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Brockton, Massachusetts Brockton School Committee Meeting October 3, 2023 |
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A meeting of the Brockton School Committee was held this evening in the George M. Romm Little Theatre of Brockton High School at seven o'clock. These minutes contain a summary of the meeting and lists items that were under discussion. Mayor Sullivan read the following statement: Dear Visitors: Welcome to a meeting of the Brockton School Committee. This is the agenda that will be discussed this evening (see attached). Please note that a Hearing of Visitors is included. If you have a statement or question, please give your name to the secretary. In addition to attending, the public can view this meeting via television on Comcast channel 8 and 1071HD Version, and online via this link: www.youtube.com/TheBrocktonChannels The assembled then stood and performed the Salute to the American Flag. The Chair took roll call to establish a quorum.
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Absent |
None |
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Also Present |
Dr. James F. Cobbs, Acting Superintendent, Attorney Sarah Spatafore |
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Hearing of Visitors |
There were 12 persons signed in, one of whom was not a Brockton resident. The Informational Technology Department provided a count-down timer, set for 3 minutes per speaker, monitored by Attorney Spatafore. Mimi Désir/Attleboro MA, spoke on the importance of art in education for critical thinking and the wellness of the mind. Klay McKenzie-Bowen spoke on his R.I.F.T. publications and on working with at risk students with Mr. Brickhouse in his Critical.Analytical.Thinking. program. Sonja J. Dixon spoke on her involvement in the C.A.T. program. George H. Brickhouse spoke on implementing the C.A.T. program, at the Mayor’s request, in all the middle schools. He appealed to the Superintendent and the School Committee to start this in the 2nd term. Angela Burke, Kristen Lacy, Linda Pizzi, Abdiel Snelling and Laura Krim spoke on keeping the music program funded and re-establish Instrumentals in the 4th grade during the school day. Maggie Pinney spoke on the poor culture and climate that exists at the High School. She is on the School Council and provided informational materials (attached) to the School Committee. Mary LaCivita spoke on the power of participation, exhibiting the defeat of the uniform policy. She also spoke on starting up a parent volunteer program (attached) to fill staffing gaps. Kim Langford spoke on the nine-person Informational Technology Board/junk pdf uploads that people don’t have time to read. She is challenging the Board to create an interactive app dashboard supported in Apple and Google. |
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Superintendent’s Report |
Teaching & Learning Acting Superintendent Cobbs spoke on the implementation of the new “Position Control” form and that he is working, as quickly as possible, to fill vacant positions; the first of which is the BHS principal. It is hoped that a start date of January 2024 is achieved. Student Rep There was no report. Financial Up-date Chief Financial Officer, city-side, Troy B. G. Clarkson presented a PowerPoint presentation entitled Brockton Public Schools Fiscal Outlook FY 2024. Some points shared were: · Budget Tracking Tool: Reports available on the BPS website for the committee and public · School/City Finance Team meets regularly to problem solve o Ensure departmental needs are funded properly to meet student outcomes o Position Control safeguards to confidently fund and document staff hiring
· Current Health of the Budget: Slightly under budget o Reports every two weeks o Each school spending, individually o Revolving Funds & Grants o Available to committee as well as the public o Controls on MUNIS, the municipality’s accounting database, over-ride permissions. Currently only the City Auditor. Will provide a list of past employees with over-ride permissions. Some questions for Mr. Clarkson included: SC: How is it that the Non-net School Spending from our body was $15+million and MUNIS reflects $11+ million? TC: The request was budgeted by City Council at $11+million, due to the availability of funds at the time. He is aware that, at some point during the year the line-item may be required to be increased. SC: How is this body notified of the change in line-item funding? TC: The votes of the City Council are taken in public at public meetings. He then, personally, conveys that information to the Superintendent and the School Department CFO. There is already evidence that the Non-net spending will exceed the $15 million, due to large Capital purchases. This trend will bear watching. SC: What if we never get the $3 million? TC: There are always funding opportunities, transfers from other places and additional appropriations from the city if needed. SC: It is our goal that fiscal year 24 is balanced and clean and it concerns me that we are already starting out with what looks and feels like a $3 million deficit. TC: He and Dr. Cobbs have made adjustments in Transportation and will report out on those cost pressures so that the School Committee can have discussion on just these topics. He, Dr. Cobbs and the Mayor are having regular conversations concerning ways to save funds under Transportation. SC: Who is on the Finance Team and who could a SC member contact with a question during the day? TC: I can provide an employee directory and information from Open Architect. Questions can be called into or emailed to either Dr. Cobbs or myself. SC: How, if at all, does the budget reduction impact our per-pupil expenditure? May we get reports of “big ticket” items that are impacting the budget and, is there anything you see in your report this evening that you feel should be brought to our attention? TC: The Net School spending has historically been met or exceeded in Brockton. Schedule 19 funds that are held by the city go toward the per-pupil expenditure. Yes, reports can show flagged expenditures. Yes, his information is that Janitorial Supplies are at 94%. Temporary Seasonal Employees: the appropriation was $196k and spending is at $200k. This line-item does not exceed the over-all appropriation category that the SC voted. The line-items bear question and scrutiny. Oversubscribed items will be included in reports to SC members. SC: A member is requesting the CFO provide a report that includes every account, including expenditures, held by the School Department for FY 20 through to today. TC: Yes. The report from tonight is from the General Fund. He can provide a snap-shot to include Revolving and Grant Funds The Mayor would like Mr. Clarkson and Dr. Cobbs to look into cost-saving opportunities through the Plymouth County Consortium, i.e., janitorial supplies and gas, Solar Panel options and options for school bus parking to sever the fairground lease. He would also like to look into the unused properties. i.e., Whitman, Howard and Shaw schools. In terms of the busses, Dr. Cobbs reported that the fleet now has one-hundred and twenty busses and could use another 10. Parking and office space for the Transportation Department needs to be considered before breaking the lease. Items to Refer to Subcommittee · Policy · EDI and Accounts Review (10/24/2023/6p) · Music, Arts, & Extra-curriculars with Facilities Planning & Usage
