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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-05-13-SC-minLEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, May 13, 2025 Meeting Minutes CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOME: 6:01 PM SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT Eileen Jay, Chairperson Larry Freeman, Vice -chair Sara Cuthbertson, Clerk Kathleen Lenihan Sarah Carter SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PRESENT Dr. Julie Hackett, Superintendent. The minutes were taken by Julie Kaye, School Committee Meeting Recording Secretary. The School Committee convened at the School Committee Meeting Room at Central Office and remotely. Members of the public can view and participate in person or in the meeting webinar from their computer or tablet by clicking on the link provided with the meeting agenda. Please note that this meeting is being recorded and that attendees are participating by video conference. This evening's meeting is being broadcast live and also taped by LexMedia for future on -demand viewing. All supporting materials that have been provided to members of this body are available on the Town's website unless otherwise noted. Pfeil: Uerel1111501LVA ii ilki1940 01:10-11L1lMAiCal Ms. Lenihan nominated Ms. Jay for the Chair position, Ms. Cuthbertson seconded. Ms. Lenihan moved that the School Committee re-elect Ms. !ay as the Chair, Ms. Cuthbertson seconded. The motion passed 5-0. Ms. Cuthbertson nominated Mr. Freeman for the Vice -Chair position, Ms. Lenihan seconded. Ms. Cuthbertson moved to elect Mr. Freeman to the Vice -Chair position, Ms. Lenihan seconded. The motion passed 5-0. Ms. Lenihan nominated Ms. Cuthbertson for the Clerk position, and Mr. Freeman seconded. Ms. Carter moved to elect Ms. Cuthbertson to the Clerk position, Mr. Freeman seconded. The motion passed 5-0. CONSENT AGENDA Mr. Freeman read the following consent agenda items: Payroll and Accounts Payable Warrant Approval a. May 13, 2025 - Payroll in the amount of $4,957,196.10 b. May 9, 2025 - AP Warrant in the amount of $1,215,175.34 Ms. Cuthbertson read the following consent agenda items: Minutes a. May 6, 2025 Ms. Carter moved to approve the entire consent agenda, Ms. Cuthbertson seconded. The motion passed 5-0. SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS AND LIAISON REPORTS Ms. Lenihan reminded everyone about the Community Forum for the High School project, scheduled for May 21st at 6:30 PM at the Cary Memorial Building. She also shared highlights from the most recent School Building Committee (SBC) meeting, where they reviewed both the interior and exterior designs of the new high school. Ms. Cuthbertson spoke about the upcoming AAPI 5K taking place on May 25th. For more details, visit the CAAL website. Ms. Carter thanked the staff and administration of both middle schools for their hard work in planning and organizing the recent Washington trip, noting that students had a great time and the Clarke bus returned around 1 a.m. Saturday. Mr. Freeman reminded everyone that the Special Olympics will take place on May 21st at 9:00 AM at the Center Fields. Ms. Jay attended the CALex "My American" Story" event. One of the four panelists was Andrea So (LPS Director of Elementary Ed), who shared her personal story. Her presentation powerfully reflected the theme of belonging and was very well received. Additionally, Ms. Jay noted that she will be absent from the May 27th meeting and proposed moving the Superintendent's evaluation presentation to June 10th. As a result, the deadline for submitting individual evaluations has been extended to May 31st. Dr. Hackett will also be sharing her professional practice and student learning goals soon to complete the evaluation process. COMMUNITY SPEAK Leah Rochbert - Lexington resident and LPS employee: Ms. Rochbert is a building rep for the union and she is on the negotiating team for Unit C. She read a statement from Sean Price, who is an SIA and Unit C member who has worked at Hastings for 11 years. He emphasized that paraprofessionals—such as SSIs, SIAs, and IAs—are essential to supporting students with special needs, language barriers, and behavioral challenges. They provide one-on-one academic support, help manage classrooms, implement IEPs, and serve as a bridge between students, teachers, and families. Despite their critical contributions, paraprofessionals often face low pay, limited professional development, and high turnover, which negatively impacts student learning and classroom stability. He called for greater respect, resources, and support for paraprofessionals to ensure student success. Andre Verner - A math teacher at Lexington High School: He has worked at LHS for 22 years and spoke about his pride in the town's success across academics and its growing financial prosperity. However, he expressed frustration that Unit C employees are still working without a contract. Despite playing a crucial role in supporting