WORCESTER—The words “professionalism,” “transparency” and “experience” came up often at the Nov. 16 meeting of the Worcester School Committee.
The first instance occurred following a petition made by several students from Burncoat Middle School asking for a revitalization and reopening of bathrooms in the building that have fallen into disuse or disrepair. The students requested funding for this purpose.
The students’ presentation was accompanied by a video called “The Bathroom Line” depicting long delays in gaining access to the single bathroom available to students when “every other school” in the district “has two bathrooms per gender.” This is unacceptable in a school of seven hundred students, they said.
The students told the school committee: “We are proud to be Burncoat Patriots.” But, they added, having only cold water available to wash their hands, and “no soap,” with stalls in need of fixing and toilet doors lacking locks is something that needs to be addressed.
They asked for $750 in materials to cover the costs of upgrades to the main bathroom and the locker room bathroom at Burncoat Middle School.
After the students had finished speaking individually and collectively, Superintendent Rachel H. Monárrez commended them on both their adherence to a dress code for their appearance at the meeting and their remarks. “We want our scholars to be learners and professionally responsible,” she said. “You shouldn’t have to ask for a basic need.” She told them that the administration will see that the improvements they are seeking are made.
Mayor Joseph Petty, who chairs the committee, echoed the superintendent’s comments and referred the item to Finance & Operations for follow-up. He also thanked and praised the students for their effort on what they described as “a school-based project.”
Kristi Turgeon chosen as clerk to school committee
All three candidates for the position of clerk to the School Committee were interviewed and Kristi Turgeon was selected for the job.
Turgeon is an executive assistant to the senior vice president at UMass Memorial Hospital.
Turgeon, Emanuela “Emma” Abbascia and Kate Benoit were asked the same set of questions by members of the school committee. These addressed such topics as why the applicant considers herself the best person for the job, how they would handle documents management, multi-tasking, going above and beyond to support elected officials, supporting various constituencies when working with a school committee that is diverse in composition and whether they have an understanding of Open Meeting laws and the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.
The candidates were also asked what would be their response if approached by a member of the School Committee after “a split vote to do something in direct contradiction” to that vote.
Turgeon told the school committee she has vast experience in education, supports “three busy executives at UMass Memorial” and before that had done the same as an executive assistant to a superintendent, that “multitasking is a way of life for me,” that treating “everyone with respect and being cognizant of cultural differences” is important, and that in dealing with notes and materials “the key is organization, there are so many balls in the air.”
To the query from Tracy O’Connell Novick about how she would react if put in a difficult position by a school committee member on the split-vote matter she replied “once the vote is taken that is where the school committee stands and I would tell the member to take it back to the chair.”
Abbascia said in her closing statement, “I wish my last name didn’t start with an A so I have to go first,” which prompted laughter. She admitted to being very nervous but emphasized that she has “a blend of skills,” speaks five languages, and that she learned a lot about multitasking while working in the DA’s office. She is employed at MassHire.
Benoit said she was the best candidate because the job of clerk “intersects with my personal and professional experience.” Working as “a single-person office” with the Barrington, Rhode Island Public Schools, she had to work across various platforms and demonstrate time-management skills and put in extra hours when faced with a recent special-bond vote.
She said that with the structure and dynamics of the School Committee changing—a reference to the creation of district seats to go with At Large seats—collegiality, open dialogue and transparency are crucial.
Turegon was selected as clerk to the School Committee by gaining five votes, one more than needed, with School Committee members Laura Clancey, Susan Mailman, Molly McCullough, Novick and Mayor Petty endorsing her bid.
Superintendent’s school safety audit results released
The results of a long-awaited school safety audit were revealed by Deputy Superintendent of Finance and Operations Brian Allen as a result of a collaboration with Guidepost Solutions, which conducted the audit, and new Director of School Safety Dr. Matt Morse.
Guidepost’s examination of school safety was described as exhaustive and included a “safety and security perceptions survey,” which resulted in 1,321 responses to twenty questions across the district with the highest feedback coming from faculty. It was pointed out that 57 percent of respondents felt safe in schools and 37 percent felt there needed to be an increase in “access control.”
A key finding by Guidepost in looking at the condition and functionality of classroom doors, video surveillance, visitor management, safe routes, emergency protocols, exterior door inspections, parking areas and lighting and signage and wayfinding was that “door locking for classrooms is a really important element.” This is especially true in that many of the system’s buildings are aging.
“Alarm-code vulnerability” under a shared code that is used “is a challenge,” the audit’s authors reported, as is effective “emergency communications with the front office.”
Guidepost looked at such priority categories as climate and culture, modernized and safe facilities, mental and behavioral health, health and wellness, leadership, law and policy, operations and emergency management and physical safety and security in recommending steps that can be taken to make the 59 buildings it examined safer and more secure.
The Worcester Police Department and Worcester Fire Department monitors changes to ensure that they meet expectations.
Fencing options, video surveillance and safe egress are all being looked at as a result of the audit.
Guidepost Solutions will stay on in a consulting basis for an additional year, Allen said.
Clarification: School Committee Member Jermoh Kamara notes that she participated remotely in a special meeting of the School Committee on Nov. 13.
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