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Agenda |
The Chair read that the Consent Agenda consisted of items A, B, C, D, and E and asked if the Committee wanted to take any items off for discussion. Mr. Rodrigues motioned that item D(6A) / FY2024 Community Empowerment and Investment Grant - $434,000 per year-3 years / $1,302,000 total, be pulled off the Consent Agenda, seconded by Ms. Asack. The motion carried. Mr. Homer made a motion to accept items A, B, C D(6B,6C) and E properly seconded by Mr. Sullivan. The Mayor read the remaining Consent Agenda items aloud. (Agenda Attached) The motion carried. Dr. LaBillois spoke to Agenda Item D(6A), reporting that the funds would go to strengthening efforts by merging the work of Attendance, Re-engagement, Restorative Justice, and Pathways, rendering individual support to our students in a brick-and-mortar setting. Students would re-engage and work towards their individual plan to success either to a diploma or success in the career/technical workforce. Monies would go to licensed personnel, supporting students academically, behaviorally, socially and emotionally in a culturally/linguistically sustained environment, expanding the program offerings as the years progress. Partnered with Suffolk University Leadership Training Professional Development and Safe Corners would support the Re-engagement personnel. Mr. Rodrigues made a motion to postpone vote on Agenda Item D(6A) to a future School Committee meeting, properly seconded by Ms. Asack. Discussion on the motion by Mr. Rodrigues: Before taking a vote on this matter, Mr. Rodrigues is requesting an actual chart sheet of who the administrators, educators, mentors and one-on-one contracts are with a breakdown of the salaries. Discussion on the motion by Mrs. Sullivan to Dr. LaBillois: Is there a filing deadline? Dr. LaBillois will research that question. The motion passed. |
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Unfinished Business |
Field Director from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Ms. Tracy Novick, presented on Social Media for School Committee Members. Some salient points were: · Open Meeting Laws, State Ethics Law and the School Committee’s roles do not change when operating in an on-line environment. · The importance of understanding what is the responsibility of the body, what is the responsibility of the Superintendent/Administration and what is the responsibility of the municipality. · Massachusetts General Law Chapter 30A was designed and is enforced to ensure decisions made in the public’s interest are made in public. · Red Flag: A Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, that tags a quorum of the School Committee on a topic under their purview. Link only already public information to the post, invite poster’s to a public meeting, connect to a body that can provide information, remind the public that this is an ongoing issue and comment is not forthcoming. · Conversations/topics in Executive Session are designed to protect the interests of the school district. Attorney Spatafore informed the Committee that, with 38 applicants, the selection process for the Audit Advisory Board could commence. Mrs. Ehlers made a motion to proceed with the selection of eight members, properly seconded by Mr. Sullivan. The motion carried. Jess Hodges had identified three applicants that may have donated to a politician and one applicant was a Brockton Public School employee. Seated members would be further vetted as to the criteria set forth in the application, following selection. Members by lottery seated were numbers 19/Brenda Deane, (1/ Sara Shaw: Disqualified for cause), (26/Missing from spreadsheet),16/Shawn O’Leary, 29/Rachelle Etienne, (6/Lawrence Curtis: Disqualified for cause), 21/Elizabete Pires, (30/Hope Walsh: Disqualified for cause), (13/Francesca Alves-Hines: Disqualified for cause), 3/Miriam Baradji, 10/Paulina Fernandes-Cardoso, 23/Violet Akoh, 7/Imani Thomas. |
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New Business |
Mr. Homer asked about having the Leadership Team and/or Music Director in to speak on the changes in the district’s music offerings and their impact on student learning. Mr. Rodrigues spoke to perceived injustices stemming from City Council members comments and questions at the Monday, October 2, 2023 Standing Committee on Finance Resolve # 14/School Department Fiscal Year 2023 deficit. |
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Executive Session |
The Mayor stated that Agenda Item#7 is Executive Session and that the body would not reconvene following Executive Session. Mrs. Sullivan made a motion to enter Executive Session, properly seconded by Ms. Asack. Mayor Sullivan read the following into the record: · M.G.L. c. 30A, § 21(3) ‘To discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the public body and the chair so declares.’ BEA & BESPA · M.G.L. c. 30A, Section 21(1) – “"[t]o discuss the reputation, character, physical condition or mental health, rather than professional competence, of an individual, or to discuss the discipline or dismissal of, or complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual." Open Meeting Law Complaint · M.G.L. c. 30A, Section 21(7) – “To comply with, or act under the authority of, any general or special law or federal grant-in-aid requirements” – Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §§ 22(f), (g) – for the purpose of reviewing, approving, and/or releasing executive session minutes Roll call on the motion to enter Executive Session:
The Committee entered Executive Session at 10:03p. |
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Respectfully submitted,
Dr. James F. Cobbs Secretary
Enclosure(s): - Brockton PAC Brochure - CPLAN Calendar - BHS Parent Advisory Council Meeting Notification (10/17/2023) - Brockton Public Schools Fiscal Outlook FY 2024 (PPT) - Social Media for School Committee Members (PPT) - Spreadsheet: Applicants for Audit Advisory Board
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