struggling students and fulfilling legal special education mandates, they earn starting wages below the state's living wage. He urged the district to settle the Unit C contract and provide fair compensation that reflects the value and importance of their work. Dr. Avon Lewis - LHS science educator: She emphasized that Unit C members are professional educators who start below $30 an hour and, even after decades, earn less than $40 an hour. She questioned whether such pay reflects respect for professionals, especially in a town like Lexington, and challenged the School Committee to compare that wage to what would be offered to the new finance hires. The speaker urged anyone who doubts the professionalism of Unit C members to spend a day shadowing them to truly understand their vital role. Olga Guttag - 273 Emerson Rd: She urged the School Committee to reopen the search for the Assistant Superintendent of Finance, expressing concern that the proposed candidate, Dr. Scully, lacks the necessary financial expertise and credentials for such a critical role. She emphasized the need for an experienced and qualified finance leader, especially with upcoming financial challenges like a debt exclusion and potential operating override. Ms. Guttag also referenced past financial issues in Lexington as a cautionary reminder. Additionally, she criticized a $1,000 charge for a public records request, urging the committee to follow legal guidelines and be mindful of transparency and public perception. Deepika Sawhney - 6 Porter Ln: Ms. Sawhney emphasized the School Committee's duty to prioritize the best interests of Lexington's students and community over personal or political considerations. She urged committee members to remember their oath of service when making decisions, especially regarding hiring. Ms. Sawhney stressed the importance of valuing long-term, experienced educators and administrators, particularly during a time of post-COVID fiscal challenges. John Goodwin - LEA member: He gave an update on the bargaining process with the district, saying that, at the April 30th session, the district came unprepared and didn't respond to half of the proposals as promised. When asked for written responses, they were told they'd get them within 24 hours, but LEA didn't receive them until 13 days later, and only after the union threatened to file an unfair labor practice claim. He feels disrespect from the district during negotiations; the district's representatives seem to treat the process lightly. The union is pushing for fair pay and the ability to bargain alongside other LEA units, but the district has refused. He stressed that Lexington is a wealthy town, yet some of its lowest -paid school employees are undervalued. Melissa Soule - LPS Employee: She is a Unit A teacher and LEA executive board member, she spoke in support of settling a fair contract for Unit C by the end of the school year. Ms. Soule referenced a recent review by MTA negotiations specialist Ted Lewis, who found that the LEA's proposal was only $250,000 apart from the district's and, after correcting flawed assumptions in the district's cost estimates, actually falls within the district's stated budget. She emphasized that properly staffing and retaining Unit C employees—who provide legally required educational support—would save the district money in the long run by reducing turnover, cutting back on expensive contracted workers, and avoiding costly student outplacements. She urged the Superintendent, bargaining team, and School Committee to fully commit to resolving the contract and invited them to the next bargaining session on the 21st. Robin Strizhak - LEA President: She read a statement on behalf of Justin Hem, a special educator in Lexington for 17 years. Justin emphasized the vital role of Unit C staff, such as IAs, SIAs, and SSIs, in supporting students with complex needs. He highlighted that their training and experience are irreplaceable, especially in high-pressure, fast -changing situations. Hem stressed that special education teachers rely heavily on these professionals and cannot do their jobs without them. He called for fair compensation and a living wage to attract and retain these essential staff members. Janet West - 101 Fifer Ln, LHS math teacher: She expressed her support for a good resolve and read a statement on behalf of Taylor Casey, a Unit A teacher at Diamond Middle School. Ms. Casey urges the School Committee and Dr. Hackett to reach a fair and timely agreement with Unit C, pointing out that Unit C members do some of the most difficult and essential work in schools, especially as special education needs continue to grow. She warned that without fair compensation, the district risks losing more of these valuable educators and called for creative and flexible ways to meet Unit C's needs before it's too late. Theresa Ferguson - 7224 Lexington Ridge Dr, LHS employee: As a parent of two elementary -aged children and a Unit C worker, she expressed