Holyoke School Committee Meeting, April 28, 2025
MEETING NOTICE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE AGENDA
DATE: April 28, 2025
TIME: 5:00 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).
Today, March 29, 2025 Governor Maura Healey signed into law bodies to H.62, as amended by S.2506 (which contains the final form of the bill), entitled “An act Relative to Extending Certain COvid-19 Measures Adopted during the State of Emergency” (“ACT). OF Interest to all governmental public bodies in Massachusetts, the Act extends until June, 2027, the authority for meetings of multiple-member bodies to be held in an entirely remote or hybrid format. All public bodies may hold fully remote or hybrid meetings, without the physical presence of a quorum of the public body, as long as “adequate, alternative means” of public access is also provided.
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 APRIL 28, 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 – None
- 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, April 28, 2025.
- Comments will either be displayed or read during the meeting.
- COMMUNICATION AND REPORTS
- Student Reports
- HHS North
- HHS Dean Campus
- Report of Interim Commissioner
- Superintendent’s Report
- Vice Chair Report
- Input from School Committee on Commissioner’s Evaluation of Receiver/Superintendent
- NEW BUSINESS
- Out of State Field Trips
o RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to accept the out of state field trip to Stafford Motor Speedway on June 13, 2025.
o RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to accept the out of state field trip to New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 20,205.
o RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to accept the out of state field trip to Somers, CT, Sonny Place on June 6, 2025.
- Budget Transfer for Approval
o RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to approve the budget transfer of to transfer $40,244 from software to the new special education curriculum, $31,125 for Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, and $41,160 from vacancies savings to contract a Registered Behavioral Technician in Lawrence for the total amount of $112,509.
- Approval of Meeting Minutes
o RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to accept and approve the meeting minutes of 2.24.25 School Committee Meeting Minutes
o RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to accept and approve the meeting minutes of 3.10.25 School Committee Meeting Minutes
o RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to accept and approve the meeting minutes of 1.23.25 Finance and Operations Finance Subcommittee Meeting Minutes.
o RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to accept and approve the meeting minutes of 2.27.25 Finance and Operations Subcommittee Meeting Minutes.
- Updates of Committees
- Policy and Governance Subcommittee
- Finance and Operations Subcommittee
- Joint City Council/School Committee
- Local Control Subcommittee
- Leadership, Accountability and Measurement Subcommittee
- ONGOING BUSINESS
- Policy Removal
o RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to receive recommendation to remove above policies and recommend that the Receiver/ Superintendent approve for removal of above named-policy.
- Policy First reading
- CB- School Superintendent
- CBD- Superintendent’s Contract
- CBI- Evaluation of the Superintendent
- CCB-Line and Staff Relations
- CE- Administrative, Councils, Cabinets and Committees
- CHA/CHC Development of Regulations
- CHCA- Approval of Handbook and Directives
- Administration in Policy Absence
- CM- School District Annual Policy
- DA- Fiscal Management Goals
- DB-Annual Budget
- DBD- Budget Planning
- DD-Funding Proposals and Applications
- DEC- Federal Funds Supplement not Supplant Policy
- DH- Bonded Employee and Officers
- DI-Fiscal Accounting and Reporting
- DIE- Audits
- DJA-Purchasing Authority
- DJE- Bidding Requirements
o RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to receive recommended changes to above policies and recommend that the Receiver/Superintendent review recommended changes and post above policies for feedback/comments for two weeks.
- Policy Second reading
- AE-Commitment to Accomplishment
- School District Legal Status
- AD- Mission Statement
- ADC-Smoking on School Premises
- ACE- Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap
- ACAB- Sexual Harassment Title IX
- ACA- Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex
- BBAA- School Committee Member Authority
- BDD- School Committee-Superintendent Relationship
- BDE- Subcommittees of the School Committee
- BDF- Advisory Committees to the School Committee
- BBBC- School Committee Member Resignation
- BCA- School Committee Member Ethics
- BDA- School Committee Organizational Meeting
- BDB- School Committee Officers
- BDFA- School Councils
- BIBA- School Committee Conferences, Conventions, and Workshops
o RECOMMENDATION: That the School Committee vote to adopt policies to be effective July 1, 2025.
- ANNOUNCEMENTS
-
- April 30th, Lawrence presents: Earth Day Celebration at 3:30pm to 5pm. Engaging families in planting flowers to create a school community garden, promoting environmental responsibilities and sense of togetherness.
- May 1st, Lawrence presents: Spring Music Concert at 2:15pm to 3:15pm. Featuring performances from Pre-K, Kindergarten, and First Grade Students.
- May 8th, HPS Affinity Group at 3:45pm to 5:30pm Dean Tech.
MEETING NOTICE of EXECUTIVE SESSION
SCHOOL COMMITTEE AGENDA
DATE: April 28, 2025
TIME: 7:00 PM
LOCATION: Fifield Room, HOLYOKE HIGH DEAN CAMPUS, 1045 MAIN ST, HOLYOKE, MA 01040
- CALL TO ORDER ~ ROLL CALL ~
Not open to the public because an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the public body for the purpose of the Holyoke Teachers Association contract.
- NEW BUSINESS
- To discuss contract of non-union-personnel- interim superintendent