Quincy Public Schools

Mrs. Dianne McDonald, President of the Quincy Choral Boosters spoke about building the choral program through expanding the high school position from 0.5 at each school to a full-time position at each high school.

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Open Forum

Dr. DeCristofaro opened the Superintendent’s Report by wishing good luck to the seven Grade 11 and 12 students are competing in the Lions Speech Contest tonight.

Project 351 Grade 8 Ambassadors from each middle school will take part in the Annual Launch Day of Service on Saturday, January 19, 2019. These students will be recognized at the January 23, 2019 School Committee meeting.

Over the holiday recess, Quincy Police Department staff had the opportunity to train at North Quincy and Quincy High Schools and the GOALS Building. A grant was recently received to fund installation for direct lines to the Quincy Police Department at each building, with installation in the planning stages. Mayor Koch has also made a special appropriation for camera maintenance and replacement.

Upcoming Parent Academy dates were shared with School Committee. On Tuesday, January 22, an event focused on Elementary School Mathematics will be held at Central Middle School at 6:30 pm. In addition to the citywide Parent Academy offerings, principals are working with their staff and parents to create local events on topics of interest to their school community.

The Citywide Middle School Volleyball Championships were held last Saturday at Quincy High School, over 140 players from all five middle schools competed, with Central Middle School winning both the boys and girls divisions. This afternoon, another 120 players competed in the JV Volleyball Championships, with Broad Meadows winning both the girls and boys divisions.

The Quincy School~Community Partnership Newsletter and Aspen Publication #25 were both shared with School Committee. Upcoming Partnership Events include A Matter of Heart (CPR & AED Training) and the Grade 5 Student Leadership Summit.

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Superintendent's Report

Mr. Bregoli made a motion to transfer Veterans Memorial Stadium from School Committee to the Parks Department:

WHEREAS “full exclusive control and direction” of Veteran’s Stadium has always been vested in the Quincy School Committee, by virtue of the provisions of Chapter 266 of the Acts of 1936, passed at the request of the Quincy City Council and School Committee; and

WHEREAS the purpose of the special act was primarily directed at allowing the school committee to charge admission to events at Veteran’s Stadium and then keep/use the school event gate money to defray the costs of “… equipping and training of the participants therein” contrary to the provisions of G.L. c. 40 § 3, which mandates that school committees direct funds received for rent or use of facilities only for “the upkeep of the facility so rented;” and

WHEREAS upkeep, maintenance and capital improvements at Veteran’s Stadium have always been performed by the Park Department and financed out of the city budget, and not the school budget, while the school department has always received and expended the income derived at Veteran’s Stadium from school events; and

WHEREAS, the School Committee has reviewed options for the use of these practices and thereupon concluded that the control and direction of Veteran’s Stadium would best be vested in the Park Department – provided that the School Department continue to enjoy priority scheduling rights and may keep and use the revenue derived from school events at the stadium,

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE

OF THE CITY OF QUINCY that, in the exercise of its authority under the provisions of Chapter 266 of the Acts of 1936, the School Committee hereby transfers full exclusive control and authority of Veteran’s Stadium to the Park Department of the city of Quincy, subject to the oversight of the Park and Recreation Board under the provisions of Chapter 78 of the Acts of 1961; and, further subject to the following two provisos:

1. The School Department shall always enjoy priority scheduling preference for its events, in coordination with the Park and Recreation Board’s oversight authority; and
2. All revenue derived from any school department event held at Veteran’s Stadium shall be collected, received and expended by the School Department, and not otherwise.

Mrs. Hubley seconded the motion.

On the motion, Mr. Gutro appreciates the consideration for the language contained in the resolution crafted by the City Solicitor, but noted that since the separate item he requested documenting the Parks Department Policy of precedence for Quincy Public Schools events has not been shared, he intends to vote no.

Mayor Koch reiterated that there has long been precedence for school usage of fields across the City of Quincy and the School Committee member on the Park Board ensures that continuity.

Mr. Bregoli said that at the most recent Park Board Meeting, there was a discussion of the written Policy being researched, so far with no success.

On a roll call vote, the ayes have it, 5-1. Mr. Gutro voted NO. Mrs. Lebo was absent.

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Superintendent DeCristofaro apologized as he missed an item on the Superintendent’s Report. Senior Director of Student Support Services Maura Papile updated School Committee on the events held last week to under Mayor Koch’s Substance Use Education and Prevention initiative. Beginning with the SADD Summit held this fall with Braintree High School, there is a full year of events including opportunities for building peer leadership, motivational speakers, self-esteem building and other activities that run throughout the school year.

Mayor Koch thanked Ms. Papile for her leadership, she works with a dedicated staff of guidance counselors and health educators and inspires and coordinates all of their ideas.

Mr. Andronico thanked Ms. Papile and Mayor Koch for their leadership, thanked them for addressing the issue of educating students and parents about vaping, Quincy Public Schools is staying ahead of the curve.

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Old Business

Veterans Memorial

Stadium Transfer (Vote)

Director of Special Education Erin Perkins introduced the overview of the Grade 5 Science Initiative, reviewing the new Massachusetts Science standards implementation and the adoption of new materials for the elementary schools. Science Curriculum Team Administrator Ed Smith reviewed the common elementary school goal and the areas of focus for the 2018-2019 school year: Earth & Space Sciences/Earth’s Systems; Physical Sciences: Matter and Its Interactions; Technology/Engineering: Engineering Design. Schools created individual action steps and planned family engagement and outreach. Sterling Middle School Assistant Principal Courtney Mitchell highlighted the end of term Science Showcase that will be presented at each school to demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills. These will vary from school to school and highlight the interests of the students based on the curriculum for the term. The goal is for the work to be completed during the school day as these are collaborative, student-led projects. The Grade 5 Science Initiative Design Team will meet after the Trimester 2 showcase is complete and revise the plan going forward.