strong support for a fair resolution to the ongoing contract negotiations. Quoting from Iris Marion Young's Inclusion and Democracy, she highlighted the importance of addressing structural inequality to ensure full participation for all members of society. As a Black mother and educator in Lexington, she shared the emotional and financial strain she faces, emphasizing that while Unit C members love their work and community, they need fair compensation to survive in the town they serve. INTERVIEW/POSSIBLE VOTE ON THE RECOMMENDED CANDIDATE FOR THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF FINANCE & OPERATIONS POSITION Dr. Hackett introduced Dr. Christopher Scully as the recommended candidate for the new role of Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations. The position is part of a restructuring effort to better manage the district's financial and operational challenges amid tight budgets and staffing reductions. A new model has been developed that includes both this role and a Director of Finance, along with a reallocation of responsibilities to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The search process was thorough, involving multiple stakeholders and interviews with qualified candidates. Dr. Scully emerged as the top choice based on his strong qualifications in both finance and education. Dr. Scully brings extensive experience and is confirmed to be fully licensed for the role. His background in both instruction and operations, along with his strategic and collaborative skills, make him well-suited to support Lexington Public Schools through financial and organizational challenges. His appointment was supported by feedback from visits with district teams and a recorded endorsement from Charles Lamb, Chair of the Capital Expenditures Committee, was played. Dr. Scully joined the School Committee. He introduced himself and explained that he is a seasoned educator with 31 years of experience. He shared his background and interest in the Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations position. He comes from a family of public school teachers and has worked in various educational settings, including independent, public, and parochial schools. He brings a well-rounded perspective. His administrative experience includes roles as assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent, where he was actively involved in financial planning, curriculum purchasing, grant management, school restructuring, and staff reductions. Dr. Scully emphasized a collaborative and educator -first approach, and stressed the importance of understanding school operations firsthand before making financial decisions. His goal is to balance instructional needs with financial realities, always grounded in what's best for students and schools. School Committee Questions/Comments: Ms. Lenihan asked Dr. Scully how he sees himself working with the Director of Finance and how he would handle answering financial questions at meetings. Dr. Scully emphasized his readiness to communicate effectively with the School Committee and town officials, noting that data gathering and decision-making are collaborative efforts involving the entire team. He views the transition into this role as a natural progression in his career, stemming from experience working with business directors across districts. He highlighted the importance of understanding the local processes and terminology in Lexington to ensure clear communication. His goal is to align quickly with the district's language and practices to effectively support decision-making and collaboration. Ms. Cuthbertson asked Dr. Scully what he sees as his role in negotiations. He replied that he has extensive experience with contract negotiations across various districts and roles, from large bargaining committees to detailed language development. He emphasized flexibility in adapting to a district's historical negotiation style—whether interest -based or traditional—and stressed the importance of listening, preparation, and collaboration. Dr. Scully aims to understand not just proposals, but the underlying problems or barriers being addressed. He believes successful negotiations require creativity, anticipation of future issues, and mutual respect, noting that ultimately both sides must sign the contract. Ms. Carter asked how Dr. Scully plans to successfully unify the newly restructured departments and duties effectively. He replied by saying that the key to successfully bringing together various departments is to listen first. Dr. Scully values both casual, discursive conversations and regular, structured meetings. He stressed the importance of learning how things currently operate, especially in areas like transportation and food service, where they already have experience. He believes in being present and engaged—much like observing classrooms when making instructional decisions—so he can understand operations firsthand and build strong relationships. Mr. Freeman