WORCESTER—Superintendent of Schools Rachel Monárrez responded to a generally positive and often enthusiastic end-of-cycle evaluation from the Worcester School Committee on Thursday by saying that she will “reflect on the goals I need to bring forward” as cited by several members in their personal reviews of her performance.
She also appeared to be alluding to her own ongoing self-critique.
Monárrez did pause for a moment to add “I don’t understand why we continue to portray our schools as unsafe for students to learn,” an apparent reference to criticisms from several members of the committee about the lack of school resource officers, or SROs, in buildings.
She went on in her brief summary to point out that there is “a distinct difference in what is perceived as the role of the superintendent” by some people, as opposed to what she envisions the position’s responsibilities to entail.
“My job is not to be the doer of everything,” she said. “You want me to guide and lead and empower people, to see the possibility in every child.”
This will continue to be her focus, she said.
Monárrez said she was proud of being recognized for her “integrity” by Mayor Joseph M. Petty, who chairs the committee.
The superintendent “leads with kindness, resilience and integrity,” Petty said, in delivering his appraisal of her work which, he added, has gotten noticed statewide and nationally.
Monárrez was graded in a number of categories, including, for example, “progress on goals,” which covered such areas as student learning, professional practice and district improvement objectives.
She was also evaluated on “performance on standards,” “instructional leadership,” “management and operations,” “family and community engagement” and “professional culture.”
In almost all instances, she came away with a satisfactory rating of “met” or “exceeded,” with a smattering of calls for improvement in certain areas.
The superintendent, the mayor and the school committee were in agreement that more work needs to be done.
Molly McCullough, saying evaluations are “not easy but challenging,” marked Monárrez “proficient” overall. McCullough said she appreciated that the superintendent provides “access for committee members” and is “always working” for better outcomes and greater successes.
McCullough also commended Monárrez for fostering “open communication and mutual respect.”
Alex Guardiola praised the superintendent for her “accessibility” for having guided the system through a difficult budgeting year “with a plan,” and for her openness “to comments and concerns.”
Jermaine Johnson awarded Monárrez a proficient overall, commenting she is “a model of consistency for schools and students” who “thinks beyond the now” and is about “collaboration.”
Vanessa Alvarez added that having come from “an underserved part of the community,” it is “nice to see family engagement.”
Committee member Maureen Binienda said that “next to the budget, evaluation of the superintendent is the most important job” members of the committee have. She said “Grade 3 reading goals haven’t been met and 100 percent of projects identified by the safety audit have not been met.”
Susan Mailman handed Monárrez an “exemplary” rating overall, remarking that feedback she has gotten indicates that “people feel seen and heard” by the superintendent’s administration. Mailman derided the “wasted time and energy” on what many view as nitpicking of Monárrez’s performance.
This drew a sharp rebuke from Dianna Biancheria, who said “everyone has a job—the superintendent and the school committee. “A direction forward is not known unless we ask the questions,” she said. “That’s what the role of a School Committee member is.”
During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Gordon Davis petitioned against the inadequacy of the Chandler Elementary School, which has been overcrowded, requiring the busing of students elsewhere, including to the YMCA. “I demand that this be fixed,” Davis said.
Monárrez noted that this coming school year will be “the first” in which no students will be bused to the YMCA from Chandler Elementary. Chandler Elementary will be one school, one family, she said.
Deputy Superintendent, COO and CFO Brian Allen said building issues are being addressed. New Burncoat schools are in the mix, then “Worcester East Middle after 2030” with the elementary schools “ten to fifteen years away,” Allen said.
Rod Lee is a career journalist, a veteran of the media scene in Central Massachusetts and the author of seven books including the recently published “Gil Cristopher,” a novel about the difficulties associated with aging. He can be contacted at rodlee1963@gmail.com
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