MIDDLETOWN SCHOOL COMMITTEE
MIDDLETOWN, RHODE ISLAND
August 15, 2024
Members Present: Theresa Spengler, Chair
Tami Holden, Vice-Chair
William O’Connell
Greg Huet
Wendy Heaney
Also Present: William Niemeyer, Superintendent of Schools
Lori Miller, Interim Business Manager
Lisa Birkett, Director of Student Services
David Annese, Director of Technology
The Middletown School Committee Meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. by Chair Theresa Spengler.
School Attorney Benjamin Scungio was present in addition to Gaudet Learning Academy Principal Kaitlin Gibbins, Forest Avenue Elementary Principal Rebecca Silveira and Town Councilman Peter Connerton.
MOTION: 1) Tami Holden, 2) Greg Huet. To go into Executive Session to receive legal advice regarding a matter of potential; custodian arbitration/litigation 42-62-5(a)(2).
Unanimous vote.
MOTION: 1) Tami Holden, 2) Greg Huet. To reconvene into Open Session at 4:11 p.m. Unanimous vote.
Chair Spengler announced that NO VOTE was taken in Executive Session.
MOTION: 1) Tami Holden, 2) Greg Huet. To seal the minutes of Executive Session. Unanimous vote.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
No public comment.
SPOTLIGHT ON TEACHING AND LEARNING
· Back to School Update
Mr. Niemeyer stated that the administration has been busy filing vacant positions, registering students, and updating bus routes in preparation for the upcoming school year.
· Governor’s Visit to Summer Beyond the Bell Program/MCOZ
Mr. Niemeyer gave a summary of Rhode Island Governor McKee’s visit on July 30, 2024, to the summer Beyond the Bell and MCOZ programs as a way of engaging with students and seeing one of his Learn365RI programs in action.
· New Staff and Student Orientation/Meet and Greets
Mr. Niemeyer shared the MPS Back to School Events calendar with the School Committee.
Mrs. Holden asked if there were any events the School Committee should attend. Mr. Niemeyer suggested they attend open houses.
MOTION: 1) Tami Holden, 2) Greg Huet. That the School Committee approve the Consent Agenda. Unanimous vote.
· Approval of Vouchers and Invoices
| Middletown Public Schools Vouchers 6/27/24 – 8/14/24 | FY24 | ||
| Vouchers | Date | Total | |
| 1294 | 6/30/2024 | $409,933.12 | |
| | | | |
| TOTAL | | $409,933.12 | |
· Approval of July 18, 2024, School Committee meeting minutes, and July 30, 2024, Joint School Committee and Town Council meeting minutes.
· Policy Review
Mr. Niemeyer stated that the Policy Subcommittee had begun a process for editing and revising policies via a shared Google Docs folder.
HOMESCHOOLING REQUEST
1)Tami Holden. 2) Greg Huet. That the School Committee approve Homeschooling Requests 24-25-12, 24-25-2, 24-25-13, 24-25-14, 24-25-15, 24-25-16, 24-25-17, 24-25-18, 24-25-19, 24-25-20, 24-25-21, and 24-25-22. Unanimous vote.
K-3 MATHEMATICS COACH JOB DESCRIPTION
The Superintendent Recommends: That the School Committee approve the job description for the K-3 Mathematics Coach. Unanimous vote.
.5 UNBUDGETED PRESCHOOL COORDINATOR
1)Tami Holden. 2) Greg Huet. That the School Committee amend the motion to read .5 Unbudgeted Coordinator of Child Outreach Early Childhood in place of .Preschool Coordinator. Unanimous vote.
1)Tami Holden. 2) Greg Huet. That the School Committee approve the motion to add a .5 unbudgeted Coordinator of Child Outreach Early Childhood. Unanimous vote.
Mr. Huet inquired about the position being unbudgeted to which Mrs. Miller replied that it has been included in the FY25 budget adjustments to be approved.
Chair Spengler asked how many preschool classrooms currently exist and whether they were all half-day and inclusionary to which Mrs. Birkett replied there were five half-day inclusionary preschool classes using two classrooms.
Mrs. Birkett stated that the current Coordinator of Child Outreach Early Childhood would be going from half time to full time to meet the needs of the growing preschool population in need of district services as well as the five PreK classrooms.
Chair Spengler inquired about the number of Middletown students in the EBCAP Head Start classrooms at Aquidneck and Forest Avenue. Mrs. Birkett stated that the district is not involved with the classrooms outside of renting them space except when a student is a Middletown resident who has an IEP and needs services.