stated that he was on the interview committee. He expressed a strong enthusiasm for reimagining both the position in question and how the School Committee works with it. Mr. Freeman emphasized a desire for more active, in-depth involvement with the finance department, beyond just reviewing budgets and line items. Mr. Freeman values creativity and fresh thinking over just technical experience, hoping for someone who will question established processes and seek innovative, efficient solutions. He wants to know how Dr. Scully would approach negotiations so that no party leaves feeling devalued or disrespected. Dr. Scully replied that disagreement doesn't have to lead to conflict—people can hold different perspectives and still work collaboratively. He believes that the key to productive negotiations is listening, patience, and mutual respect and stressed that negotiation should not be a standoff, but a process aimed at solving shared problems and making progress. Ms. Jay highlighted the importance of a more public -facing role for the new Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations. She emphasized that community opinions can be strongly divided, particularly on high -impact issues like high school construction, class sizes, or special education. Ms. Jay stressed the need for someone in the role who has experience engaging with diverse and sometimes conflicting public perspectives, and asked how Dr. Scully would handle situations where strong disagreements arise. Dr. Scully responded by emphasizing the passion parents feel about their children and the financial resources that support their education and stressed the importance of listening respectfully to strong community opinions. Dr. Scully believes that leaders must be present and engaged in the community, not just in a task -oriented way, but also by being available to hear concerns. Ms. Lenihan asked what licensure Dr. Scully holds. Dr. Hackett replied that he has a Superintendent's license, just like her. She addressed concerns about whether Dr. Scully meets the qualifications for a school finance position, referencing a 300 -hour School Business Administrator requirement. After hearing similar concerns from other districts, Dr. Hackett contacted the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), which confirmed that a Superintendent's license qualifies a person to serve in a finance role. Ms. Jay asked Dr. Scully what he would need from the School Committee to succeed. He replied that he would like to start with a clear entry plan to understand the full scope of the role and information on how things work, specific to Lexington. Dr. Scully excused himself from the SCMR. School Committee Deliberation and Vote Ms. Cuthbertson pointed out that there are a lot of openings on the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials (MASBO) website. She asked Dr. Hackett how confident she is that we will find someone to fill the Director of Finance position. Dr. Hackett responded that she is confident we can fill the role. And if the candidate pool turns out to be small, we know how to effectively network and reach out to find the right people. Mr. Freeman commented that we had someone with the right technical skills, but what they were missing was the overall management experience needed. Ms. Cuthbertson added that having someone who is super specialized in finance working very closely with the Assistant Superintendent of Finance & Operations sounds like a good structure. Dr. Hackett added that we want to build "a bench", so that the number two person can help with any transitions like what we are dealing with now. Ms. Carter commented that bringing in good managers who can help maintain a positive work environment is very important. Mr. Freeman stated that he has heard about the restructuring plan and is confident in moving forward. Ms. Jay added that having Dr. Scully as the Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations work along a Director of Finance would be having the best of both worlds. Ms. Lenihan moved that the School Committee approve the hiring of Dr. Scully as the Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations, Ms. Cuthbertson seconded. The motion passed, 5-0. Dr. Scully came back into the room, and the School Committee congratulated him on his new position. NEW BUSINESS A. Anneal S Drina, Enrollment ate Dr. Maureen Kavanaugh, Director of Data and Strategy, joined the School Committee and reviewed the Enrollment Update linked above. She explained that elementary enrollment is projected to remain flat or slightly decline, reducing twelve classroom sections. Middle school enrollment is also expected to remain steady, with a decrease of two teams. These staffing adjustments are a response to consistently lower post -pandemic enrollment that hasn't rebounded. High school enrollment is projected to stay relatively flat or slightly increase. Ms. Carter asked how reducing twelve elementary classes would affect