we lived. Celebrating Lunar New Year was never something we had to carve out time for. It was just part of who we were. But as a first generation American-born Chinese parent, raising two young children who will also enter the Quinsey school system, I've learned how much more effort it now takes to pass that culture on. Like many parents in this community, I struggled to find local resources that support language and cultural learning. In fact, I couldn't find programs like story and music time or language immersion programs for my children. Programs that already exist in our neighboring communities. And as a result, I've
059been volunteering my time for the past year to create a small but growing monthly music and story program for kids in our community at our local library. Because without intentional effort, our children risk growing up disconnected from the very traditions that shaped us. You've already heard from many families that Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays in our in our year. A two-e celebration of family, heritage, and belonging. Yet, students are still expected to treat like any other school week, balancing their assignments and their attendance while missing meaningful time with their families. If you can imagine what it would feel like if students were only optionally allowed to stay home from school over Christmas while their peers continued to attend classes while still being expected to keep up with assignments and regular
060schoolwork during one of the most important family holidays. That is what it was like for me growing up in Quinsey. And that's what many students here still experience today. Some of what people have already said here today has brought me to tears because their experience resonates very deeply with me. Both the desire to fit in, assimilate, and also to be seen. Making Lunar New Year an official school holiday would change this experience for many in our community. It would say clearly to students that your culture is seen, valued, and respected here. And just as importantly, it would give families the ability to fully celebrate together without compromise. As a city with a large and growing Asian community, I believe that Quinsey has the opportunity to lead in recognizing the lived experiences of its student. Thank
061you for your time and consideration. Good evening, members of the school committee. My name is Tyler Lee Young. I live at 40 Huntley Road and I'm a fifth grade student at Mry Mount Elementary School. Tonight I want to talk about Lunar New Year. Today is May 6th. This is the day the Chinese Exclusion Act was signed in our country. That law treated Chinese people like they did not belong here. It made them feel like outsiders. When I learned about this, it made me sad because sometimes, even today, I feel a little like an outsider, too. I'm a Chinese Vietnamese American student. Lunar New Year is very important to me and my family. We spend time together, eat special food, and celebrate our culture. But on that day, I am not in school, I miss class,
062and it shows on my attendance record. So, I have to choose go to school and not celebrate or celebrate and miss school. When I miss school, I worry about falling behind and I worry about what I miss in class. But when I stay in school, I feel like I'm missing something important about my family and who I am. Sometimes I also feel different from my friends on that day. Like I am not part of the same experience. I know that there are many Asian-American students in Quincy, but still I can feel like our holiday is not fully seen. I don't think any student should have to choose between school and their culture. In conclusion, I hope one day students like me want to feel like outsiders because of their culture. Thank you for your time.
063>> Go right ahead. Hello, my name is Kayla Leang and I live at 40 Huntley Road, Quinsey, Massachusetts and I am a fourth grade student at Mry Mount Elementary and I believe that Lunar New Year should be a day off of Quinsey public schools. First is because 40% of Quinsey public school students are Asian and many of us celebrate Lunar New Year, including me and my brothers. Second, there are many small holidays off of school such as Columbus Day, Labor Day, President's Day, Veterans Day, and Patriots Day, but not Lunar New Year, even though it's a big holiday for many people. Third, there are many religious cultural holidays that have many, many beliefs that are off of school, such as Good Friday. And Lunar New Year is a cultural holiday with many beliefs as well.
