001[Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Hey. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Music] One day. [Music] Hey, [Music] [Applause] [Music] heat. Hey. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Hey. Hey. Hey. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] Heat. [Music] Hey, hey, hey. [Music] Wow. [Music] Heat. [Music] Hey, [Music] hey, hey. [Music] Oh, [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Hey, Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Hey. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Music] Good evening and welcome to the regular meeting of the Everett School Committee for Monday, August 25th. th 2025. The time is 6:35 p.m. Clerk, could you call the role to determine a quorum? >> Mr. Almea Barrows, >> present. >> Miss Babcock, >> present. >> Miss Barrows, >> present. >>
002Miss Cornelio, >> present. >> Miss Cristiano, >> present. >> Mayor Di Maria, >> here. >> Mr. Denafhrio, >> present. >> Miss Garren, >> present. >> Mr. Lmon Monica. >> Madame Chair, >> present. Nine members present. >> Nine members present. We do have a quorum. If everyone can join me in saluting the flag 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. >> Thank you everyone. I would like to extend uh Joe Lam Monica regrets he's unable to attend this evening. And with that, Mr. Superintendent >> Chairman a motion of a matter point of point of privilege. Um I just wanted to recognize uh the passing of uh Dr. Peter Mazuchi. Um Dr. Peter Mazuchi passed unexpectedly
003uh last week. He uh as we all know was the the key uh key instrumental person who started for kids only and not for kids only after school I mean the joint committee for children's healthc care uh he was a pediatrician in the city of Everett was my pediatrician at the age of right the age of I think seven um he was a >> true gentleman >> he was a true gentleman true friend loved our city loved the people of our community most of you probably your children probably had him as as as as their ped as his pediatrician of your kids. Uh he will be sorely missed. Um he was a dear friend of mine as most of you know. Um and so uh I just want send our love to his wife and
004his family and just let them know that uh Peter Mizuchi will always um be someone that uh will always remember, cherish his love for children. Uh I've never seen someone love and care for kids uh the way he did. Uh so may God rest us all. So if we can have a moment of silence for him. >> Please rise for a moment of silence. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. >> U Mr. Superintendent, the next order of business, >> Roman numeral 3, reading of the records for Monday, June the 16th, 2025. >> Make a motion to wave the reading of the records and place on file. Second. >> Motion has been made by Miss Babcock, seconded by Mayor D. Maria to wave the reading and place on file for Monday, June 16th, 2025. All those in
005favor? I. >> All those opposed? The eyes have it. Motion passed. Superintendent. The next order of business. >> Roman numeral 4. Public comment. >> Make a motion to open public comment. >> Second. >> Motion has been made by Miss Barrow, seconded by Miss Cornelio to open public comment. All those in favor? >> All those opposed? The eyes have it. Public comment is open. >> 6:38 p.m. Uh, seeing no speakers, I'll just ask if anyone would like to speak for public comment. >> Seeing none, >> make a motion to close public comment. >> Second. Motion has been made by Miss Babcock, seconded by Miss Cornelio to close public comment. All those in favor? >> All those opposed. The eyes have it. Public comment is now closed. Superintendent. The next order of business. >> Roman numeral 5.
006Report of the student representative. And as you all know, we do not have a student representative yet appointed and elected by the student body. So that um there's no item before you. Superintendent, the next order of business. >> Roman Roman numeral six, report of the superintendent. Um, good evening everybody and for those at home that are watching. Um, today was a pretty big day in Everett public schools. Uh, we welcome back faculty and staff uh to what we call convocation, which is a gathering of all staff um that contribute to the success of our schools predominantly by teachers. We have over 740 teachers that work in our district, 139 paraprofessionals, and of course, we have others who support the work of our teaching staff, interventionists, reading specialists, and so forth. We also invite and include
007our leadership of our schools, uh, principles, assistant principles. We have our guidance counselors and other support staff, custodial staff, and others, administrative assistants are all welcome to participate. Today was a full event and I'd like to uh thank uh chairperson Hurley for addressing our gathering this morning. Uh Dr. Margaret Adams also made a presentation to our our folks and it's really a celebration and a beginning of the new school year. We highlight some of the successes that have occurred and those that we've worked on over the summer of uh planning for today and of course the plans that are yet before us with the students who will welcome tomorrow Tuesday um the 26th of August which is a half day for students in the schools except for prek. PreK starts next week on Wednesday um
008for a regular schedule and the prek programs both at the Adam School down on uh in the village section of Everett and of course Old Everett High School. Um so we uh welcomed folks today. As I said, we had a great gathering, a lot of fanfare. Our our young student ambassadors greeted all of our guests. The band played uh a fight song and march song. We had banners lining the driveway up to the school highlighting um pictures of our students in what they do best beyond the learning environment in their extracurricular activities from runners to to actors to singers to band members to football players, cheerleaders. So, we were able to capture all that and um put them on life-size banners up the drive um into Ever High School. red carpets were out to be
009ceremonial with our staff welcoming them back for the start of a new school year. We have a lot of successes to talk about. We'll certainly get um in more detail, but we've come a long way this past school year and we celebrated that. But as I told the faculty and staff today, we have much more to do. And we'll continue that upward trend of making Everett uh the very best school system that you all can continue to be proud of, but doing better each and every year with strategies and uh proven uh leadership in the schools to support the work that we'll do that will produce uh the results that all of us should expect from our students as they finish any time here with us in Everett. So, I don't want to get into
010all those great uh details, but I certainly will give you that as a a primma to the things that you'll hear from me over the next month or so. Some of the information that I'd love to share right now is embargoed, but let me tell you, it's good information and when I can be more detailed about it, we'll certainly share it right here in this very room. We um have a lot to be thankful for and the staff that we've brought on board and I'm going to ask you in a moment to bring a few of those staff members forward, new leaders in our district uh both here at Everett High School and at the really a very overcrowded but full parl uh school at the top of Broadway and uh a new uh role
011for a member of our senior team that will really be focused on um student services in a way that no other district does it. We are going to look at new ways both unique and challenging to help our students succeed um so that their classroom time is spent on learning. As you know, we spend a lot of time and money quite frankly and thanks to uh the mayor this past year giving us additional funds to support social workers. Now we have specialists in the schools and we are going to find those kinds of other services that can support the whole student to give that child every option to learn and to grow in Everett. And uh that will be led by uh the former principal here at Everett High School. And I'll formally introduce them
012in a few minutes. But let me um just give you a couple of other um tidbits of information. We will have um extra police um available on the streets around our schools from tomorrow on into next week to support um parents dropping off kids for the first day of school and maybe the second and third day of school. Uh but uh to keep that flow around our buildings clear and safe um for the children to enter and exit um safely. So I want to thank the ever police department for being such great partners to us. They always come forward and and come through for us. As you know, we have um student resource offices that staff our buildings. And once again, the same team will return to the roles that they had across the district.