average class sizes. Dr. Kavanaugh explained that when we look at staffing, we follow the School Committee guidelines. Our class sizes have been low, well below the guidelines. Class sizes in some grades and schools will still be low, while others will be closer to the guidelines. We're doing our best to stay within the rules and use staff efficiently. We also post month-to-month reports online showing class sizes by school and grade so everyone can see how things change during the year. Mr. Freeman asked if we consider the types of students in the class during this process, Dr. Kavanaugh replied that we do. He also asked if we compare our numbers to our contractual obligations. Dr. Kavanaugh confirmed that we do this as well, as it is part of the guidelines. Ms. Cuthbertson commented that this is really important for people to hear. People should be aware that different levels of needs affect class sizes. Ms. Lenihan asked how we compare to other like -towns with the number of students we lost during the pandemic. Dr. Kavanaugh replied that many families didn't just leave public school during the pandemic; they left town or the state. This was part of a bigger trend across the country, and even before COVID, elementary enrollment was projected to go down. She and Dr. Hackett added that, unlike other towns that lost a lot of students, we've started to get some of ours back. Ms. Jay asked about Table 3: Summary of Elementary Sections (As of April 2024). She wanted to know if the reduction in class sections at certain schools is due to lower enrollment in specific grades or spread out across all grades. Dr. Kavanaugh replied that this is not a specific grade level across the board. Ms. Jay also asked when staffing decisions must be made, and Dr. Kavanaugh answered that they have already been made, explaining the process. B. Vote on BCBA MOA Dr. Chris Lyons, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Staff Support, joined the School Committee. Ms. Jay mentioned a typo that will be fixed under Article 1. She also asked about Article 23: Is the additional 5.43% added to the BCBA's base salary a one-time adjustment, or will it be applied yearly as a permanent part of their annual salary? Dr. Lyons replied that this will be applied every year. Mr. Freeman moved to approve BCBA MOA, as amended, Ms. Lenihan seconded. The motion passed 5-0. C. Public Records Request Dr. Hackett explained the memo linked above. A group of community members has submitted 37 requests for public records about curriculum and spending. Recently, a different office (not the Superintendent's) issued a $1,000 bill for a particularly labor-intensive request estimated to take 40 hours. This led to a GoFundMe campaign criticizing the administration. Dr. Hackett plans to cancel this invoice. She stated that "our door is always open" and that she hopes community members find new ways to engage when frustrated. There will be further discussion on the protocol for public records requests in the future. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT Due to the lack of time, Dr. Hackett did not review her re ort. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Vote.Draft 2025-2026 SC MeetnpDates Ms. Lenihan moved to approve the Draft for the 2025-2026 School Committee Meeting Dates, and Ms. Cuthbertson seconded. The motion passed 5-0. COMMUNITY SPEAK Olga Guttag - 273 Emerson Rd: She expressed concern over high-level central office positions and feels that restructuring and reorganization are needed. Dawn McKenna - 9 Hancock St: She wants the Unit C contract settled quickly and fairly. She also suggests that the School Committee create a clear policy on fees for public records requests. Ms. McKenna was hoping to hear the Superintendent's Report but understands she's sick. Finally, she asked the School Committee to bring back the student exchange with Antony, France, saying it's a valuable program with a long history. Mona Roy - 36 Bertwell Rd: She commented on what seems to be a lack of trust from the public. She's heard a lot about public records requests and confusion around recent decisions, like the new hire. She suggested having public comment after each agenda item to improve communication. Lisa Sullivan - An ILP teacher at Fiske: She read two statements from Student Support Instructors (SSIs) in the program. The first described how the ILP program's quality has declined over four years due to high staff turnover, low pay, and lack of training—despite students having greater needs. The second statement called for a new discussion about the Unit C contract; they feel that the duties required for these types of jobs are not reflected in their pay. Many SSIs are struggling financially, which affects their well-being and job performance. POSSIBLE CTI ITEMS Items added at the meeting: • No items added. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Carter made a motion to adjourn at 8:50PM, Mr. Freeman seconded. The motion passed, 5-0.