064But Good Friday is off and Lunar New Year is not. So, why must one be off and one not? And lastly, many students and teachers take off school for Lunar New Year, but if it were to be a day off of school, then we wouldn't have to worry about any missing assignments, homework, or tests. And to someone like me, missing things like that is a big deal. So, imagine having to choose between celebrating one of the most important days of your culture and going to school. So, I say, let's make Lunar New Year a day off of schools. And thank you for your time. Uh Steuart Row, 53 Woodbine Street, Apartment 20. Good evening, um school committee, uh the mayor, and particularly our two student leaders over here. There are many stakeholders impacted by tonight's
065decision, students, teachers, staff, parents, unions, and I'm not here to pit them against each other. However, I hope we can agree that your most important stakeholders, this body, ultimately are the young people, the students of QPS. Otherwise, these institutions wouldn't exist. Lunar New Year being given the official age is an is an inevitabil inevitability. It's not a matter of if, it's when. If it was an if, the movement and activism would have decreased over the years after the first no, but it has only increased. If this gets voted down tonight, the Asian community of Quinsey and those of us who love the members of this community will be hurt but will not be shaken. Forgive my generalizations, but the Asian members of our community are resilient. They are family and community oriented. They are proud
066of their culture and heritage. On Lunar New Year, they will continue to gather and celebrate with one another and members of all other cultures who choose to join in on the food, the laughter, and the special time with each other and members across uh Quinn other backgrounds in Quinsey. Tonight is less about community and it's more about leadership. What example will you all set to our city's future leaders? You already know the stats and importance of this decision. If you are not willing to meet this community need, please say say your no without using practical policy, contractual, or how we've always done things reasons. This school committee helped guide the Quinsey public schools through an unprecedented and lifealtering period during the pandemic. When the need arose, this body made significant adjustments, moved quickly, and did
067things previously thought to be impossible just weeks before. Fortunately, this decision to designate Lunar New Year as an official holiday is far less difficult and disruptive uh to life in QPS, but it would have an outsized positive impact. Tonight is about the community, but like I said, it is about leadership, and good leaders are willing to adapt when the status quo isn't resulting in good outcomes. Great leaders put the needs of those they lead before their own. And the best leaders do all of the above at some personal cost to themselves. Whether that be comfort, familiarity, security, money, safety, or power. Tonight, you have a decision to make. Will you be leaders who put your needs and preferences above those of the largest and most important stakeholder group under your power? Or will you model
068to the thousands of future QPS leaders responsive, culturally sensitive, and sacrificial leadership? Just moments ago, you looked in the eyes and shook the hands of 39 students who have gone above and beyond to connect to understand and build bridges between cultures. I hope after tonight's vote that we can recognize all seven of you in that number of bridge builders as well. Thank you. >> Hello, I'm Elizabeth Emmens. I'm a QPS teacher. I'm also a Quinsey resident and I live at 51 Marabbo Street and I am the parent of a future QPS student. Um I wanted to start by talking about the Chinese Exclusion Act, but Tyler went stole my um my thunder. But um this day, May 6, 1882, the United States banned immigration from China. This is a historic day. So I want you
069to consider that when you make your vote today on the school calendar. and what that means. After the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed, a young girl named Mani Tape tried to enroll in this her neighborhood school in San Francisco. She was denied access to that school because she was Chinese or of Mongolian descent. When um her mother tried to enroll her, she became furious and eventually this was escalated to a Supreme Court case. tape versus Hurley. After they won their case, they went back to the school to try to enroll. The school changed the rules and said that she wasn't vaccinated. Then they changed the rules again and said there weren't any more seats. It was full. You can keep changing the rules, but we all know why you vote the way you do. Because
070you want to. It has nothing to do with rules. It has nothing to do with equity. It has to do with what you WANT TO DO. I'M angry because I take this personally. My family celebrates the Lunar New Year. I might not have the face of somebody who does, but I do. I celebrate with my husband and my daughter. And no one has ever asked me where I'm from. Even though my grandmother immigrated here long after many of the Chinese immigrants who came here and the people who still get asked every single day, where are you from? What kind of Asian are you? This is an AsianAmerican holiday. It matters. It is important. It is a family holiday. And everyone deserves the right to celebrate their holidays without worrying about whether or not they're going
071to ruin their perfect records and their academic records. Let's stop changing the rules to fit our agendas and acknowledge the people who have voted in this city and stop disenfranchising those voters. Good evening, Mr. Ray, the school committee. Uh then chair, my name is Andrew Fam. I reside on 154 Sumar Street and uh hearing Tyler Le Young speak earlier. We are not alone. I I certainly felt uh there were moments when I was in Quinsey public schools where I felt like I did not belong or whether I questioned if I fit in with the other kids or if my culture was understood. Now, this motion to approve Lunar New Year as a school holiday is actually an opportunity uh for you all to have a very high impact on the student body. Uh immediately your