013And I can tell you that the successes that they've um enjoyed, we've enjoyed. They've helped our kids. They've helped keep them on the straight and narrow when things weren't going so well for them, and they continue to be huge partners to our our calm and and friendly environments across the district. Um just uh as we start to think about the future next week we have another school committee meeting on September the 2nd which is the Tuesday after uh Labor Day. This meeting is part of your rules. So it's the last Monday in in a in August that your rules call for a school committee meeting. Um so at the next meeting I'll probably bring some more additional information um forward for you. I also wanted to acknowledge um I mentioned briefly the students. We had
014um a couple of student speakers this year. Kelly St. who was our student representative here to the school committee last year on her way to Tus University. Came back to address the staff this morning in such an eloquent way as we all know. We've heard from her here. Um she brought such great news to um those assembled and thank those who helped her along her journey. And uh we have Mary Helena, I think behind the camera here who talked about her experiences here at Ever High School and she's a senior um enjoying her time uh working behind the camera to uh support our school committee meeting. So thank you for your comments. Say hi to everybody. So we had the marching band here. We had student ambassadors here. We had staff welcoming folks uh to
015the building. we have a a bag lunch and our teachers went off to their respective buildings for meetings with the principles to go over kind of the rules and regulations and get their classrooms ready um at that last moment in time before they welcome the students tomorrow. Um, I'd like to also point out that the folks even in this room that were here with us early this morning, Josh Delgazo, Joe Joe Camley, Matt Ladlaw, and the whole team uh joined uh early this morning in preparing all the sound and the video and the digital marketing pieces that were held. They did an awful lot of work. I want to thank them publicly. Well, many of them are still here. They started very early right alongside me this morning at 600. So, thank you to all
016the folks that are here in the room with us tonight. We um everybody's involved in this. Our athletic department um was heavily involved thanks to Tammy Turner and Steve Gallagha. They helped assemble some of those photos that we used of the young people this morning. Um and the teachers as they walked in said, "Oh, I had this one or I had that one." And in fact, um Miss Babcock, your daughter was on the screen behind me when I was speaking to the group this morning. and I look back and I recognized her smiling face and called her out by name. Uh we have a lot to be proud of and every we continue to focus on those good things. Um and today was one of those days that we did it. So um with your
017permission I would ask that the school committee at least at this moment in my report invite up the three folks that I'd like uh to talk a little bit about before they come up. Uh one is Dennis Lynch, our assistant superintendent of student services. Uh Dr. John Bger, our new uh principal of Everett High School, and Darlene Punali, who is the um new principal of the Albert Parlin School. If you would uh when they come up, I would give them a little intro and have them introduce themselves. >> So, move to bring our guests forward. >> Second. >> Motion made by Mr. Barrow, seconded by Miss Babcock to invite um our guests before us for introductions. All those in favor? >> All those opposed? The eyes have it. >> Three of you can sit right
018in front. Um let me first start with assistant superintendent of uh student services uh Mr. Lynch. Mr. Lynch is no stranger to all of you and certainly not to this building. Uh Mr. Lynch has served as the principal of Ever High School for the past 3 years, but before that he um served as the principal of the parl. Mr. Lynch will provide uh vision and leadership for our students with wraparound services I mentioned a moment ago and develop new strategies to engage students and help them find success inside and outside of our classrooms. He will work collaboratively with the educators in several major areas including but not limited to special education, guidance, counseling, health services, hospital and homebound services, school psychologies, social work, dropout prevention, social emotional and mental health programming. He's got a lot
019on his plate. Um but he is up to that task. He knows firsthand the challenges that our students have faced as principal and really um two of the largest schools in the district. Of course, this is the flagship school at 2,300 plus students. Um next to Mr. Lynch is Dr. John Brager. John um comes to us from most recently from Fitchburg as principal of the Fitsburg Fitchburg High School and prior to that he was principal of Lynn English High School. Um he holds a bachelor of arts in English from Stson University in Florida, a master's of education from Leslie University and a doctorate in education from the University of Mass at Lel. Um he succeeds Mr. Lynch who's been the principal here. As I mentioned, uh Dr. Brager speaks Portuguese and Spanish and has wasted
020no time in showing his skills as a school leader, quickly immersing himself in his work, communicating with teachers, students, and families well before he even walked in the doors. and he has jumped right in. And uh next to Dr. Brager is Delen Punali who brings two decades of international and domestic educational leadership in her roles as principal of the parli. She also is fluent in Portuguese and conversant in Spanish. She's worked in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Florida, Texas, Mexico, and Brazil. Um serving as a principal and assistant principal, K through five director, the curriculum leader. She's done it all. So I put before you and they can talk a little bit uh about themselves to you. Um we have strength in this district and we brought some more here and I wanted to um showcase these
021three fine new leaders um in the district. Um we're going to bring our students to new heights and these are the few of the folks along with our others that you many of you already know that are going to do just that. So maybe each of you could just do a oneliner or two maybe three. I know that you're not shy Mr. Lynch. Exactly. Yeah. I was going to say Mr. Lynch isn't shy. So there might be 10 lines. >> I'm fluid in Everett, so I'll take some more. Um, no, but I'm very excited um to join the superintendent's team. Um, you know, kind of uniquely qualified to sit next to these two individuals and very proud to sit next to these two individuals having served as the principal of the parl and most recently
