Minutes
Quincy, Massachusetts – September 16, 2015
Regular Meeting of the Quincy School Committee
Regular Meeting
A regular meeting of the Quincy School Committee was held on Wednesday,
September 16, 2015 at the Coddington Building. Present were Mr. Paul Bregoli,
Mr. Noel DiBona, Ms. Barbara Isola, Mayor Thomas Koch, Mrs. Anne Mahoney,
Mr. David McCarthy, and Mrs. Kathryn Hubley, Vice Chair.
Vice-Chair
Presiding
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The Superintendent called the roll and all members were present. Also
present were: Dr. Richard DeCristofaro, Secretary; Ms. Laura Owens, Clerk;
Mrs. Kathryn Clancy, Mr. Michael Draicchio, Mr. John Fagerlund, Mrs. Mary
Fredrickson, Mr. Michael Marani, Deputy Superintendent Kevin Mulvey, Mr.
James Mullaney, Mrs. Maura Papile, Mrs. Erin Perkins, Ms. Madeline Roy, Mr.
Keith Segalla, Ms. Judy Todd; Ms. Allison Cox, President, Quincy Education
Association; and Student Representative to School Committee Sarah Clancy
(Quincy High School).
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There was a moment of silence in memory of Central Middle School teacher
Emily Zarnoch.
Ms. Isola made a motion to dedicate the School Committee Meeting in Ms.
Zarnoch’s honor. Mr. Bregoli seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the
ayes have it.
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Regular Meeting Minutes Approved
6/10/15
Ms. Isola made a motion, seconded by Mayor Koch, to approve the Regular
Meeting minutes for June 10, 2015. On a voice vote, the ayes have it.
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Open Forum
As no one wished to speak at Open Forum, School Committee moved to the next
item on the agenda.
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Superintendent's
Report
Dr. DeCristofaro opened the Superintendent’s Report by introducing John and
Gwen Zarnoch, parents of Central Middle School teacher Emily Zarnoch. Reebok is
making a donation of $50,000 per year for the next four years in Emily’s name,
which will bring the BOKS before-school program to all elementary and middle
schools for winter and spring sessions. Hundreds of Quincy Public Schools
students will benefit from this generous donation; “Emily Z’s BOKS/Quincy” will
be a tremendous tribute to Emily’s memory.
Mr. Zarnoch thanked the Quincy School Committee for tonight’s beautiful tribute
and the support over the last month from the Quincy Public Schools community.
This active kids program is a fitting tribute to Emily’s interest in children and
athletics.
After a brief recess, Dr. DeCristofaro introduced the Inspire Quincy video,
featuring the Quincy Public Schools summer programs, the new Professional
Educator Orientation, the backpack and school supply distribution at Lincoln
Hancock, Clifford Marshall, and Snug Harbor Elementary schools; and
Kindergarten Orientation.
Coordinator of Extended Day Programs Michael Marani reflected on the Summer
Scene programs, which provided over 900 students from Kindergarten through
Grade 12 with a variety of opportunities for students to learn, have fun, and
challenge themselves. 98% of high school students successfully completed the
Summer School program and recovered credits to allow them to progress to the
next level in those subjects. At the middle school level, the Summer Mathletes
program combined athletics, teamwork, and academics. Five CTE students had
the opportunity to work with City of Quincy Maintenance trades such as plumbing
and electrical, and the Summer YouthWorks program, in collaboration with the
South Shore Workforce Employment Board, gave students the opportunity to
work with local businesses.
Mr. Marani then previewed some of the upcoming fall programs, including Lego
Robotics, the John and Abigail Adams Orchestras; All-City, Honors, and Jazz Bands,
and school-based after school programs, including theater, enrichment, and
athletics.
Dr. DeCristofaro reviewed that the Sterling Middle School project continued over
the summer with a series of visioning meetings, where Sterling staff worked with
architect Ai3 on shaping the school’s education plan to inform the design process.
The Sterling Building Committee will meet on Monday, September 28 at 4:30 pm.
1,200 windows were installed at five schools (Lincoln Hancock, Parker,
Merrymount, and Wollaston Elementary; North Quincy High School. Bernazzani
received a completely new energy-efficient heating system. Looking ahead, new
MSBA Accelerated Repair projects will get underway at Merrymount (roof) and
Beechwood Knoll (windows, doors, roof). The Statement of Interest for Squantum
will be resubmitted to the MSBA in April 2016 and future Accelerated Repair
Projects researched for the February 2016 Statement of Interest submittal date.
Seventeen Summer Professional Development workshops were held on
Curriculum and Technology topics. Funding from the QPS budget and grants
provided these opportunities for teachers and professional staff.
The New Professional Educator Orientation was held on August 31 and September
1, thanks to Deputy Superintendent Kevin Mulvey, the recently retired Anne
McCarthy, Human Resources’s new staff member Jennifer Hayden, and Mary
McDonald. All first year educators will participate in the mentor program,
chaired by Curriculum Director Madeline Roy and Principal Jim Hennessy. New
staff attended have educational backgrounds from many different regions,
bringing different perspectives and frames of reference to Quincy Public Schools.