072yes vote is going to cause 40% of the student body to stand taller, walk a little prouder because they are the reason why we are observing that school holiday. And that gives 60% of the other student population to have a deep appreciation for the peers that made this happen. And maybe maybe a few years from now, maybe if we'll finally get a yes vote and we officially vote that this is a a school holiday, um there will be students that ask, you know, why do we have no school on on tomorrow? Well, it's it's it gives a chance to recognize that community who who does make do who who made it possible. Uh that also this city is one who recognizes that community as part of its story and its strength and uh a major
073future asset to the city. Thank you. Uh good good evening everyone. Uh my name is Hongi Thai. Uh I live in 62 campus street. Um I have lived in Quincy since uh coming to United State in 2012. Uh now I'm a father of two children and my children have attend Quincy public schools. Um I'm here today to support recognizing Luna New Year as a school holiday. When I was in school in China, we have about 20 days uh nor year holiday. But when I moved to US, especially in Quincy, I have zero days. And uh um as we know for many Asian family, Luna New Year is as important as Christmas, right? to to you guys, right? If you have no off day for your Christmas day, how can you feel? Oh, Quincy now is
074one of the largest Asian community in Massachusetts. Is that true? Right. So for us, it is more than just a holiday. It rep it it rep I'm sorry my broken English it represents family reunion and culture traditionals and an important opportunity for children to connect with their roots. Uh many childrens are growing up in America. They work hard to be part of this community while also hoping their culture can be understood and respected. Um if school recognize Luna New Year, it will help many children feels that oh my culture is also part of this community. I believe that uh this is meaningful not only for Chinese families but also as important step that for currency as a diverse and well welcoming community. It will help more families feels like welcome and respected and also encourage
075greater understanding between different cultures. Um, as a father, of course, I hope my children will succeed and do well in school. >> 10 seconds. >> But I I also hope that they can they grow up, they will not forget their culture and their their background. So, uh, while also truly feeling that they being they belong here. >> Thank you. You're >> Thank you all. and take time to listen to this. >> Thank you very much. >> Good evening, mayor, vice chair, and fellow school committee members. My name is Kylie from 42 President Zav. I have two children in Quincy public schools currently at Southwest Motor School where I also serve as the on the PTO board. I met all of you in the past year and I've had conversations about the importance of Lunar New
076Year in our community. Tonight, I'm here to ask for your consideration on this. Again, I did not speak at the last school committee meeting, uh, but did attend and saw the line of concerned and involved residents expressing their support to for this to be recognized as a holiday tonight. There's also huge line for that. Um, hopefully that's not the case. Um, and I usually don't like to comment on rumors. Uh, but if there's a rule that is preventing this from passing, and by all means, I'm a rule follower. Uh, can I choose which rules to apply and which to not, I would implore the committee to explore ways to revise and update that rule so that it could be passed. Thank you for having these conversations with me, for your time, and your leadership provided
077for our students and teachers. Good evening. Um I do I'm a small business owner at 11:45 Hancock Street while I'm Kung Fu Taichi Academy. Um I'm speaking force for the Luna New Year being recognized as a holiday. um have been a part of their effort with the community um to get this become a practice, a respectful practice um so that students, Asian-American students in Quinsey particularly that we I'm sure we've heard uh all night that um it is a big part of the community here. It's time that we recognize our neighbors, see our neighbors, respect our neighbors, and embrace our neighbors. so that they can really be seen, heard, and respected. Uh it is one of the largest holidays for many students. Uh, as a part of the community, I've been honored to go to
078almost every single school in Quinsey to celebrate Luna New Year during school hours when the educators, the super uh the uh principles and their school leaders invite Walum to come in to celebrate as everybody has seen on um Patriot ledgers um and various postings by the Quinsey public schools. Um the teachers are celebrating, the students are grateful and embracing it. Um and why is it that the school committee not recognizing it? We're talking about thousands of students celebrating within classrooms. Why are we not doing it when the teachers are doing it already? When the principles are doing it, when the students are doing it. Why is it that the school committee as leaders of the school district not seeing this as a very important part of being able to feel that we can belong as
079Quinsey neighbors, Quinsey students, Quinsey everyday person. We're just here to celebrate something that's important to us. So, um, I can't say enough that it feels very erased that even the United States Postal Service has a stamp that recognizes Luna New Year every single year. And this year, the year of the horse, there is a stamp that's designated to recognize Luna New Year across the country. And here in Quinsey as a school committee body, we're still refusing to recognize it as a holiday. There is a disconnect here and I really urge school committee leaders to really be with the P. Come on. Like let's get with it here in 10 seconds. I think the class speaks for itself that really we we need to be more connected and be with the pals. Thank you. >> Thank