022Everett High School. Uh, I loved it. It's been a great transition. It's very quiet at Vine Street compared to the high school in the Parland. Uh so that's something I'll have to get used to. But uh I am very excited for for this new role as uh Mr. Hart had said you know um special education um seal things I'm very passionate about obviously passionate about the students. So I mean this role is perfect for me and I hope I'm perfect for the role. Um just moving forward I want to continue to do great things in this district. Think outside the box as Mr. heart said, you know, to really offer our students something that, um, may not be seen in other districts. But, um, as I said, I thank you. I love to continue working
023with you all, as you've been very supportive of my time here in Everett, um, which is my second home. I'm a Southshore guy, as you most of you all know, but this is this is my home, and I love I I love it here. I love these kids. I love the people. So, um, I'm just very excited for the next level. I wish both of my new colleagues the best of luck. I know they are going to do wonderful things for two buildings that I love um and hold dear to my heart. So, thank you and thank you for having me tonight. >> Thank you, Mr. Lynch. >> Dr. Brager, >> it's a tough act to follow. Um hi everybody. I'm Dr. Brager. I'm very excited to be here, very humbled to be here. Um
024Everett's a very special place for me. Uh it's the first place that my wife and I lived when we uh brought our son and our daughter home from the hospital. So um it's great to come back and and serve the community. Uh this building is special to me as well. I I taught ESL here at night, so it was great to kind of walk through and and just see it again. And uh so I'm excited to be here. I love being a high school principal. It's the kind of only job in the world I want. So I'm excited to be here and really um build off the success that Mr. Lynch put together. He did a great job here. So, I'm excited and humbled to to follow in his footsteps and continue to support the
025school. Um, like the superintendent was saying, you know, I wanted to hit the ground running, make sure we were ready to open up the school year. If, you know, if the job requires nights, I'll work nights. If it's mornings, if it's weekends, whatever it takes to really make Everett High School and the Everett public schools really the uh the gold seal for urban education in Massachusetts. And that's the the ultimate goal. Thank you, Dr. Burger. >> Valene. >> Yes. So, I'm also uh very honored and humbled to be here in effort. This morning was the convocation. I I'll say with all honesty, it was the best convocation I've ever participated in in my whole career. So, I was I felt very energized even though the guest speaker made me go up on the stage this
026morning and kind of embarrassed me to death. But, it's great. I want to really uh thank um Mr. Hart, Dr. Adams, my transition into the role was a very seamless uh this is very rare to happen but uh um principal Sero who was retired I got to spend two weeks with her. I was able to spend two weeks with her and really learning from her about what the the systems in place already at the parl. So it was that was a gift to me to be able to spend that time with her. Today I was able to um meet all my staff. It was an exciting day for me and tomorrow will be the kids. So, um I'm just very um honored to be here and I look forward to this school year and and
027I I just feel really good about being here in effort and I want to thank you all for this opportunity. Thank you. >> Thank you, darling. >> Thank you very much. So, Darlene will have at least 1,000 students walking in her door tomorrow and Dr. Brager, you'll have about 23 2400. So, get ready. Thank you so much for being here with us this evening. Uh, Miss Babcock, >> uh, through you. Um, to our guests, I just I want to say I I welcome aboard. Um, I think it's great that you speak more than one language in a school system where 70% of the kids English is not their first language. So, it's I think that it's not only great that you'll be able to communicate with them well, but they will also be able to
028look at you as role models for the future. So, welcome aboard. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Thank you. >> Thank you. Is there a motion to excuse our guests? >> Make a motion to excuse our guests with the customary. Thanks. >> Second. Sorry about that. >> Motion was made by Miss Babcock, seconded by Miss Cornelio to excuse our guests. All those in favor? >> All those opposed? The eyes have it. Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much. >> Welcome aboard. So these three fine people will have almost 1,400 other employees in the Ever Public Schools um to deliver the services that you all expect us to deliver at the highest caliber that we can. Um many of you know we were engaged in professional development opportunities for our staff um and our
029senior team over the summer. We helped staff also learn how to write better evaluations to in order to provide feedback to our teaching staff so that we know that um what we ask them to do and what they're observed doing is one and the same. So uh there's been a lot of time and energy spent in the summer months. I know a lot of folks think that um the teachers aren't there, the kids aren't there, that means there's nothing happening. We're very busy during the summer months and um I thank all of the senior team because each of them in their own way had to um really step up and do lots of different things and to get ready for 1,400 people and 7,300 plus students um this week alone. Let me just touch upon
030the energy and the work that was done over the summer months and continues on into early fall. Uh as many of you know uh Deputy um Gretchen Manning is uh overseas all facilities security. Um there has been an enormous amount of work done in our facilities across the district from um the time in which we could work around the young people during our summer programming um to right up until this morning at I think we had the folks in at 4:00 a.m. uh to make sure that our schools look tiptop. I want to thank the custodial staff and support staff who make all the difference in the world behind the scenes all summer long. I reported to the staff this morning that we spent um the summer painting thousands of square feet of our buildings.
031We spent energy and time uh resurfacing all the floors, replacing broken windows, installing new ceiling tiles and and u security shades that are kind of should be in all of our buildings. We're doing that. There is a laundry list of things. We're renovating um outside spaces of our building so that they less they look less harsh. We've done some landscaping. Um just cleaning up a lot of things. I want to um thank our legislative delegation. Uh we've received several earra staircase here at Ever High School. We'll have safety treads put on it after how long we've talked about it. That'll go up the front stairs. We have we've renovated um or will be renovating our uh gym here at Everett High School with new seating. We've redone five or six gym floors in the district.
