Brockton, Massachusetts Special School Committee Meeting November 2, 2023
The Special School Committee Meeting of the Brockton School Committee was held this evening in the George M. Romm Little Theatre of Brockton High School at 8:00pm.
These minutes contain a summary of the meeting and list items that were under discussion.
Agenda #1-Call to order
Ms. Ehlers, Vice Chair called the meeting to order at 8:05pm
Agenda #2-Pledge
Salute to the flag.
Agenda #3-Establish a quorum
Ms. Ehlers, Vice Chair, took roll call to establish a quorum.
Ms. Sullivan-yes Mr. Homer-yes Mr. Rodrigues-yes Ms. Asack-yes Mr. Sullivan-yes
Ms. Ehlers (Vice Chair)-yes
Mayor Sullivan-arrived @ 8:23pm Ms. Mendes-arrived @ 8:46pm
Also Present: Dr. James Cobbs, Acting Superintendent, Attorney Sarah Spatafore
Agenda #4-Hearing of visitors
There were no persons signed-up for Hearing of Visitors
Agenda #5-Introduction of Mr. Jose Duarte, Acting Principal of Brockton High School
Dr. Cobbs introduced Mr. Duarte and asked him to come to the podium. Dr. Cobbs stated he has known Mr. Duarte for many years, as they worked together at one time in Boston and served together in the guard some time ago. Dr. Cobbs stated that Mr. Duarte is a man of integrity, hard work, and dedication.
Agenda #6-Update by Mr. Jose Duarte, Acting Principal of Brockton High School
· Very pleased to be at BHS.
· Learning the building, seeing many familiar faces from South Middle
· Hard working & caring staff
· Amazing student body
· Two days of student assemblies
· Seniors will meet again next week.
· Many challenges still ahead
· Physical altercation last Thursday: decided to have half a day for students on that next day (Friday) in order to have a full staff meeting.
· Staff shared many concerns.
· Staff shortage: approval for Security & Safety specialists to return. Job ad posted on School Spring. Hired twelve, with a possibility of an additional six. They will go through a training with Sgt. Livingston.
· Large number of students leaving campus Period 5 to go to MacDonalds. Have spoken to management and established a relationship with them.
· Need to elevate positive behavior.
· Goal is to bring stability to BHS.
Questions/Answers
Ms. Asack-what are we going to do about the bathrooms, clogging of sinks.
Mr. Duarte-yes, they are getting rid of some sort of evidence down the sinks. Hall duty monitors clear the bathrooms. Access control specialists just started back as well. Possibly lock the bathrooms at certain times.
Ms. Asack-are we getting more cameras? kids are vaping in the stairwells. Are the cameras working?
Dr. Cobbs-yes, we will add more cameras in the stairwells, etc. also, new PA system which includes phones in classrooms that connect to the office.
Mr. Duarte-every morning clears out a large group of students that vape under the gym overpass.
Ms. Asack-some are enforcing the dress code and others are not. Students shouldn’t be wearing hoods.
Dr. Cobbs-you can ask a student to take their hat/hood off and then they will put it right back on again as they walk down the hallway. It’s a constant battle.
Mr. Duarte-motto “together we can, together we will”. Need to hold students accountable. Here to support the teachers.
Mr. Sullivan-thanked Mr. Duarte for jumping in and congratulated him on doing a great job so far.
Mr. Homer-need to set expectations for students. It is very challenging for staff to have them wandering the hallways and in the bathrooms vaping. The students need consistency and constant reminders.
Dr. Cobbs-there are around 3500 students at BHS and approximately 100 or so running around the building causing disruptions. It is a work in progress.
Mr. Rodrigues-the number one major concern at BHS is the safety and security of all.
Mr. Duarte-yes, the main thing is safety, and the building should be safe for all. There is great instruction being delivered by the teachers in the classroom, despite some students in the hallways during class time.
Mr. Rodrigues-suggested the other school committee members take a day and walk around the halls of BHS and see how dangerous it is.
Mr. Duarte-always sees the glass ½ full, intent to bring stability to the building, work as a team, work hard, consistency. Need to get the students out of the hallways and not leaving school grounds.
Ms. Ehlers-asked if the teachers are unwilling to push code or afraid to?
Mr. Duarte-a little bit of both, some have given up.
Ms. Asack-asked if the committee could get a printout of the teachers absent without a sub list each day and if it could be emailed.
Mr. Duarte-plans on having one on one conferences with teachers who have had excessive absences to this point. The number of teachers out have been high each day.
Dr. Cobbs-will have the PAW print emailed to the committee each day.
Ms. Ehlers-thanked Mr. Duarte for coming and is looking forward to seeing him come back to speak in December.
Agenda #7-Recommendations by Dr. Cobbs, Acting Superintendent of next steps for BHS
1. Reassess floor teacher positions.
a. Use floor teaching staff to work with Asst. Principals to communicate with families of “repeat offenders regarding tardiness, cutting, behavior concerns.
2. Hire additional Safety and Security specialist.
a. Initial job ad was for 12, will hire an additional 6 personnel at $20.00 per hour.
b. Three onboard, others in HR process
3. Hire private security short term to cover exits/monitor grounds/doors, get quotes from three different companies.
a. Cost $16,000 per week for 8 officers.
b. One month $64,000
4. Hire long-term subs to fill vacant teacher positions (currently 29 open positions)
a. Pay BHS teachers to cover open class periods as a sub in lieu of prep period.
b. Fill up to 30 positions per day.
c. Hire building sub paraprofessionals to help cover TAWs classes. (2 long term subs in place)
5. Change Administrative structure of Edison Day Academy
a. Full time Principal/Administrator for EDA & Green Bldg. (2 total) approved on 10/31/23.
b. Remove/refer students to other programs/schools.