Chair Spengler asked whether the principals were overseeing disciplinary actions in the EPCAP classrooms and if the EBCAP classrooms were using any Middletown staff. She would like to ensure that the district is being compensated if Middletown staff are being consulted or used by the EBCAP classrooms.
Mr. Huet asked who the liaison is between EBCAP and the district and asked that the contract between Middletown and EBCAP be reviewed at the next School Committee meeting.
ANTICIPATED UNBUDGETED 1.0 ELEMENTARY TEACHER
1)Tami Holden. 2) Greg Huet. That the School Committee approve the addition of an anticipated unbudgeted 1.0 Elementary Teacher. Unanimous vote.
FY24 BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS
1)Tami Holden. 2) Greg Huet. That the School Committee approve the FY24 Budget Adjustments. Unanimous vote.
FY25 BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS
1)Tami Holden. 2) Greg Huet. That the School Committee approve the FY25 Budget Adjustments. Unanimous vote.
Mrs. Miller stated that fees received from the Transition Program have offset the cost of the .5 unbudgeted Coordinator of Child Outreach Early Childhood and 1.0 Elementary Teacher.
BID FOR SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SERVICES
1)Tami Holden. 2) Greg Huet. That the School Committee approve the Bid from TMS in the amount of $10,500.00 per month for School Business Management Services. Unanimous vote.
MILITARY CONSULTANT PROPOSAL
1)Tami Holden. 2) Greg Huet. That the School Committee approve the Proposal for a Military Consultant. Unanimous vote.
Mr. Niemeyer stated that 30% of our district is made up of military families. The district relies heavily on funding from military-related organizations, two of which Mrs. Kraeger serves as a Board member.
Chair Spengler said it is important to have Mrs. Kraeger take on these duties to ensure funding was not lost. It would not make sense for Mr. Niemeyer to try to take on this responsibility right now given all he has to do. The position is already in the budget.
Mrs. Heaney asked if the outlook was for Mr. Niemeyer to take over the duties of the Military Consultant to which Mr. Niemeyer stated he would be doing so by the end of the school year. Mrs. Kraeger will be assisting him with this transition. In the meantime, she will be providing him with updates that he will share with the School Committee.
APPOINTMENT OF SCHOOL PHYSICIAN
1)Tami Holden. 2) Greg Huet. That the School Committee approve the appointment of Howard Silversmith, M.D. as School Physician. Unanimous vote.
Mrs. Heaney asked about the role of the School Physician and whether it was a new position.
Mrs. Birkett replied that this person is required by RIDE and responsible for reviewing Standing Orders and consulting with school nurses and the Director of services on student cases. The previous School Physician resigned.
Mr. Huet inquired as to whether the School Physician had malpractice insurance and was credentialed by a hospital to which Mrs. Miller replied that they will not be treating anyone and will carry their own malpractice insurance and submit credentials as part of their contract.
Mr. O’Connell asked if Dr. Silversmith was part of a local practice.
Mrs. Birkett stated that his practice was in East Greenwich. The district was not able to find a local pediatrician who would serve in this role.
TECHNOLOGY SURPLUS
1)Tami Holden. 2) Greg Huet. That the School Committee approve the Surplus of District Technology. Unanimous vote.
RESIGNATIONS
1)Tami Holden. 2) Greg Huet. That the School Committee approve the resignations of
Alisa Hidecavage, School Psychologist, AQE & FA, effective August 29, 2024
Lindsay Andruchuve, Speech and Language Pathologist, FA, effective August 29, 2024
Mary Allen, Special Education Teacher Assistant, AQE, effective August 29, 2024
Brooke Roebuck, M.D., School Physician, effective July 22, 2024
Carol Scanlon, 4-Hour Teacher Assistant, FA, effective August 5, 2024
Devhan Ring, Special Education Teacher Assistant, MHS, effective August 29, 2024
Sean Burke, Custodian, AQE, effective August 5, 2024. Unanimous vote.