032Hasn't been done in years. Um we're going to th that level of maintenance and repair that takes a lot of planning time and money. Some of the bigger projects um that are undergoing now and I and the mayor is here with us this evening. Um we've we received $2 million to replace um the HVAC system at the Whittier School that provides not only air conditioning but heating as we get into the cold months. Uh without his support and the votes from the city council, we could not do that. I mean it was it really was a safety if you will issue and um a health issue but um they all stepped up and uh we got that appropriation. Um the old Everett high school roof is almost complete. I did a tour there today. Uh
033we will welcome back our preschoolers to that building next week. But um one of the things that um again, Mayor Di Maria, I just uh wanted to say that uh we are able to take additional three classroom space on that first level that we currently have, our preschool program. Um we're opening new classrooms thanks to the work of the city employees. Um because the roof is almost completed, it'll be done by early November. Um we you don't have to worry about water coming into that part of the building. We're able to open up uh three classroom spaces, a calming room, and places to provide our students, our young people, um OT and PT. Um unfortunately, we've had a lot of kids test into special ed need special requirements. And for those of you who remember,
034we can only have nine students in the class like that. So we had a significant number of newcomers um testing into that level. We needed the space and we need it now. And thank you uh Mayor Di Maria tell your crew they have been phenomenal along with the folks that are doing the roof. Great partnerships there. So we will um welcome uh a very full prek uh class to the Old Ever High School and we have the space to accommodate them for this coming school year. Um, a lot of other things happening in the district. We have a new director of special education. Uh, Dr. Donny, who as many of you know, has served in that role for seven years. He wanted to go back to school as he said, and he wanted to go
035back to the parliament as an assistant principal. We had an opening um, and he applied, went through the process, and he will um, help lead the um, parl with um, Darlene and the other assistant uh, Anna K. and both of them will uh open school tomorrow together as a team. Uh the new gentleman comes to us uh from a pretty extensive background in special education over 20 years as an educator uh uh Sheamus Brady. He's um also started this week with the Ever Public Schools. we will also have at our disposal which I think you know in this day and age it's it's probably a necessity especially in a big organization that's complex uh with many employees and many vendors and many issues. Uh we will have uh thanks to all of you on the
036school committee a year ago. You funded a um a general counsel for the district who will work solely on the issues that face the Ever public schools each and every day. We will be his only client. He's coming to us from Washington DC as he served the city council in Washington and currently or just now that he's coming here he was formerly of the uh NTSB. Um Bracket Smith has a very significant background in public uh law. So, we look forward to his addition to our conversation, our deliberations, and certainly um supporting the district and all those kind of intricate places where sometimes we have to go outside of our outside of our walls to get um legal advice and support for the district. So, I want to um welcome him in abstentia. There's a
037whole host of other folks that have joined um the leadership uh in the director capacities. Um there was a slight reorganization here at Ever High School. um to be more reflective of the needs of our programs and our students and the kind of role that we expect our leaders to do. And that's to evaluate staff to be here more often to do the things that sometimes positions that we've always had. Um great people, but we need more. We can't just do the same old thing. We have evolved as a system. And this isn't just Everett. It's everywhere. But we need to work with that. we need to change with that. We need to accommodate the needs of our kids. And I spent um as you all know the first many months really evaluating, thinking about
038ways in which we could enhance what we've done, what could we do more that we don't do now. And so I think this leadership change in the district will help just do that. And hopefully year after year while I'm here, I can report significant advances um across the board to you. As I said, some of those are embargoed right now. I'm smiling because I know the information and I'm very pleased. Um, you know, small efforts. I'll give you an example. As you know, many of you were here in my um interview process. I said, you know, I'm going to really focus on attendance. In order for us to move kids forward, they have to be in the seats to begin with, right? So, we had a very um poor attendance record in Everett. It is
039not perfect and it is not unique to Everett. However, we couldn't just blame it on the world. We couldn't just say, "Well, it's everywhere." We made very intentional steps and I know all of you in this school committee heard from that committee I established with parents and actually a few student voices and administrators and other staff to talk about ways in which we could improve attendance. I'm happy to say we're on that great trajectory. Our attendance has increased this past year. Our chronic absenteeism is down this year. It's intentional. It's small. It's incremental. It's intentional though. We're going to continue to do that until we all get to a place that you can all say Everett's number one. And I'm going to continue to work with the folks that we've assembled here tonight and beyond
040to do just that across the district. So, we also have a lot of things going on. Um just a quick reference to the Mass School Building Authority. As you know, um even though it was summer, uh everybody's working towards uh various projects. Um the Mass School Building Authority keeps us kind of on task. We along with the city of Everett uh continue to provide um the kinds of documents that the school building authority requires. They're mandatory and it takes it's not just filling out a piece of paper and sending it in. It takes time and energy, some research, some statistical reporting uh with the CFO at the city and Gretchen Manning and her team. We've been putting those documents together so that we can continue to remain eligible and feasible to uh consider building a
041new Ever High School. So, um we are on our way. We have several um benchmark dates that we're working towards. Uh we've met all the deadlines up to this point. We have a couple pending um next week, the 3rd and the eth um in which we will provide um the mass school building authority the mandated reports that they require. We've got great feedback from our folks there that said effort is strong, effort is doing um the kinds of things that they need from a district to show that we're serious about this and that we're getting what they need not only on time but correct. So, uh, just wanted to make a quick reference to that as I talk about all the things that are happening in the existing buildings. We're not taking our eye off
042of the ball, um, with the, uh, the new high school, um, in that process. And certainly, we continue to work, uh, with the city on expanding space, um, at the old Everett High School to accommodate what we've been talking about now for a year, um, the seventh and eighth graders out of our current s buildings into a new location. And um the city council approved some money back, Mr. Mayor, back in the spring to reook at the plans that had been drawn to be sure that we've accommodated for every condition that we want. And with that, we will put back before them, and I'm not going to speak for the mayor or the city council, but we'll put back before them a revised plan based on their additional input and the kinds of space that
043we know we need in Everett, not just classroom space. We need a full functioning facility. Um, and the old Everett High School could be just that with the right plans. And so hopefully I'll come back to you at some point when the architect and others have drawn some new plans for the city council to consider. we can move forward on that project. So, I say all these not to just kind of bring up all the little things. It's just a lot goes on in the summer months and I just want you to be sure that you know that um we weren't taking our eye off for those very important strategic initiatives uh that this district must uh continue to do. And quickly, um we also focused a lot on technology. Um, this district has been
044very fortunate um, in that we were able to attract the right kind of um, IT um, staff that we need in a large district like that to protect not only us, but we share the work with the city to protect all of the quote portals that people could do some bad things to us. We continue to upgrade our infrastructure. We've provided every single teacher a new device this year um that helps them deliver the best kind of instruction, the best technology that um we could buy with with federal dollars quite frankly. And we we did that with every student at Ever High School has a new computer this year. When they come to school tomorrow, they will have a new laptop, excuse me, Chromebook. And uh every staff port person that supports their work will
045have the right technology to do the work we expect them to do with the latest um and greatest if you will. Secure networking, doubling the bandwidth, providing more access, more portals, smart classrooms. You know, when you think about the potential in a school district, you can only go so far. We're going beyond that. We have to if we want to grow this student body to turn out strong young men and women when they leave this building, we have to expend the money in the right way to get the results that we expect. And we're bringing good staff. We're paying our folks good. We're giving them professional development. We're making our building safe and strong and better looking. We are creating a system that um I want to make second to none. And with the support
046of the school committee um and the energy I know all of you have uh and the staff that we have in these buildings, you're going to see that and we're going to continue that work um throughout not only this summer and this fall, but as long as you'll have me and as long as uh our energy and quite frankly our money holds out. So um Madam Chair, I took way too much of your time. I uh just wanted to say I'm excited for a new school year. I look forward to continued success with the great people we have and the wonderful children and families that come together like no other and so many events that have happened over the summer. Just another quick thought when we had quote summer school, we intentionally invited our families
047to send their child because we knew that that child could benefit become to come to school in an academic setting. It's not just playtime, it's learning. And we have a title one program that we're giving kids and families not only the tools, meaning the books, but we're giving uh time and energy before school and in meetings and gatherings after school, encouraging reading, encouraging literacy. The energy that Dr. Adams and her crew at the um at Vine Street and beyond have put into this. Um we're seeing results now and we're going to continue to do that um in this coming school year and in the years beyond. So um Madam Chair, I've gone on too long. Thank you so much. Um I'm happy to answer any questions before I go into the regular order of business.