The schedule of School and Program Improvement Plan review meetings was
shared with School Committee. Dr. DeCristofaro noted that a Special School
Committee Meeting will be held on September 29 at 5:00 pm for the School
Committee to set their Subcommittee goals for 2015-2016.
Dr. DeCristofaro reported that preliminary enrollment is 9370, as of today. Class
sizes are within School Committee guidelines across grade levels and details will
be shared at the October 14 meeting.
Fall Open House dates have been scheduled for Pre-Kindergarten through high
school and a schedule was shared with School Committee, along with a revised
calendar of events for the Quincy School~Community Partnership. A new
partnership event, the Health and Wellness Symposium will be held on October
19. This will be an opportunity for school-based Wellness Teams to share and
collaborate on best practices. The Tirrell Room, Mountain One Bank, and the
Alliance for a Healthier Generation are the key partners for this event.
The City of Presidents 5K Run/Walk will be held on Sunday, September 27, all
proceeds benefit the Quincy Public Schools Health and Wellness Programs.
Supporting partners include Blue Cross Blue Shield, Stop & Shop, and Brewster
Ambulance.
The Sterling Middle School Fun Run/Walk and Family Fun Day will be held on
Saturday, September 26.
Fall parent academies are being planned for new Elementary Report Cards and
new SAT at each high school. Dates will be shared as soon as they are available.
Aspen Publication #16 was shared with School Committee; the Special Education
module rollout is underway, along with the Elementary Report Card and
Gradebook.
New Quincy Public Schools initiatives will be explored at upcoming Subcommittee
meetings; new teams include Central Registration, Technology and Training,
Elementary Digital Learning. The New SAT, Dual Enrollment, SSYMCA Inclusion,
and expanded middle school athletic opportunities are among the new initiatives.
Additional work on Advanced work pathways for middle and high school students
feeding into the Advanced Placement classes is underway, along with revision of
course descriptions.
The upcoming primary will be held on Thursday, September 24. A recent meeting
with City Clerk Joseph Shea, Assistant City Clerk Nicole Crispo, and elementary
school principals from Wollaston, Squantum, Lincoln Hancock, Beechwood Knoll,
Merrymount, and Atherton Hough focused on potential issues related to voting on
a full school day. Quincy Police Department will be on hand to assist with traffic
management.
Program Newsletters for Student Support Services and English Language Learners
and Home-School Connections for the Atherton Hough Elementary School was
shared with the School Committee.
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New Business
Voter Registration
Mr. Bregoli made a motion to move Voter Registration at the High Schools to the
Policy Subcommittee for review. Mr. McCarthy seconded the motion and on a voice
vote, the ayes have it.
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Teel Field Project
Update
Mayor Koch updated on the Teel Field project in North Quincy. Teel Field has been
surcharged to compress soil before the construction of the field and amenities, both
of which will be bid out during the winter. All of the Hunt Street properties have
been purchased and demolition is complete. All permitting is complete for the
associated drainage projects that will alleviate ongoing issues in the neighborhood.
Construction will take place in the spring and summer of 2016, with anticipated
completion for use in September 2016. An additional 150 parking spaces will be
added for use by the North Quincy High School campus and the field. Community
and parent meetings will be held to share the project plan. The Squantum
Street/Hancock Street intersection is nearing completion, with fencing installed and
a new electronic sign to be installed later in the fall. Mayor Koch said this project
will have an impact on youth and high school sports in Quincy. Tremendous
progress has been made in the last few years with the completion of the Faxon Field
track facility, the renovations to Cavanaugh Field and Atlantic Middle School fields.
Mayor Koch congratulated Coach Bregoli on his 200th win as a varsity soccer coach.
Mrs. Mahoney noted that this project was never presented to School Committee,
wants to be on record that she did not agree to $12.5 million project for parking
spaces and a park. There was no discussion of the project and objects to it being on
the meeting agenda.
Mayor Koch said this is a City of Quincy project, discussed by the Quincy City
Council and the Parks Board, reviewed with parents and community members and
North Quincy High School booster clubs. This project was planned in response to a
need expressed by Quincy residents. Projects around schools are regularly
reviewed at School Committee and Subcommittee, including the intersection and
traffic issues at North Quincy High School.
Mr. McCarthy said this project is next door to North Quincy High School and so has
impact on the school, but did not require a School Committee vote. The parks are
affiliated with the schools, for example, improvements at Adams Field impact our
schools and students. This project will broaden the North Quincy High School
campus and provide a Park Department opportunity for our students.
Mr. McCarthy said that North Quincy High School looks brand new with the
windows, doors, fencing, and improvement to the intersection in front of the school.
The school will be further enhanced by Teel Field’s expansion.