080you. Okay. Do we have anyone else for open forum? Open forum. Open forum is now closed. Moving on with superintendence report. >> Thank you. Good evening again everyone. Um, section B of the superintendent's report is the upcoming Quinsey Public Schools and City of Quinsey events. Uh, the Broad Meadows Middle School Drama Club is presenting the musical Murders in the Air on May 8th and 9th at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium. Tickets are available in advance on zephy.com. That's zfffy.com or at the door for each performance. Snug Harbor Community School's annual Touch a Truck event is being held on Saturday, May 9th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The fifth annual Quinsey Multicultural Festival will be held at Fax and Field on Saturday, May 9th from noon to 3:00 p.m. showcasing the diverse cultures of
081our community through music, food, and art. In case of rain, the event will be held in the North Quinsey High School gymnasium. Saturday, May 16th, is going to be a busy day in Quinsey with the annual grades 5 to8 robotics competition being held at Quinsey High School beginning at 10:00 a.m. The Monontlair Elementary School will host the 90th annual May Festival from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The day will wrap up with the City of Quinsey's classic rock concert from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Hancock Adams Common. The Quinsey Public Schools physical education staff is hosting a community fitness night for students and parents in kindergarten through grades five on Monday, May 18th at 6 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium. A parent academy for elementary school parents on improving literacy will be held
082on May 19th at 5:00 p.m. via Zoom. The link will be shared in this week's QPS community notices email. And lastly, at your places, uh, school committee is a copy of the spring concert schedule for elementary, middle, and high schools. A highlight of the school year, um, thanks to the music department staff is also included. You'll also be sent calendar invitations, so you can attend these events as your schedules permit. With that, that concludes the superintendent's report. >> Thank you, Superintendent. Okay. All right. Next on the agenda, we have old business. We have the proposed revision of the school committee policy section 10.17 uh student personal electronic device policy. It is up for a roll call vote for tonight. Mrs. Cahill, >> we discussed this policy about the um using the new yonder pouches for
083the students in the um with their cell phones in schools. So we had the discussion bring it forward for a roll call vote. So make a motion to um to vote. >> Okay. >> Motion by Mrs. Cahill to approve. Second by Mr. Bgalie. Do we have any discussion on the motion? Mrs. Partios. >> If I can find that. >> Sorry, I have to find your name on this one. >> That's all right. Thanks. Um, I just had a quick question on this and I'm not sure if maybe um the superintendent or assistant superintendent may want to uh just comment. So, um, if we approve this tonight, uh, and this goes into effect the first year, first day of school in the fall, is there a way that students specifically uh, families as well, but students
084specifically uh, can be told that this is coming in the spring, this spring, so that they when they come to school in the fall, it's not a surprise for them. they understand what to expect and maybe have assemblies or um things like that. >> Absolutely. We will do all of that. Definitely. >> Okay. Thank you. That was my only question. >> Okay. Any other questions? Oh, Mr. Le Young. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Uh if you could just clarify, are we proceeding with this vote uh not knowing the um cost and how we're going to u procure funds for the program? So um as we had discussed at the last presentation, we are working with partners um to um fund the yonder pouches um but we also will be presenting in our budget as well
085an option for your consideration to um fund all or part of depending on the amount of um support we get from our partners but uh we are working with that. >> Okay. So the the first vote would be for the policy and then >> and then you would vote um it would be part of potentially the budget package as well that we're presenting to you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Anyone else? Okay, we have a motion and we have a second. Uh superintendent call the roll call. >> Mr. Begley, >> yes. >> Mrs. Cahill, >> yes. >> Miss Campbell, >> yes. >> Mrs. Hubley, >> yes. >> Mr. Le Young, >> yes. >> Mrs. Perios, >> yes. >> And Mayoke, >> yes. Thank you. >> All right. Next on the agenda, we have our um
0862026 2027 school committee meeting calendar. That was the calendar you received with all the dates and the um topics next to and um Mrs. Cahill just bring it um a motion to approve the school committee calendar for 2627. Do you have a second by Mr. Bgalie? Okay, we have a first. We have a second. Any uh discussion? >> Yeah, Mrs. Pios. >> Um just in light of how many people came to speak tonight, I just want to make sure it's clear that this what we're voting on right now is just our meeting schedule and it's called the calendar as well, but it's the school committee meeting calendar. So, it's just the list of meetings that we're going to have next year, not the calendar itself. So, just wanted to clarify because I get confused sometimes