048>> Thank you, Superintendent. I'll go around the room. Miss Baros, >> thank you for that update. That's a lot of information and excited for a new school year tomorrow. My only question, I guess, would be, do we have a number of hired nurses? I know you know where I'm going with this. >> I knew you were going to ask that question. I have it here. >> Field trip's going to be approved. >> Yes. So, as of today, um the director of public health in Everett, who's been also a wonderful partner helping to recruit and really taking a lead on recruiting nurses to Everett, reported to me that 17 nurses have been hired. And remember the 18 is the quote benchmark in order for us to get a medical delegation so that when a nurse isn't
049available there certain medications that we as lay people can provide with parents consent in in a school building or for that matter on a field trip. Um Sabrina and I uh Mr. Fano and I are going to be meeting uh early next week to talk about how we can work with the nursing staff that we have along with the pdium nurses which become costly but if it helps us get to the place where we can offer um field trips again um that's what I'm headed towards. So yes 17 as of today. I know they have at least one or two kind of in the process, so we're not going to count them yet, but my goal is to restore um field trips as part of our offerings to our students in this coming school year.
050So, thank you for that question. >> Thank you, Miss Barrows. Miss Karen, >> um thank you, Madam Chair. Actually, my question was also about the nurses. >> Somehow I knew that. >> Yes, you I think you knew that. Um that's I mean that's fantastic news. Um so um and happy to be having the field trips again. Um is that going to be uh helping with like the the vision screenings and the hearing screenings as well? >> Right. They're going to continue to do that. Um as you know much of the screenings are done or have been done by our nurses and in some schools um they got quite a bit done before the school year was over. They'll continue that work as we enter into the new school year now. So, yes. >> Yes. Wonderful.
051Thank you. >> They'll be back on that. >> Thank you, Miss Garen. Miss Babcock, >> I was going to ask that question, too, but it's already been answered. Um, I would like to add to that, though. It's I'm fantastic that our kids can have experiences outside of the classrooms and be safe and healthy with a nurse present. But I think it's even more important because people don't realize, you know, the level of acuity or the burden for school nurses. Um, you know, we we mentioned that the the parliament has 8,000 children. >> Yes, >> that's a that's a big ratio. So, the 17 nurses, I'm that's very good news. So, I actually have five questions. Some are short. >> Okay. So, the first one is what is Mr. Lynch's exact title? >> Assistant superintendent of
052student services. Okay. Um I just re um renamed a position that existed as an assistant superintendent but his focus as we mentioned is on supporting our student kind of the whole student. So it's a wraparound services that we're going to continue to expand. >> Great. How is the hiring of our social workers um coming along as well? >> We have 19 social workers. Um, so our full complement would be 20, but the 20th person is the supervisor of that group, which I think you've met, Amanda Bonitez. She has served in that capacity with us a little over a year, but had worked in a previous school district. And um, our social workers are doing an enormous amount of inschool work. And as I told the staff today, um although we used to have some outplacements
053that occurred in the buildings, our social workers and seel specialists, which are also a level of um intervention for our young people are in our buildings every day. There's no appointment needed. They're they're there and available as needed. Um the other system, you had to have an appointment. you always had to have insurance. While those folks did a great job for us, um it was costly for us and took up space in our buildings. Not that that's an issue either, but um our social workers are doing that and quite frankly are available 24/7 quite honestly because so many of them have um offered to work with our families beyond the school day. >> Okay, ready? So the the next one is and this is an easy one and it might be for Dave actually. Um
054can you provide us an updated organizational chart so that we can see who are the leaders and each building and schools and admin? >> I did um actually send one to uh Miss Hurley for her review last week and I think we were just waiting for one or two more editions before I shared it with everybody. So it's almost done and um I'm assuming this week we'll put the finishing touches and uh uh Mr. Okconor can get that to everybody. >> Okay. Um, so two questions and you can so give can you give an example of what's the next deadline for the MSBA? So on next Wednesday, September the 3rd, uh in order to move projects like this ahead, there is a OPM, so it's a project manager, it's a fancy title, I guess, >>
055uh for the project, which is required as a step. And so that um process on September 3rd is to initiate the uh advertisement and solicitation of potential OPMS. And so those deadlines, there's a there's a posting and then there's a there's a certain date that they ought to be reviewed. So September 3rd is kind of a functionary step. >> Um can you give an example of the new technology or explain what that new technology was? I I'm so happy that the kids have new Chromebooks because I know for a fact that the at the high school students all had different levels of technology >> like uh some had touchscreen some did not some >> laptops were not functioning at all charging ports not working >> so forth so thank you that makes a huge difference
056access to technology for students >> sure we we have um ordered a Chromebook for everybody and those will stay with the student during during their time there will be replacements available, but we're going to get a little bit more stricter. Um, as many of you probably know, some of our students had a couple of them because if they broke or they forgot them, they didn't bring them back to school and in the past they just got a new one. So, there's going to be a little bit more. Um, she's laughing cuz she, Miss Barrows, knew at least one person that did that. Um but we are going to have also a replacement um policy so that we will look at these on a regular and routine bas basis. So for um a student who uh