Mr. Bregoli said the history of the neighborhood was impacted by the addition on
the school building in the 1970s and the decision not to expand the campus at that
time made for commercial development close to the school. North Quincy High
School’s soccer team travels across the city for practice fields and having one field
with turf (Veterans Stadium) puts our teams at a disadvantage against other towns.
Mr. Bregoli said that this project has been reviewed several times at the Parks &
Recreation board meetings.
Mr. Bregoli asked about parking for students. Mayor Koch said that discussions are
underway with the MBTA to reserve around 40 pre-paid spaces in the North Quincy
MBTA lot; this should be resolved in the next few weeks.
Mr. DiBona agreed that this project was discussed at the Park & Recreation Board
several times. The additional parking will make a difference to a number of
programs, including the winter basketball youth leagues. Mr. DiBona said the North
Quincy High School athletic facility enhancements will attract multi-sport athletes to
the school.
Ms. Isola agreed that Teel Field is not a school project and never expected to vote on
it at School Committee. Ms. Isola is pleased that this enhancement will assist the
parking and congestion at North Quincy High School. The parking facilities for
students have been dirt and mud, the new park will add to the beauty of the area.
Mrs. Hubley thanked Mayor Koch for the update and asked for clarification on the
projected completion date. Mayor Koch said the schedule calls for the entire
project, field and parking, to be completed by September 2016.
Ms. Isola said that the improvements to the intersection are already apparent.
Mayor Koch said the fencing is a safety enhancement, directs students to the
crosswalks. Principal Shaw is reporting improvement in the school dropoff and
pickup.
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Dr. DeCristofaro noted that the Extended Day/Summer Scene update was provided
during the Superintendent’s Report.
Quincy School~
Community
Partnership Update
The Quincy School~Community Partnership has over one hundred generous
partners, providing support through financial contributions, site and student
support, and career opportunities. The Partnership members celebrate and honor
staff through many events, including the 3,100 backpacks donated to elementary
school students. A Welcome Back event was held for the Superintendent’s
Leadership Team and partners at the Common Market earlier in September.
Upcoming events include the Professional Status Reception on October 15, the
Health and Wellness Symposium on October 19, the Teacher Mini-Grant Reception,
where over 80 recipients will be awarded $30,000; the Fall Gathering on November
19 at the Tirrell Room, and ‘Tis the Season on December 3 at Quincy High School, in
partnership with the Quincy Symphony Orchestra and Granite City Electric Supply.
In 2016, the Heart Health Initiative will be supported by Brewster Ambulance
Service and throughout the spring, will be followed by Elementary School
Leadership event, Read Across America, Credit for Life Fair, the Community Service
Learning Breakfast, the Partnership Recognition Breakfast, the Studebt Athletics
Summit, Elementary & Middle School Robotics Challenge, and the Staff Retirement
Luncheon.
Ms. Isola said we can never thank our partners enough, their financial donations,
and volunteersare invaluable. Ms. Isola enjoyed the Welcome Back event, an
opportunity to meet the partners in a social setting.
Mr. Bregoli asked if the CPR initiative would continue for Grade 8 students and Mr.
Fagerlund said yes, in partnership with Brewster Ambulance Service. Within 4
years, all high school students will have taken the basic CPR training and a large
percentage the full certification course.
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Out of the Country
Travel
Mayor Koch made a motion to approve the Out of the Country travel of Quincy High
School to England and Scotland from April 15 to April 24, 2016. Mr. Bregoli
seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.
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Out of State Travel
Mayor Koch made a motion to approve the out of state travel of North Quincy High
School to University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire on October 21,
2015. Mr. Bregoli seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.
Communications
Upcoming meetings were announced: Special School Committee Meeting on
September 29, 2015 at 5:00 pm and a Regular Meeting on September 30, 2015.
Mayor Koch noted that the Arts Fest will be held at Adams Field on Saturday,
September 19 and Sunday, September 20. The Quincy Symphony Orchestra will
perform at 7:00 pm on Saturday, September 20 at Adams Field.
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Reports of
Subcommittees
Mrs. Hubley noted that all Subcommittee meeting minutes are posted online at
www.quincypublicschools.com.
Mr. McCarthy reviewed the September 15, 2015 Facilities & Security Subcommittee
Meeting. Parks Department Director Chris Cassani sent a written report on
summer projects and maintenance around school buildings. Maintenance
Department Director Kevin Murphy presented an overview of the work orders,
general maintenance, and projects completed over the summer. Public Buildings
Director Walter MacDonald presented on the MSBA Accelerated Repair Program
window and door replacements at Lincoln Hancock, Merrymount, Parker, and
Wollaston Elementary schools, and North Quincy High School, $8 million of highperformance windows were installed, 70% reimbursed by the MSBA. Energy &
Sustainability Director Shelly Dein presented the new heating system installation at
the Bernazzani Elementary School.
As there were no corrections, the minutes of the September 15, 2015 Facilities &
Security Subcommittee meeting were approved as presented.
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Adjournment
Mayor Koch made a motion to adjourn for the evening at 8:30 p.m. The motion was
seconded by Mr. McCarthy and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.