087myself on that. Thank you. Yes, this is a um agenda basically for school committee um that has items on it that we will be discussing at our school committee meetings. And like I said, we had a first, we had a second, no more discussion. Um roll call vote, please. >> Mr. Brigali, >> yes. >> Mrs. Cahill, >> yes. >> Miss Campbell, yes. >> Mrs. Hubley, >> yes. >> Mr. Le Young, >> yes. >> Mrs. Pertios, yes. And Mayor Koke, yes. >> Thank you. And >> next on the agenda, we have the 2026 27 QPS school calendar. Mayor Ko. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Appreciate uh the attendance tonight and the input at open forum. Uh and I think I'm in public on my stand that position, but um we are having a couple little challenges
088uh on how it's interpreted uh and uh what I am suggesting tonight is we delay for two weeks. We're going to engage with our uh attorney that serves the school committee to make sure that we got our eyes dotted and our tees crossed uh to make sure that it's done properly. So, I'd ask us uh at this time we could table it till the next meeting at which time uh there'd be an executive session with our attorney to discuss uh these items. So, >> okay. So, this will be postponed until our next meeting on May 20th. Okay. Next item on the agenda is the proposed revision of the school committee policy section 9.4. for uh day school day which is basically just the change of um moving the Tuesday to the Wednesday. Miss Cahill. >>
089Yes. Um we presented this in policy and to the school committee in one of the last meetings and it's just a revision to um update the policy with current Tuesday to Wednesday um half a days. >> Okay. So >> motion to make a motion motion to um send it to a vote. >> Okay. Motion by Mrs. Cahill. Second by Miss Campbell. Any discussion? Seeing none, we have a roll call vote. >> Mr. Begali, >> yes. >> Mrs. Cahill, >> yes. >> Mrs. Miss Campbell. >> Mrs. Hubley, >> yes. >> Mr. Lee Young, >> yes. >> Mrs. Perios, >> and Mayoke, >> yes. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Next on the agenda, we have new business. This is fiscal year 2027, City of Quinsey budget overview. Mayor Ko. >> Uh, thank you,
090Madam Chair. Um, as many of you know, uh, some of you were at the school committee meeting on Monday night when we presented the annual fiscal budget, uh, to the city council for review and passage. As we know, the city council will undergo a number of finance committee meetings, then discuss the various departments uh, in their asks. It's a stable budget. There's no new jobs, no new, I should say, no new positions, no new programs. There are increases in the budget, contractual increases, raises, health insurance is up, rubbish removal and disposal is up, electricity is up. Uh so those other areas, our fleet fuel uh coming on the back end of a contract, we got $2.40 a gallon. That's not going to happen right now. So there's those fixed costs that we have really uh
091not a whole lot of control over. Um the school budget itself um is just uh just under $149 million. Um and just for clarification for the public that does not include what we'll talk about in a few minutes, the outside grants that come in from the federal government, the state, both uh competitive grants as well as entitlement grants. Uh you know, that's another $8 million or so. Um so the budget is fully funded. Um, from what we've seen this year, we've had uh discussions, brief discussions uh with the superintendent and of course our our new uh uh business manager, Adam. Uh been part of those discussions making sure that we get everything included uh to make sure we get the numbers right. So, um I look forward to discussion with the committee. I know we'll
092have a public input session, I'm sure, like we normally do. Um the city budget overall is stable. I still um I still have some disagreement with folks on how they interpret the debt service and I I think it's worthy of repeating. There's three categories in our debt service. Uh well there's longterm and short term but then there's three categories and um how we break it out. One is our pension obligation bond which we did uh a few years back. Um, again, I I know many of you know all this, but I think it's important for the public to fully understand that issue that the city of Quinsey's retirement system was only 43% funded, and by 2039, it has to be fully funded under state law. Uh there's no option here. Pension obligation bond uh speaks
093of the obligation. It is our obligation. And uh so on this side of the ledger, we had an unfunded liability of $475 million. We got knocked on that every year from our outside uh bond people, financial advisers. Um and uh we, as you all know, we were experiencing extremely low, historic low interest rates. The city council a number of years ago actually authorized um the city to move forward with this when the time was right. Uh Senator John Kanan, city council at the time was was a pusher on that. Well, the timer is right, we got 2.62% interest on this. Now, there's a graph in here uh that shows had we not done this, the increase each year we would have to pay to the pension system would be far greater, somewhere between 100 and
094$180 million uh that we'd have to come up with. And that would compete in our regular budget with what we're talking about here tonight. Uh the school budget, police, fire, and and all the other budgets. So, that's a piece that we had an unfunded liability. We moved it to the debt side. Part two, the district improvement financing for the downtown. Uh we have spent serious monies on the downtown and as a result of that, there's been hundreds of millions of dollars in investment in the downtown. Um this is a true story. A gentleman came to see me today unannounced. He stopped by about 4:00 to see if he could he could see me. Uh and I accommodated him. He took four buses to get here from Stoton. and he gave me a postcard of of