057comes to us will have that for the whole four-year cycle. But those that we keep in our schools, we're going to have like a life cycle replacement. So, we're going to be very um systematic about making sure they're up to date um with with the best that we can get them for the time that we're delivering. So, between last fiscal year and this, we've purchased a total of 6,000 Chromebooks. 6,000. >> Well, that's great. >> Yeah. >> I know that um at UMass, like you can see it on my laptop right here cuz I came right from work. Um, it has a little barcode on it that you can scan it and know who it belongs to and the number on it and when it was put into life >> and we have geo fencing
058so that nobody could sell them outside of this area. They can't use them beyond certain boundaries of the state. I mean, we've taken all those additional steps so that they're only as good to the student who received them. They won't be able to or person if they should capture them um can't sell them somewhere else. Well, that's a great uh system for keeping better track of valuable equipment and making it available to the next set of kids that come in as well. Um, I think that's all the questions I have. Somebody else might have one, but thank you for filling in the details for me. I appreciate it. >> My pleasure. >> Oh, and the chronic absenteeism. That's, you know, that's the first thing I brought to you. It makes me very happy. >> Almost
0595% um >> 5% 5%'s a lot when you have a population of over 7,000 students. So, thank you. >> You're welcome. Any further questions for the superintendent regarding his update? Mr. Mayor, >> thank you, madame chairman. Uh, superintendent, unbelievable presentation. Um truly um you know as a parent of a student here at Ever High School um and as taxpayer in the city of Everett as well not only as the mayor I appreciate uh what you have done in the school system what you continue to do your transparency your honesty your love for our children the team you're putting together um so thank you I truly mean that thank you very much and it's a it's a pleasure to work with you uh on all these um all these important matters. Um I do want to
060thank uh my team at city hall at the HR and board of health for uh aggressively uh tasking themselves with ensuring that we were able to hire those nurses in the school system. I also want to thank Gretchen and Eric Deus and Cara Freeman who are new procurement officer in the city for uh all their work on the MSBA. um in getting us to the point that we're at with the new high school and um again uh so much more I can say. I'm excited to uh meet the work with the new members of the team. Uh you know the the respect I have for Dennis Lynch, so glad to see him in this new role. Uh you are assembling a great team of professionals here. Um and it's nice and it's refreshing and uh
061and in my 18 years um as mayor um I really have to say that I really feel the best I felt when it comes to um having a a relationship with a superintendent that I know truly believes and just making sure to do the best for our children and not making it political. So, God bless you and your role again this year and I'm always here for you and your team and look forward to um building that new high school at full vocational for our residents. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Seeing no other questions or comments, we accept the report of the superintendent, place on file. >> Second. >> Well, I can't motion. >> I'll make a motion to accept the report of the superintendent and place on file. >> Second. Motion
062made by Miss Babcock, seconded by Miss Barrow to accept the report of the superintendent and place on file. All those in favor? >> All those opposed. The eyes have it. Superintendent. The next order of business. >> So is customary we bring the grants that we apply for and receive to you for approval. Uh this first grant is uh of course everything in education has an acronym. This is PRISM. Prism Grant three in the amount of $132,000 from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. I'm asking for favorable action. This is a partnership for reading success and Everett was one of the grantees. And I'd like to thank publicly once again the um governor and her administration for supporting the kind of work that we do here in Everett. And this is one example of how
063we can use these dollars to help support our our uh high quality instructional materials and work um cooperatively with grades four and five on reading and writing. >> Second. >> Motion made by Miss Cristiano, seconded by Miss Cornelio to accept uh the Prism 3 grant in the amount of 132,000 from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Roll call. >> Mr. Almeida Barrows. >> Yes. >> Miss Babcock, >> yes. >> Miss Barrows, >> yes. >> Miss Cornelio, >> yes. >> Miss Cristiano, >> yes. >> Mayor Di Maria, >> yes. >> Mr. Denafhrio, >> yes. >> Miss Karen, >> yes. >> Madame Chair, >> yes. >> So move 90. Motion passed. Superintendent, the next order of business. >> Item number three, acceptance of a targeted grant in the amount of $40,000 uh from the Center for
064School District Partnerships. um requesting favorable action. This grant um helps us specifically at the Parliament and the Middle Meline English School to review um data and to find strategic ways to deliver instruction um to our students in need uh especially those with disabilities and English language learners. >> Move to favorable action. >> Second. Motion made by Miss Babcock, seconded by Miss Cristiano to accept the targeted assisting grant in the amount of $40,000 from the Center for School and District Partnership. Roll call. >> Mr. Almea Barrows. >> Yes. >> Miss Babcock. >> Yes. >> Miss Barrows. >> Yes. >> Miss Cornelio? >> Yes. >> Miss Cristiano? >> Yes. >> Mayor Di Maria? >> Yes. >> Mr. Denafhrio? >> Yes. >> Miss Garren? >> Yes. >> Madame Chair? >> Yes. >> So move 90. Motion passed. Superintendent.