6. Contract District Attorney’s Office regarding CBJJ (Community Based Juvenile Justice) Program
a. Mayor Sullivan to contact DA’s Office. Remove/refer students to other programs/schools. Mayor met with DA Tim Cruz on Monday. Asst. DA assigned to get CBJJ program reinstated.
7. Reduce footprint of BVLA (Brockton Virtual Learning Academy-currently house on 3rd fl. Green)
a. Signed MOA teachers can elect to teach from home.
b. About half of teachers elected to teach from home or hybrid.
c. Eliminate Virtual Elementary school SY 2024-2025 (voted last year to keep only grades 6-12)
8. Made adjustments to PA/Bell System
a. Synchronize bell timing.
b. Differentiate bell tones for class dismissal, tardy, etc.
c. Adjust audio levels (teachers can’t hear bells)
d. Replace defective speakers, wiring, install additional speakers (rodents have chewed wires)
e. Work is in progress 11/1/23-$4730 cost.
f. Upgrades expected to be completed Tuesday, November 7, 2023
g. Staff to be trained on upgrades.
9. Focus on Freshman Orientation (due to heat wave, orientation had to change; currently having assemblies so students will understand the culture of the school)
a. Began school without summer orientation.
b. Have parents attend orientation.
10. Reactivate student discipline and accountability joint task force.
a. At BHS and all levels
b. BHS-MOA dated 9/1/18-8/31/21 expired without any recommendations (need to reinstate task force)
11. Address teacher/staff absences (meetings with guidance from the Human Resource Dept.)
a. Average 20-25 teachers per day absent.
b. Conducted emergency staff meeting on Friday 10/27/23.
c. Individual meetings starting Monday 11/6/23.
Questions/Answers
Ms. Asack-seems like a lot of money for security guards.
Dr. Cobbs-it will cost approximately $64,000 for a month.
Mr. Rodrigues-you can never put a price tag on safety. Should a proposal for security guards go out to bid and go through the RFP process?
Dr. Cobbs-yes
Ms. Ehlers-are these security guards strictly for the outside grounds?
Dr. Cobbs-yes, they will only be on the outside grounds, preventing students from leaving and others coming onto the grounds.
Mr. Sullivan-asked if two positions were approved?
Dr. Cobbs-yes, CFO Troy Clarkson already approved them.
Ms. Sullivan-mentioned how the former Superintendent didn’t want the BVLA teachers teaching from home because of problems.
Dr. Cobbs-BVLA Principal Lynch will oversee and monitor attendance.
Mr. Rodrigues-asked about the clock system and how will it effect the wiring? Also, if the work will be done in house or contracted out.
Dr. Cobbs-clocks are still being installed and is the work being done in-house.
Ms. Asack-what is the warranty on the clocks?
Dr. Cobbs-the warranty will be honored.
Ms. Sullivan-mentioned to give the students work to do while in the café.
Dr. Cobbs-we can look into that.
Mr. Homer-allow the students who have TAWS to get permission to go to another teacher’s class who they have during the day.
Dr. Cobbs-we can look into that.
Agenda #8-Recommendations by Dr. Cobbs, Acting Superintendent regarding Facility Space
(See attached Draft Proposal from 2015-2016 for Brockton Day Evening Academy)
1. Edison Day & Evening Academy (try to fix this by next semester)
a. Will work with Cabinet and create a task force to fully develop proposal.
b. Fully develop draft proposal created in SY 2015-2016
2. Reengagement Center (30 attending, 100 on paper)
a. In the process of developing program with staff
b. Appoint a Program Coordinator/Administrator
c. Relocate from Fairgrounds location to the Goddard school.
3. Brockton Therapeutic Day School
a. Remain at Westgate (perfectly suited for a small population, parking in back)
b. Purchase building
c. Plan to address the egress concerns.
· Add space metal building (SY 2024-2025)
· Create small gymnasium on the 1st floor. Create a space for a cafeteria on the 2nd floor.
4. Brockton High School
a. Request executive session meeting to discuss long term strategy.
b. Executive session for 11/14/23
Ms. Asack-we can’t keep moving from building to building, we need to consolidate.
Mr. Rodrigues-Edison Day Academy currently has 150 students in one hallway of the BHS Green 3rd floor. Need to transition to another location, hopefully can be done after the holidays. The other hallway in Green 3rd floor is BVLA.
Ms. Mendes-EI students need structure long term. They can’t keep moving from building to building.
Dr. Cobbs-will look at a draft of restructure.
Agenda #9-Other Business
Mr. Homer will work on a date for a Facilities subcommittee meeting.
Reminder that the next school committee meeting on November 14th will be held at the Arnone school.
Agenda#10-Adjournment
Mayor Sullivan asked for a motion to adjourn.
Mr. Homer made a motion to adjourn. Motion seconded by Ms. Sullivan
Mayor Sullivan took a roll call vote to adjourn.
Ms. Sullivan-yes Mr. Homer-yes Ms. Mendes-yes Mr. Rodrigues-yes
Ms. Asack-yes Mr. Sullivan-yes Ms. Ehlers (Vice Chair)-yes Mayor Sullivan (Chair)-yes
Adjourned 10:20 pm.
Enclosures
lmc