095a trolley car on Adam Street, but he said to me, he says, "I remember as a kid what the city's downtown was, and I remember what it was 20 years ago." And these are his words. He says, "It was a dump." And he said, "I'm here to say great job on the city and the downtown." And I'm not saying this for my uh benefit here. Um but it's a it's a reality we had in downtown that we weren't very proud of. today. We're very proud of that downtown. So, the diff funding, the district improvement financing funding has funded the Kilroy Square, the Kilroy garage in part uh a number of the infrastructure projects around the general's park, the general's bridge along with state and federal monies. We always leverage uh federal and state dollars when
096we can when it's available. Uh and today we are seeing come out of the ground literally a transformation providing much neededed housing provided a lot uh a lot of opportunity for people with with uh with restaurants and barrooms and uh and hopefully we'll see some more boutique retail going forward. But that's a that's a whole another animal with with Amazon days um providing jobs, hundreds of construction jobs, thousands of construction jobs over the term of this. Um so at the end of the day it will produce additional taxes that will exceed the diff someday uh that we're collecting today. So that's part two. Part three more relevant to why we're here is that other debt that we incur when we do special projects like schools. We're in the middle right now as you all know
097of a new Squanum Elementary School that's being built. And you also know we work at the school building authority and we obviously get reimbursed uh a number of these projects. The values uh are different. Uh I think we're in the vicinity of 63% reimbursement on the Squanum school. But so so the debt for those new schools that we've added over the last few years is in that third piece along with other infrastructure that could include seaw walls for example um public safety headquarters and and other improvements to to buildings. As we know not only do we do new schools but we've done roofs, boilers, windows, all kinds of improvements to all our city buildings. So that's how the debt breaks out. Again, I like to use the opportunity uh to get the facts out to
098people uh on this issue. Uh there's a lot of cities and towns around us that are making cuts in schools right now. They're making cuts on the city side budgets uh because we reached a point and this is this is a I think an important issue that's going to come up more frequently going forward. If you look at Proposition 2 and a half overrides, they're frequent, but they used to be for special projects, the schools, seaw walls, firehouse, library. Now, most of the Prop 2 and a half overrides are being used to just fund the operational budget and that's a real problem. Two and a half has not kept up with inflation. Uh, local aid has not kept up with kept up with inflation. Uh, so this going to become more and more of a
099challenge I think going forward. And I'm concerned about two ballot questions that also will have an effect on this. Uh, one is if the ballot, if it gets on the ballot, the income tax reduction. Well, you know what's going to happen? Local aid is going to be reduced if that happens because they're not going to have the revenue at the state level. There's also a question about rent control on the ballot. It sounds great. uh Tus University did an incredible study on this and it basically shows that over time the values of these properties are going to be reduced and cities and towns are going to collect less property tax money. So there's some stuff on the horizon that concerns me going forward that's going to need some uh you know some good discussion hopefully
100leaders at the state level as well as the local cities and towns. Uh but having said that we have a solid budget here that we're presenting here tonight. Uh, I know we're going to have some budget committee meetings on it and we'll talk about the priorities and and what we got coming. Um, but I'm proud of where we're at and I look forward to further discussing this with my colleagues here in the school committee and thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for this. Um, so I'm just it's the first time I've seen this book. Excuse me. But just a quick kind of perusal here through it. I don't see the school budget. >> Yes. So, what what you have tonight is >> this is this is the great city
101budget, right? And I know we're in the right room. >> What the city council gets is what you see. >> They don't get the breakdown. Uh they can only vote on the bottom line. Now, when the school department presents to the city council, then they will share uh the breakdown. But, uh I know the superintendent's team will present us with some options in the upcoming uh budget meetings. So, >> that's what I was going to ask when when >> I only just shared this so you get a picture of of the entirety of the city, what's going on. I got you. I just wanted to make sure for the people watching at home that they don't think that we're looking at the school budget and um just a timeline for that. That's coming obviously in
102the next couple weeks, right? >> Um it'll be most likely I think the first week in June is >> May 20th. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> May 20th meeting. >> May 20th. May >> May 20th. Great. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh next on the agenda we have fiscal year 26 third quarter budget review. I have Mr. Adam Conlin to come to the open floor. Mike mic. >> Good evening everyone. It's great to be with you for the first time. I'll go ahead and provide a high level overview of where we stand financially as of the third quarter March 31st. Overall, the district remains in stable and positive financial position at this point and throughout the rest of this fiscal year. As a general overview, the fiscal year 26 budget of 146,734,627 had an