065The next order of business. >> Item number four. This comes from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. I'm asking you for favorable action on accepting a grant from the STEM equipment grant for $28,525. Uh these will um help us purchase hands-on kits that our students will use and helps engage them in the practice of um learning and challenging and solving challenging problems in the science realm. >> Action. Second >> motion made by Miss Cristiano, seconded by Miss Baros to accept the STEM equipment grant in the amount of $28,525 from the Massachusetts Life Science Center. Roll call. >> Mr. Alita Barrows, >> yes. >> Miss Babcock, >> yes. >> Miss Barrows, >> yes. >> Miss Cornelio, >> yes. >> Miss Cristiano, >> yes. >> Mayor Di Maria, >> yes. >> Mr. Denafhrio, >> yes. >> Miss Garren,
066>> yes. >> Madame Chair, >> yes. So move 90. >> So move 90. Motion passed. Superintendent. Next order of business. >> Um number five, acceptance of the Mckin Vento homeless education grant in the amount of $42,000. I'm asking for favorable action for acceptance of this grant. Um this is a grant from the federal government that we have received in the past. Because of the kind of work that we've done and continue to apply for this, we have received more money this year um in the amount of $42,000. Everett will um have very specific action plan associated with the $42,000. Um but it is specific to supporting our homeless students and finding ways to um ensure that they get the kind of service and continue to stay enrolled in the schools throughout the school year. >>
067Move to favor action. >> Second. Motion made by Miss Babcock, seconded by Miss Cornelio to accept the Mckin Vento homeless education grant in the amount of $42,000. Roll call. >> Mr. Alita Barrows. >> Yes. >> Miss Babcock, >> yes. >> Miss Barrows, >> yes. >> Miss Cornelio, >> yes. >> Miss Cristiano, >> yes. >> Mayor Di Maria, >> yes. >> Mr. Denafhrio, >> yes. >> Miss Garren, >> yes. >> Madame Chair, >> yes. >> So move 90. >> 90. Motion pass. Superintendent, the next order of business. >> This um particular donation um is one of of several that I know that we are in line to receive. And at the next school committee meeting, I will probably have a couple of more to report. But this is um asking for your acceptance of a donation
068of boots and backpacks valued at approximately $2,040 from Mr. Slicken, who is the president and founder of his own company in nearby Chelsea. He's brought these um brand new items to our family engagement office at uh city hall known as pick and these were for students in grades six and above. So I'm asking for you to accept this formally. >> Move to accept the donation of boots and backpacks valued at approximately $2,40 from Tom Slicken, president and founder of provisions um ministry. >> Second >> motion made on the motion. Can we just send a letter of thanks to him, please? Uh >> motion made and seconded by Miss Cornelio, seconded by Miss Babcock to accept uh boots and backpacks valued at approximately $2,40 from Tom Slinklin, president and founder of provision uh ministry with the
069letter of customary thanks. Roll call. >> Mr. Alita Barrows, >> yes. >> Miss Babcar, >> yes. Miss Barrows. >> Yes. >> Miss Cornelio, >> yes. >> Miss Cristiano, >> yes. >> Mayor Di Maria, >> yes. >> Mr. Denafhrio, >> yes. >> Miss Karen, >> yes. >> Madame Chair, >> yes. >> So move 90. >> 90. Motion passed. Superintendent. The next item on the agenda. >> Roman numeral number uh seven, items submitted by school committee me members. Item one, to review and discuss the recent implementation of the cell phone ban across mass across school campuses, evaluate its effectiveness, gather feedback from stakeholders, and consider any necessary adjustments is authored by Miss Babcar. >> Miss Babcock, >> thank you. Um, I just have something I wrote down because I had some thoughts on it and I want
070to open that up tonight. So this is a topic that I have brought up before and you know it seemed that um the governor's office was sort of getting the same impression that parents and and myself had been discussing on the impact of school of phones on the school day. So recently legislation was passed that would require all public schools to implement a belltobell ban on personal devices starting in the 20 2026 27 school year. Um, for anyone who's unfamiliar with that term, it means from the moment that uh schools uh start, the phone would be put away. That means including through lunch um recess, not so much for the high school kids, but for younger for younger kids until the bell rings at the end of the day. Um, I recognize that this is
071a topic that people feel very strongly about and it really this is not nec is not a discussion about is it a good idea or not, but it seems like it's legislation that's going to move forward um unless something changes. I'm not sure if um we anyone else can offer information about this, but it's just I brought it up tonight because I think that it's going to take quite a bit to figure out how we can implement this plan. I do remember that Mr. Hart had talked about doing it selectively in some schools or classrooms already as a sort of like warm-up and I just figured on touching back with you now on and looking forward on how this could be implemented. Um like I said it's it's not it's a topic people feel very
072strongly about and it's there's no point whether we support it or do not support it. It's just what something looks like it's going to happen and we should just be be able to prepare students, families, and administrators on how this is something we could implement. So, thank you. I'm going to give it to you, Mr. Hart. >> Sure. Um, thank you. And yes, um, Miss Babcock, and I even talked about this offline some time ago. Um, you know, it becomes a little controversial because some folks and families want their child to have a cell phone available to them in the classroom while teachers and others and parents included don't want their child to be using a cell phone in the classroom. And so there's kind of pros and cons and that we were considering uh
073doing a certain grade level in Everett uh back at the end of last school year at the Cavarian school using um a system called the pouch and it would be the student puts their cell phone in it's kind of sealed um kind of a magnetic seal that's unlocked in the classroom and so forth. um we were waiting to get um quite frankly I had asked them outright to allow us to use them on a test basis without paying for them and originally they had said yes and then they kind of retracted. Nonetheless and in July of this year the um Senate Massachusetts Senate offered a bill that as Miss Babcock said would ban cell phone use in schools from bell to bell so that the student would be basically without their cell phone during the
074course of a school day. It was recently referred um to the House Ways and Means Committee in early August for further deliberation. I know that the governor has talked about supporting some version of a cell phone ban. Senate leadership um almost I think it was a 38 to there's 40 senators, 38 of them voted in favor of a cell phone ban. Um the House um is very favorable to it. The attorney general is very favorable to it. What we're learning though is that um you know there's got to be guidelines and the Massachusetts Department of Second Elementary and Secondary Education will issue guidelines if this should pass without any restrictions. Right now um there's some language in there that kind of directs you to do certain things, but then it says it's the district's decision