Beechwood Knoll Principal Janet Loftus reviewed that each elementary and middle school will offer a Saturday morning STEM Academy for four weeks (March 9, 16, 23, and 30). At the elementary school level, students will focus on Transportation Technologies and Coding through Planes, Rockets, Cars, Coasters & Coding. For middle schools, Structural Engineering & Architecture of Bridges, Towers & Structures.

Dr. DeCristofaro thanked the Grade 5 Science Initiative Design team, impressive results from the collaboration of administrators, principals, and the enthusiastic teaching staff.

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New Business

QPS Initiative Update:

Grade 5 Science

Director of Special Education Erin Perkins presented an update on the MAP testing program, along with Atherton Hough Principal Robin Moreira, Coordinator of Literacy & English Language Arts Bridget Vaughan, and Senior Curriculum Director Madeline Roy. The benefits of the MAP Assessment are the timely results, context for student performance, and flexible reporting formats. Raw data can be downloaded and integrated with other available data from other formal and informal assessments. In the 2018-19 school year, all students in all schools will be administered the MAP in Grades 2 through 7 for Reading, Mathematics, and Science (grades 4 through 7). The Assessment is given three times over the course of the year and the timing is coordinated with the Integrated Learning Team meetings. The results are available immediately upon completion of the assessment, students needing interventions can be assisted immediately.

2018-2019 is the first administration of the MAP Assessment for Science, which assesses the three key domains aligned to the Massachusetts standards. Through professional development, teachers have the opportunity to learn about report generation and data analysis. There is a feature of projected proficiency, what the student can expect to score on MCAS based on the MAP Assessment.

At the school level, following each MAP administration, the Integrated Learning Teams will review the data to assess progress, create or adjust instructional groups, and plan interventions as needed to meet individual goals. The Student Growth Profile Report is piloting a correlation of the student RIT score to a predicted MCAS expectation. This predicted outcome will provide additional opportunities for targeted interventions focused on improving performance.

Ms. Roy concluded the presentation by reviewing the next steps for the MAP Assessment. Teachers are in different places along the continuum and it is important to ensure that the tool is being used as most effective. Communication with parents continues to expand with reports shared at parent-teacher conferences at the elementary and middle school level.

Mr. Gutro asked for additional information about the assessments. Ms. Perkins reviewed that MAP for Reading is comprehension-based. The MAP for Mathematics and Science is similar to MCAS question types and administered online. One of the benefits of the MAP Science assessment is that it will give concrete data on Science achievement now currently only available in Grades 5 and 8. Mr. Gutro asked about the distribution of the results, these were distributed at report card conferences so teachers could explain the assessment and results. In the middle schools, parents were also given the Parent Guide reference tool, which will be shared with School Committee as well.

DIBELS is given for Kindergarten through Grade 2, a three-minute cold read of an unfamiliar text three times per year. The teacher times and records fluency and accuracy only. It is a quick screening tool for potential need for Literacy interventions. The Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) is for students at the end of Kindergarten and in early Grade 1, assesses reading level and is criterion-referenced, not normed. Mr. Gutro asked whether these are required, they are not, but are tools to assist in developing individual instruction plans. The MAP Assessment is an annual contract, DIBELS is also an annual fee for the data tracking, and the DRA is a one-time purchase.

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New Business

QPS Initiative Update:

MAP Testing

Mr. Gutro made a motion to accept the gift of $1,900.00 from the Randy C. Wolfe Music Trust to the Quincy Public Schools Music Programs. The motion was seconded by Mr. DeAmicis and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.

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New Business

Gift for QPS Music

Programs

Mrs. Hubley made a motion to refer a review of Foreign Language Programs to the Teaching & Learning Subcommittee. The motion was seconded by Mr. Andronico and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.

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New Business

Foreign Language

Programs

(Referral)

Mrs. Hubley made a motion to approve the Overnight Travel (Out of State) of Quincy & North Quincy High Schools HYPER Robotics the FRC Robotics Competition at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire. on March 28-April 1, 2019. Mr. Bregoli seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.

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Mr. Bregoli made a motion to approve the Overnight Travel (In State) Quincy High School Grades 10-12 to the Harvard Model UN Conference in Boston, Massachusetts on January 24-27, 2019. Mrs. Hubley seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.

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New Business

Overnight Travel

(Out of State)

New Business

Overnight Travel

(In-State)

There was no Additional Business.

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Additional Business

Upcoming School Committee Meetings will be held on January 23, 2019; February 6, 2019; March 6, 2019; and March 20, 2019 at 6:30 pm at the Coddington Building. Subcommittee Meetings will be held on January 28, 2019: Policy at 6:00 pm, Quarterly Budget & Finance at 6:16 pm; and Teaching & Learning at 6:30 pm.

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Communications

Mrs. Hubley noted that School Committee and Subcommittee meeting minutes are posted online at www.quincypublicschools.com/schoolcomm/2018-2019.

Mr. DeAmicis reviewed the Facilities, Transportation, and Safety Subcommittee meeting held on November 28, 2018. Superintendent DeCristofaro and City of Quincy’s Environmental Health Consultant Suzanne Condon presented on the Wollaston Elementary School basement air quality concern.

Mr. Gutro requested to see the state results when they are available.

Mr. DeAmicis requested a copy of Ms. Condon’s report when available.

As there were no corrections, the minutes of the November 28, 2018 Facilities, Transportation, & Security Subcommittee meeting was approved as presented.

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Reports of

Subcommittees

There was no Executive Session.

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Executive Session

Mrs. Hubley made a motion to adjourn for the evening at 7:55 p.m. The motion was seconded by Mr. Andronico and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.

Adjournment