103increase of 4,198,160 over the previous year's budget, making this another budget building year. The mayor's appropriation was 138,384,627 or a 3.13% increase. Projected circuit breaker funding was budgeted at 8.35 million which was a 1 million increase over the previous fiscal year. As Jim had mentioned in the previous several meetings, we're actually going to be receiving 10.35 million, which is 2 million over budgeted for circuit breaker, which is greatly beneficial for offsetting the special ed tuition costs. So, what you should have in front of you is a breakout of the salaries and then the expenses. Uh, starting with the salaries, which make up the majority of our budget, we're currently projecting a favorable position. This is largely due to what we refer to as salary breakage. In simple terms, when a tenur staff retires at a
104higher salary, then they're replaced with someone maybe with less years of experience, that difference in salary creates natural savings for us within the budget. This is variable every year and determined by the number of retirements, so it can be hard to predict. Nonetheless, we're benefiting it from it this year. Longevity currently holds a small negative balance. The QEA contract had an increase of longevity cost of 277,100 for academic classroom teachers, academic program teachers, and academic support teachers. And this will be offset by that breakage mentioned previously. For academic support, there are a few here where we're projecting slight negative balances. And I'll go ahead and provide explanations on those specifically. directors. This is due to the retiring director, Allison Cox in retiring director of business, Jim Jim Melany. Uh Jim stayed on, helped train me
105and really appreciate him doing that. He's been super helpful in this transition. Um you know, he didn't have to stick around and help me out as much as he has and I really appreciate it. He's always been a call away. department heads. There were two employees that were previously paid from a grant and I believe a couple quarters ago, we were told that they're no longer to be paid from said grant. So, we've been paying them out of the salary line. For PAR professionals, this is the special education costs and there were some students that required one-on-one that were not additionally budgeted for that were new to the district. Part-time professional, this is due to important programs such as the afterchool and credit recovery program. under non-academic support pair professionals are slightly high here similarly
106and this is because uh we have about 10 bus monitors budgeted but we only have about three that are active right now so we're having to use the paraprofessionals as bus monitors so paying them at the par rate overtime is slightly negative due to a lot of the work done great work done in the schools that's required for the use of the custodial staff for example as mentioned the squant school. For expenses, we're always focusing closely on special education tuition. This category can fluctuate year-to-year depending on student needs and placements. So, some level of variability is expens expected, excuse me. The second area is utilities, which are also running higher than anticipated for this year, specifically electric. These costs are driven largely by external factors such as rates of the kilow hour and usages. We're
107anticipating higher higher energy costs in the future years as well due to m macroeconomic factors. Importantly, as of this year, both of these pressures are effectively being offset between that circuit breaker and also that salary breakage. Between now and the end of the year, we'll continue to closely monitor spending across all schools and make adjustments as needed to maintain this stability while we go into the uh new fiscal year. And I'm happy to answer any questions in the house. Any questions for my colleagues? Mrs. Cahill. >> Um, Adam, when when you um when we work on the budget during the year, you know, and and from my perspective, seeing other school um districts having budget issues and things like that and I'm always concerned about, you know, how does it end up happening all of
108a sudden in the towards the end of the year, they're millions of dollars short, right? um what do we do in our system to make sure that that we're kind of monitoring where we are in the budget and making sure we're not going to be in trouble at the end of the year? >> Yeah, that's a great question. I think some of the processes that were in place when I joined to make that really easy. Uh we have a weekly meeting with a leadership team, Superintendent Mulvy, Dr. Perkins, and al as well as Joe Puland. We meet every single week and basically what we do is um Munis is the software that has all the transactions and we export a year-to- date budget report and it basically shows everything that's been expent through that exact
109day and it also gives us percentages of remaining. >> So we can basically look at that and I also look at the previous week's report and it breaks it out every single line. We can see every single expense and as well every single expense or cost goes through the business office has to be approved. there's a lot of levels of checks and balances. So if there something came in um anything that comes in I guess basically week over week uh we would see. So it helps you know those meetings every week are a big deal to see everything >> be able to monitor where we are and if we have to make any adjustments. Okay. Thank you. >> Any other questions? >> Mr. Leon. >> Thank you Mr. Conland. Um, can you please help me
110better understand uh the deficits? I know you went through some of the examples um and your um description of of why there was one for directors. That makes sense with uh Mr. Melany um staying on, but um you know something like AIDS um can you just help me understand how that was not anticipated? >> Definitely. I think that ties along with the special ed tuitions as well. So, say there's a student that comes in from another district um and then we're forced to take on that tuition, that student might also need an aid, a one-on-one. So, then we would have to take on that cost as well that wasn't previously budgeted for. >> Okay. So, so the aids that you had planned for they were already with their maximum number of of students. >> Yeah.
