Holyoke School Committee Meeting, January 27, 2025

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MEETING NOTICE

SCHOOL COMMITTEE AGENDA

DATE: January 27, 2025

TIME: 6:00 PM

LOCATION: Fifield Room, HOLYOKE HIGH DEAN CAMPUS, 1045 MAIN ST, HOLYOKE, MA 01040

Members of the public can access the meeting here:  https://hps-holyoke-ma-us.zoom.us/j/85266232176?pwd=ci9tWEs3cG81SkQxdXZrWW5GenBXQT09 

(Spanish Interpretation will be available).    

 

On March 29, 2023, Governor Healey signed into law An Act Relative to Extending Certain State

of Emergency Accommodations, which, among other things, extends the expiration of the

provisions pertaining to the Open Meeting Law to March 31, 2025. Specifically, this extension

allows public bodies to continue holding meetings remotely without a quorum of the public body

physically present at a meeting location, and to provide “adequate, alternative” access to remote

meetings. The Act does not make any new changes to the Open Meeting Law other than

extending the expiration date of the temporary provisions regarding remote meetings from

March 31, 2023, to March 31, 2025. 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 28 OF THE ACTS OF 2009, SECTIONS 17-20 (FORMERLY SECTION 23B OF CHAPTER 39) OF THE MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAWS, THAT A REGULAR MEETING OF THE HOLYOKE SCHOOL COMMITTEE WILL BE HELD ON JANUARY 27, 2025. 

• CALL TO ORDER ~ ROLL CALL ~ PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

• Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 30A, s. 20, I am hereby informing all attendees that a video and audio recording is being made of the meeting and the meeting is being live-streamed and run live on the City’s community TV channel. 

• STUDENT SHOWCASE-  Recognition of receiving the Mass Association of Superintendents presented to Michael Mendez and Samara Thadison. 
• PUBLIC COMMENT- Members of the public wishing to submit public comments can email ifeliciano@hps.holyoke.ma.us no later than 3:00 p.m. Monday, January 27, 2025.

4. COMMUNICATION AND REPORTS
5. Student Reports

• HHS North
• HHS Dean Campus

1. Superintendent’s Report

• Superintendent’s Communication 

1. Vice Chair Report

• Subcommittee Appointments

RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to approve the following appointments: Mildred Lefebvre to the Local Control Subcommittee and Devin Sheehan to the Leadership, Accountability, and Measurements Subcommittee as the Chairs and continue with current appointments of all other subcommittees.

• Request to all Chairs: Written reports about updates from subcommittees

1. NEW BUSINESS 
2. Budget Transfer

• RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to approve the budget transfer of $109,000 from the teacher salaries to the contracted services for Donahue, Morgan and STEM to contract for a Registered Behavioral Technicians (one for each school) to support the ABL program. 

1. Policy AD- Mission Statement

• Discussion and development of Policy AD

1. Holyoke Superintendent Search Timeline

• Referred from Local Control Subcommittee: Interim Superintendent appointment for a year July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. 

1. Approval of Meeting Minutes

• RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to accept and approve the meeting minutes of 11.20.24 Policy and Governance Meeting Minutes

•  RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to accept and approve the meeting minutes of 11.6.24 Finance and Operations Meeting Minutes

• RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to accept and approve the meeting minutes of 11.25.25 School Committee Meeting Minutes 
• RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to accept and approve the meeting minutes of 12.9.24 School Committee Meeting Minutes 
• RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to accept and approve the meeting minutes of 1.7.25 School Committee Meeting Minutes

1. Updates of Committees 

• Policy and Governance Subcommittee
  • Upcoming meeting dates
    • February 6, 2025 @ 5:30pm 
    • March 6, 205 @ 5:30pm
    • March 26, 2025 @ 5:30pm
• Finance and Operations Subcommittee
• Joint City Council/School Committee
  • Tentative upcoming meeting dates 
    • February 12, 2025 @ 6:30pm
• Local Control Subcommittee
  • Tentative upcoming meeting dates:
    • February 10,2025 @ 5pm
    • March 17, 2025 @ 5pm
    • May 27, 2025 @ 5pm
• Leadership, Accountability and Measurement Subcommittee

6. ONGOING BUSINESS

1. Yonder Bag 

• Yonder Procedure Update from Policy and Governance Subcommittee
• RECOMMENDATION: To allow schools to use the Yondr Bags based on procedures drafted that meet each building’s needs.

7. ANNOUNCEMENTS

• January 28th, Lawrence Presents: Dream Designer STEM at 4PM, H.B. Lawrence Elementary 
• January 29th, Lawrence Presents: Winter Carnival at 3:30PM, H.B. Lawrence Elementary
• February 4th, SEPAC- Basic Rights (virtual)