QUINCY SCHOOL COMMITTEE
POLICY SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING
A meeting of the Policy Subcommittee was held on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at 8:30 pm in the Coddington Building. Present were Subcommittee members Mrs. Tina Cahill, Mrs. Emily Lebo, and Mr. Doug Gutro, Policy Subcommittee Chair. Also present were School Committee Members Mr. Paul Bregoli, Mrs. Kathryn Hubley, and Mrs. Courtney Perdios; Superintendent Kevin Mulvey, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Erin Perkins, Ms. Kim Connolly, Ms. Julie Graham, Mr. Michael Marani, Mr. Lawrence Taglieri, and Mr. Keith Segalla; and Ms. Laura Owens, Clerk.
Mr. Gutro reviewed that School Committee Policy Sections 9.2 School Year and 9.3 School Calendar are on the agenda for review and discussion. Ms. Owens shared a copy of the current Quincy School Committee policies and the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) recommended policy (which combines the two sections).
Mrs. Cahill would like to use the MASC Policy and add language about the observation of federal, state, and municipal holidays. Mrs. Cahill also suggested making the deadline for approval of the school year calendar to be March 1.
Mrs. Lebo suggested that the revised policy include part of the 2nd paragraph, 1st sentence “School sessions hall begin on the Wednesday following the first Monday of September […]”
Mr. Bregoli said that he would like to see adding that when Labor Day is late, the school year could start on the Wednesday before Labor Day. Mrs. Lebo and Mrs. Hubley noted that the calendar survey completed last year indicated that the community does not support starting school prior to Labor Day.
Mrs. Perdios supports the generalness of the MASC Policy as it would give School Committee more flexibility. Mrs. Perdios noted that Grade 12 students can be scheduled for fewer days so the policy language should reflect this. Mrs. Perdios suggested removing “parent conferences” from the MASC policy as the QPS calendar does not reflect those days.
Mrs. Hubley supports adding the provisions of the existing Policy to the MASC Policy as Mrs. Cahill recommends.
After discussion about including specifics of contractual paid days off and vacation weeks, Mrs. Lebo made a motion to move forward with revision of the Policy to reflect the MASC Policy with language adaptations that the calendar will reflect “federal, state, municipal, and contractual holidays,” seniors being scheduled for 168 days, and the beginning of the school year being the Wednesday after Labor Day. The motion was seconded and on a role call vote of the Subcommittee, the ayes have it, 3-0.
Ms. Owens will draft a revised Policy based on the motion for review at the next Policy Subcommittee meeting.
Mr. Gutro said that Subcommittee members will vote on the revised Policy at the next meeting. The revised Policy will then go to the full School Committee for review and vote.
Mrs. Cahill made a motion to adjourn at 8:50 pm, seconded by Mrs. Lebo. On a voice vote, the ayes have it.