111So maybe Dr. Parkinson you want to. >> Yes. So the when you know we have a set amount of aids in the budget and so those positions are typically already filled at the start of the school year and so then you know as the year progresses it could be a student like Mr. Colin said that moves in. It could be a student that is having a really difficult time um that wasn't maybe previously having a really difficult time that the educator needs support in their classroom. Um and you know for potentially for safety reasons for lots of different reasons we have to add a paraprofessional. Um and so sometimes that happens throughout the year and then and so that would be unanticipated costs and then as u Mr. Conlin mentioned we have a shortage of
112bus monitors right now. Um and so one of the things in order to remedy that because students have monitors written into their individual education plans and they cannot be transported without them. So in order to remedy that we are paying quite a few paraprofessionals to ride the buses and serve as the onetoone monitor. Obviously, we would love more monitors, but it is kind of a best case scenario to fix the situation because the pars do know the students. They know what works behaviorally during the day and they know, you know, how to make it a less eventful bus ride home. Um, and so, you know, so those are those are kind of the things that we didn't anticipate or potentially a student needs a par profofessional to attend an afterchool program. you know, we we
113we are inclusive in our special education programs. Our kids are able to do every single afterchool program that any other student in the district is able to do. And so we do provide uh paraprofessional support for that when students want to attend. >> Okay, great. Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> Motion to approve. >> Yep. Um so I need a motion to approve um the budget review by Mayor Ko. Second by Miss Cahill. I need a roll call vote. Mr. >> Superintendent. >> Mr. Begley. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Cahill. Yes. >> Miss Campbell. Yes. >> Mrs. Hubley. Yes. >> Mr. Le Young. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Perios. And Mayoke. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Okay. Next on the agenda is uh QPS fiscal year 2026 grant booklet for
114review to budget finance and audit subcommittee. Mayor K. >> Yeah. you have in your packet um included in your packet. This will be helpful going forward as we go into our budget deliberations. This these are the extras uh beyond the municipal budget. As I mentioned, some of these are uh federal grants, state grants, foundations, some of them are entitlements, some of them are competitive, and we have a great staff I know that works hard on uh seeking additional funds to help the system. So, um that's all I got. >> Okay. So, moved. Next on the agenda, we have proposed revision to the school committee policy book section 9.2 school year calendar. >> I'd also like to put this on the place this on the table uh as we have that discussion uh next next meeting.
115>> Okay. So moved. All right. Next we have the consent agenda. This is a roll call vote and do I need a motion and a second and any discussion? Can I make a motion by Miss Cahill, second by Mr. Burggalie. Any discussion? Seeing none, >> Mr. Begali, >> yes. >> Mrs. Cahill, yes. >> Miss Campbell, >> yes. >> Mrs. Hubley, >> yes. >> Mr. Lee Young, >> yes. >> Mrs. Perios, yes. >> And Maya Coke, >> yes. >> Thank you. >> Oops. Sorry. >> Sorry. We'll have you on. >> Okay. Next on the agenda is additional business. Seeing none, then we have communications. We have upcoming school committee meetings at the Conington building at 6:30 on both May 20th and June 10th. reports of subcommittees. We have none at this time and we will be
116going into executive session for contract negotiations. Motion that we go into um executive session for the purpose of contract negotiations with the caveat that will not be returning to regular session. >> Okay. I have a first do I have a second by M. Cahill. Roll call vote, please. >> Mr. Begley, Mrs. Cahill, yes. >> Mrs. Ms. Campbell, yes. >> Mrs. Hubley, yes. Mr. Lee Young, >> yes. >> Mrs. Perios and Mayo. Yes, sir. Thank you. >> Thank you. I have a motion to adjurnn. >> Motion by Miss Cahill. Second. All in favor. Have a great night. Thank you so much.