CITY OF WORCESTER | Education Committee Meeting | Wednesday, September 11, 2024 | Esther Howland (South) Chamber | Convened: 5:05 P.M. | Adjourned: 6:41 P.M. |
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Mayor
Joseph M. Petty | 
www.worcesterma.gov |
Clerk of the City Council
Nikolin Vangjeli | Committee Members | | Chairperson Etel Haxhiaj | | Vice Chairperson Thu Nguyen | | Councilor Khrystian E King |
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City Hall - 455 Main Street Worcester, Massachusetts | |
| Present Were: | Chairperson Councilor Etel Haxhiaj
Councilor Thu Nguyen
Councilor Khrystain E. King | | | | | Also: | Chairperson School Committee Member Molly O. McCullough
School Committee Member Dianna Biancheria, who participated in the meeting remotely
School Committee Member Kathleen Roy
Worcester Regional Research Bureau Executive Director and CEO Paul Matthews
Worcester Regional Research Bureau Research Associate Anthony Clough
WPS Deputy Superintendent Brian Allen
WPL Executive Director Jason Homer
Clerk of the School Committee Kristi Turgeon
Deputy City Clerk AJ Pottle, clerk | | | |
| 1. | Virtual Attendee Call-In Information | |
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| | | 1a. | Pursuant to Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021 and in order to ensure active, public engagement, the City of Worcester currently allows for both in-person and remote participation at all City Council and Standing Committee meetings. To partake in the meeting, you may attend the meeting in-person within the meeting location, follow the below link to join via Zoom or dial the direct line as indicated. If you join a Zoom meeting by dialing in with a phone number, you can raise your hand by dialing *9.
Education Committee Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/96739569567
Education Committee Zoom Phone Number: (929) 205 6099
Education Committee Zoom Access Code: 967 3956 9567 | Attachments |
| 2. | Approval of the Minutes | |
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| | | 2a. | Order- That the City Council Standing Committee of Education hereby approves the minutes of the Education Committee meeting on March 18, 2024. | View Agenda | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Haxhiaj read the item and moved for a roll call vote to adopt the item. Order adopted on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | |
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| | | 3a. | Order of Councilor Etel Haxhiaj - Request Standing Committee on Education meet jointly with the School Committee’s Standing Committee on Finance, Operations, and Governance for the purpose of reviewing matters pertaining to public education, the public libraries, arts, culture and higher education listed on their agenda.
# 11f CC May 28, 2024 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Haxhiaj read the item and moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be held.
Recommend Hold on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | |
| 4. | Miscellaneous Communications | |
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| | | 4a. | Communication of Paul Matthews, Executive Director and CEO of the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, transmitting, "Building the Future: Investing in Worcester Public Schools Facilities," and the online visualization, "Understanding Your Neighborhood Schools."
# 15a CC March 12, 2024 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Haxhiaj read the item and recognized the Worcester Regional Research Bureau Executive Director and CEO, who provided an overview related to the mission of the Worcester Regional Research Bureau (WRRB) and discussed the importance related to maintaining school facilities, understanding neighborhood school’s facility needs and demographics, and the impact facility infrastructure has related to student success.
Chairperson Councilor Haxhiaj recognized Worcester Regional Research Bureau Research Associate, who provided a detailed overview related to the process relative to analyzing Worcester Public Schools (WPS) facilities including the city’s partnership with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), the city’s efforts to improve school facilities, and re-examination related to the District’s 2017 Facilities Master Plan and the 2017 student data from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
The Worcester Regional Research Bureau Research Associate also discussed five (5) recommendations for the city including, developing a data driven priority list related to the district’s neediest schools, ensure a data driven transparent and equitable selection process related to future facility projects, further examine correlations between student demographics and facility needs, consider consolidating small pre-WWII schools, and advocate for further state investments in school facilities.
The Worcester Regional Research Bureau Research Associate then discussed the process relative to the MSBA’s survey related to building condition scores and the age of school buildings and how it relates to the city’s schools.
Chairperson Councilor Haxhiaj recognized Councilor Nguyen, who spoke concerning the district’s highest needs facilities and the process relative to update the 2017 Facilities Master Plan to reflect current 2024 data with Chairperson School Committee Member McCullough.
Chairperson Councilor Haxhiaj brought forth the following two (2) Chairman’s Order: 1) Request City Manager work with the Superintendent of Public Schools to provide City Council with a report detailing a list of schools in poor condition with high priority projects; and 2) Request City Manager work with the Superintendent of Public Schools to provide City Council with a report updating the findings within the 2017 Facility Master Plan.
Chairperson School Committee Member McCullough discussed potential redistricting, building capacities, and the process relative to meeting the needs of students with an aging infrastructure.
Chairperson School Committee Member McCullough recognized School Committee Member Roy, who spoke concerning the item.
Chairperson School Committee Member McCullough recognized School Committee Member Biancheria, who spoke concerning Worcester East Middle Schools MSBA’s rating of four (4) and the process relative to improving the building, and the city’s budget allocated to the schools.
Chairperson Councilor Haxhiaj recognized Councilor King, who discussed the process relative to the facility assessment regarding the correlative analysis related to demographics and facility conditions, concerns related to the health of students and the conditions of the schools referenced in the WRRB report, Facility Master Plan assessments related to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations, and potential additional funds sourcing with the WPS Deputy Superintendent, the Worcester Regional Research Bureau Executive Director and CEO, and the Worcester Regional Research Bureau Research Associate.
Chairperson Councilor Haxhiaj then discussed the process relative to correlating ADA accommodations and the Facility Master Plan and also potential funds sourcing opportunities with the Worcester Regional Research Bureau Executive Director and CEO.
Chairperson Councilor Haxhiaj moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be filed.
Recommend File on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager work with the Superintendent of Public Schools to provide City Council with a report detailing a list of schools in poor condition with high priority projects. | | | | Request City Manager work with the Superintendent of Public Schools to provide City Council with a report updating the findings within the 2017 Facility Master Plan. | |
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| | | 4b. | Communication of the City Manager transmitting informational communication relative to Worcester Public Library services available to Worcester Public Schools students.
# 9.24A CM May 14, 2024 | Attachments | | | | | | | Chairperson Councilor Haxhiaj read the item and recognized the following speakers:
1. Aislinn Doyle, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor or opposed to item #4b
2. Jodie Chapdelaine, Worcester resident, spoke neither in favor or opposed to item #4b
Chairperson Councilor Haxhiaj recognized the WPL Executive Director, who discussed the progress and relationship between the Worcester Public Library and the Worcester Public Schools, new resources available to students including implementing an ebook lending platform (Sora), and funding sources.
Chairperson Councilor Haxhiaj recognized Councilor Nguyen, who discussed best practices related to building a stronger relationship between the library and the schools including the timeline related to achieving set goals with the WPL Executive Director.
Chairperson Councilor Haxhiaj brought forth the following two (2) Chairman’s Orders: 1) Request City Manager work with the Superintendent of Public Schools to provide City Council with a report related to the feasibility of expanding libraries in all Worcester Public Schools in the next ten (10) years; and 2) Request City Manager consider library services as a priority during negotiation requests.
Chairperson Councilor Haxhiaj moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be filed.
Recommend File on a roll call vote of 2 Yeas and 0 Nays (King absent) | | | | | | | | Chairman's Orders | | | | Request City Manager work with the Superintendent of Public Schools to provide City Council with a report related to the feasibility of expanding libraries in all Worcester Public Schools in the next ten (10) years. | | | | Request City Manager consider library services as a priority during negotiation requests. | |
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