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
· Personnel
Report on recent personnel actions by the Superintendent
HIRES EFFECTIVE AUGUST 29, 2024
Melodie Kosloski, Speech and Language Pathologist, AQE
Ulpiano Frederick Abiog Pontillas, Science Teacher, MHS
APPOINTMENTS EFFECTIVE AUGUST 5, 2024
Gerald Haas, Principal, J.H. Gaudet Middle School
APPOINTMENTS EFFECTIVE AUGUST 19, 2024
Thomas Conrad, Assistant Varsity/JV Boys’ Soccer Coach, MHS
APPOINTMENTS EFFECTIVE AUGUST 29, 2024
Diana Stamp, Lead Teacher, AQE
Toni Cawley, Lead Teacher, FA
Luis Oliveira, Director of Unified Arts, MHS
Kevin Zahm, Director of Science, Math, and PE, MHS
Christopher Richards, Director of Humanities, MHS
Cathleen Palkovic, K-3 Mathematics Coach, FA & AQE
Debra Prentiss, K-3 Structured Literacy Specialist, FA & AQE
Megan Fonseca, .5 K – 5 MLL Teacher, FA, AQE, & GLA
TRANSFERS EFFECTIVE AUGUST 29, 2024
Jennine Cerra, English Teacher, MHS
Christine Karoly, World Language Teacher, MHS
Tara Mellow, K – 12 MLL Teacher, MHS
· Enrollment Summary
AQE 321, FA 307, GLA 268, JHG 442, MHS 566
Mr. Niemeyer stated that the additional elementary teacher would be for a Grade 3 at Aquidneck due to enrollment.
Mr. Huet asked what the procedure was for parents who register unvaccinated children. Mr. Niemeyer stated the nurses monitor the registrations.
Chair Spengler confirmed that if a child is exempt from vaccinations for religious or medical reasons the nurses ask the parent to submit an exemption form with a doctor’s signature. Children who are not exempt must be vaccinated.
Financial
Interim Business Manager Lori Miller provided a financial synopsis to date.
· Teaching & Learning
o Mrs. Fonseca wrote a grant the district recently received to fund a K-5 ELA – Reading and Writing coach as well as a K-3 Math coach.
o Summer Beyond the Bell program was a success.
- 275 K – 12 students attended intervention/credit recovery
- 35 teachers and 15 support staff serviced the students
- Grade 9 – 12 students passed a total of 40 classes
- Positive comments were received from parents after emailing Progress Reports home on the last day
o August Professional Development Offerings
- MTSS committee chaired by Kaitlin Gibbins is looking at new PLP guidelines
- Pilot training for Grade 6 and Grade 7 high-quality curriculum Science materials
- 21 teachers participated in MLL endorsement training
- Lifespan provided First Aid and Mental Health training to staff
- University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) Training for staff on improving literacy outcomes for struggling students with a focus on assessment, instruction, and intervention for students.
· Student Services
o Extended School Year was a success.
o Bradley Hospital partnership has begun. They are starting to move into their space at Gaudet.
o Mrs. Birkett developed a Communication Guidebook this summer and has held meetings with Special Education staff to gather feedback on what went well with Student Services last year, what needs improvement, and how staff can best be supported.
o SELAC meetings are going well. Anyone may attend. The committee has asked that one of the School Committee members consider joining.
Mrs. Holden stated she was interested in being on the committee.
o Transition Academy will move into the YMCA during the last week of AuguChair Spengler asked how the room is being equipped and how many teachers are in the classroom.
Mrs. Birkett said that there is currently one teacher in addition to the aides. The district is also hiring a job coach. Because the program is work-based the only necessary items are handicap/wheelchair accessible desks which will be brought from Gaudet.
Mr. Niemeyer suggested the School Committee schedule a visit to the Transition Program.
· Technology Department
o IT hosted professional development days for principals and front office staff.
o Full-time teachers will have the choice of receiving a new Windows PC, Mac, or Chromebook as part of the Computer Choice Program for Teachers made possible by CIP funding.
o Student Chromebooks are being upgraded and cleaned in preparation for the new school year.
o Custodial staff has been busy cleaning and moving classrooms and preparing buildings for the new school year.
o Bus driver orientation is scheduled for August 22nd.
Mrs. Holden asked if there were any viable candidates for the Facilities Director position to which Mr. Niemeyer replied that he and Shawn Brown would be reviewing applications upon his return.
1)Tami Holden. 2) Greg Huet. That the School Committee receive the Superintendent’s Personnel Report. Unanimous vote.
· Building Committee Update
o The next meeting will be August 21, 2024, at 4 p.m.
· Middletown Prevention Coalition
o Family Day at the Beach is scheduled for September 28th from 4 – 8p.m. at Second Beach.
o MPC is hosting mental health classes through Lifespan for teachers on August 22nd and November 5th.
MOTION: 1) Tami Holden, 2) Wendy Heaney. To adjourn from School Committee Meeting at 5:36 p.m. Unanimous vote.
Respectfully Submitted,
Theresa Spangler, Chair