075to implement or how to implement it. Desessie's weighed in and said, "We're going to tell you how to do it once the bill is passed, and we do believe it's going to pass in some form." And I'm I'm looking at Mark, Mr. Almeido Baros, I know he's very close to issues at the state house. Please, um, this is stuff that happened just a few weeks ago. So, if you have any more additional information, um, we put together kind of a little, um, I don't want to call a fact sheet, but some materials that are kind of pro and con to cell phone use for your review. And, um, Mr. Okconor has the document. Everybody has a different opinion on it. Um I I think I'm somewhere in between on this, but um we've looked at
076some of the research that's been done on it, some examples from other districts that have implemented it. Um this document that Mr. Okconor is sharing with you gives you an opportunity to kind of if you haven't decided and you want to think about what other people are saying about it or doing about it, this gives you some reference points anyway. But as soon as the legislation uh passes and if the governor continues to support the legislation, she will sign it. Then we will hear something from Desessie. Hey Everett Malden, Everett, you know, Ravier Chelsea, this is what we think you should do. But um it's a good topic to keep out there because it's coming. It's just I'm not sure at what level. So, um, please feel free to look up some of these articles
077that, um, >> that Dave has passing out to you. >> But if you like, I will continue to keep that as part of maybe a report um, Miss Babcock, once the legislation passes and and that way I could bring it back to all of you and say, "Hey, it passed. Hey, it has some, you know, uh, restrictions or Desi's giving us a whole laundry list of things to do and not do. So, um, I I will make a pledge to be sure that I bring that forward when the if and when the bill passes and I do expect it to pass. >> Thank you, Mr. Hurt. Mr. Barrows, did you want to weigh in? >> Uh, yes, please. >> You got it. >> Uh, thank you, Madam Chair. And the superintendent is did a brilliant
078overview. Uh, terrific overview of the the situation. That's how it is. Governor Hill supports I've been very involved on this. Uh Governor Hill supports uh the as superintendent mentioned the Senate uh the House is is in committee but the speaker hasn't said if this will move forward or now or later. Um the big issue as as you you know the super the secretary of education is the former superintendent of schools in Ling. Um and he he and I talk all the time about this because he keeps hearing from superintendents across the state uh not that they are in favor or against but how to implement this. Let's say that this legislation exactly like uh how superintendent Hart mentioned let's say that this passed uh how how we're going to do it because as superintendent Hart
079mentioned there are parents who are for there are parents who are fully against >> uh so how we're going to do this um so I think the goal uh right now is hopefully the house move forward the governor already committed to signing and then send to that as Mr. Hart mentioned uh to provide guidance to schools uh and kind kind of like regulation on on how to do it because otherwise if you say uh you should do or perhaps you should decide to do and not decide to do we're going to go back to where we are right now. There are some districts who want to go ahead and implement others who do not want to implement. So the goal is really that the legislation would uh require that DESIE write uh not guidance per
080se but regulation on how to implement and how districts should go ahead and and do this. I mean it's I I work for the government. I do not work for the house. So I not sure how the house will move forward or when they will move forward but I believe that there are uh forces uh you know from parents from from groups who want this to move forward. Uh the mess association school committee uh is also involved. The mess association of school superintendent also involved. Uh so hopefully this will pass this uh legislative cycle but uh as of now is on the hands of the house to decide. Thank you. >> Thank you Mr. Baros. >> Miss Pepa >> through you to Mr. Barrows. Thank you for thank you for the out missing details on
081that and I appreciate that. And then to Mr. part. Thank you for um pointing out that there would be higher, you know, regulation coming from DESIE and some opinions from from the Mass Associate of School Committee so forth. Um all all I know is when I saw that it passed through the Senate, I thought that's going to be a big project. [Music] >> Contentious too, maybe. >> That's what I Yes. Hence hence my you know it isn't whether we support or we don't. there's if if like in any research you're going to find research that works either way. Um but a lot of the research is you know in favor of of limiting cell phone use in schools to get back to the focus of learning. So >> um thank you. >> Refer it to
082me and then I'll come back to the school committee with any update. >> Perfect. Thank you. Your pleasure. >> Yes. return to >> you can refer it to me if you'd like and then I'll follow up with >> Okay, I'm going to refer it to the superintendent and leave him to uh follow up in the future. I'm sure that this won't be more than it will be on our agenda quite a bit in the future. So, I'm referring to you. >> Thank you. >> Motion uh made by Miss Babcock, seconded by Mr. Barrows to refer this item to the superintendent. Um all those in favor. >> All those opposed? The eyes have it. Motion passed. Superintendent. The next item on the agenda, >> Roman numeral 8, subcommittee reports, item one, finance and negotiation subcommittee for
083Monday, June the 16th, 2025. >> Madam Chair, >> Miss Christristiano, >> Madam Chairman, I'd like to uh uh wave the reading, accept the finance and negotiations report and place it on file. >> Second. Motion has been made and seconded by a lot of people to accept the report and place it on file for finance and negotiations subcommittee for Monday, June 16th, 2025. All those in favor. >> All those opposed? The eyes have it. Motion passed. Superintendent. The next item on the agenda, >> Roman numeral 9, bills and payroll. >> Madam Chairman, Vice Chair Christian. >> Thank you. I'd like to submit bills and payroll in the amount of $976,365.92. >> Second. >> Motion made by Miss Christristiano, seconded by Mayor D. Maria to submit bills and payroll in the amount of $976,365.92. Roll call. >>
084Mr. Almeita Barrows. >> Yes. >> Miss Babcock. >> Yes. >> Miss Barrows. >> Yes. >> Miss Cornelio? >> Yes. >> Miss Cristiano? >> Yes. Mayor Di Maria. >> Yes. >> Mr. Denafhrio, >> yes. >> Miss Garren, >> yes. >> Madame Chair, >> yes. >> So move 90. Motion passed. >> Madam Chairman, >> Vice Chair Christian, >> I'd like to pay bills in the in payroll in the amount of $976,365.92. >> Second. Motion made by Miss Cristiano, seconded by Miss Cornelio to pay bills and payroll in the amount of $976,365.92 cents. Roll call. >> Mr. Almeida Barrows, >> yes. >> Miss Babcock, >> yes. >> Miss Baros, >> yes. >> Miss Cornelio, >> yes. >> Miss Cristiano, >> yes. >> Mayor Di Maria, >> yes. >> Mr. Denafhrio, >> yes. >> Miss Garren, >> yes. >>
085Madame Chair, >> yes. >> So move 90. Motion passed. Superintendent. >> Roman numeral 10. Unfinished business. There is none before you. Roman numeral 11. New business. There is none before you. Roman numeral 12. He hearings. There are none this evening. Roman numeral 13. Matters for executive session. There's been none presented. Roman numeral 14 is adjournment. >> Make a motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Motion has been made and seconded to adjurnn. All those in favor? >> I. >> All those opposed? The eyes have it. We have adjourned at 7:42 p.m. Thank you everyone. We'll see you Tuesday, September second. [Music] Hey, baby.