1.0 Opening Items

1.1 Call to Order: Chair Gregory Huet called the School Committee meeting to order at 5:30 pm at Michael S. Pinto Conference Room, 26 Oliphant Lane, Middletown, Rhode Island 02842.

1.2 Determination of Quorum: School Committee Members – Chair Gregory Huet, Vice-Chair Wendy Heaney, Tami Holden, Clerk William Nash and Theresa Spengler

                School Department Administrators present - Superintendent Willliam Niemeyer, Assistant Superintendent and Director of Teaching and Learning Michelle Fonseca, Facilities Director Ed Collins, Director of Student Services Leslie Brow, Assistant Director of Student Services Jill Hague,  GMS Principal Gerald Haas, Gaudet Learning Academy Principal Katy Gibbins, Forest Ave Principal Rebecca Silveira, Principal Erica Bulk

REGULAR SESSION

1.3 Pledge of Allegiance: The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

1.4 Moment of Silence:

1.5 Public Forum / Comment: None

2.   Correspondence: None

3.  Proclamation honoring April as Month of the Military Child

4. Consent Agenda:

MOTION: 1) Wendy Heaney, 2) William Nash 

That the School Committee approve the Consent Agenda.  Unanimous vote.

4.1 Vouchers

4.2 Invoices

4.3 Minutes       Regular Meeting, March 19, 2026

Special Meeting, March 20, 2026

Policy Sub Committee Meeting, April 1, 2026

4.4 Review, Archive and Minor Modifications of Policies

#2400    Master Plans and Strategic Plans

#4110    RI Educator Code of Professional Responsibility

#4115    RI Professional Teaching Standards

#4150    Confidentiality of Information

#5125    FERPA

#7030    Alcohol Sensor Device - School Substance Abuse

#9010    Electrical Devices

#9210    School Bus No Idling

Motion:  1) Wendy Heaney, 2) Theresa Spengler     Unanimous vote.       

4.5 Approval of homeschool instruction requests: None

5. Action Items

5.1 Consider and Vote on approval to waive two School Days from the FY26 calendar for the February 23 & 24, 2026 snow days if certified and other educational staff come to a mutual agreement with administration concerning the use of those days after June 24, 2026.

                MOTION: 1) Wendy Heaney, 2) William Nash 

That the School Committee approval to waive two School Days from the FY26 calendar for the

February 23 & 24, 2026 snow days .  Unanimous vote.

5.2 Consider and Vote on the Revised FY26 Calendar with last day of school June 24, 2026

MOTION: 1) Wendy Heaney, 2) William Nash   Unanimous vote.

5.3 Consider and Vote on TransPar to conduct RouteYield™ on the current School Bus routes

                MOTION: 1) Wendy Heaney, 2) William Nash   Unanimous vote.

Comment by Superintendent Niemeyer, the school department looked into hiring a third party to look at our bus routes since transportation is one of the school departments major expenses.  TransPar will help to review routes for the 25-26 and also move to the new configuration of the new school buildings in the 26-27 school year to make the routes the most efficient.  This will be partially reimbursable under the new school building project.

Comment by William Nash,  first and foremost about the safety of the students but also to find efficiencies.

Comment by Theresa Spengler, noted the lack of sidewalks in many areas of Middletown partially during the winter months with mounds of snow. Requesting that someone who lives on the East side of Middletown will be part of this route planning.

5.4 Consider and Vote on second reading of Policy # 9250 District Branding & Logo

                MOTION: 1) Wendy Heaney, 2) William Nash   Unanimous vote.

Comment by William Nash, that this policy is to create consistency and uniformity within the district. 

5.5 Consider and Vote on second reading of revision, Policy # 4220 Employees Telecommunications Equipment and Use

                MOTION: 1) Wendy Heaney, 2) William Nash   Unanimous vote.

5.6 Consider and Vote on second reading of revision, Policy # 4000 Administrative Compensation

MOTION: 1) Wendy Heaney, 2) William Nash   Unanimous vote.

5.7 Consider and Vote on second reading of revision, Policy # 7114 Learning Environment - Suspension Expulsion

MOTION: 1) Wendy Heaney, 2) William Nash   Unanimous vote.

5.8 Consider and Vote on revision of Policy #9130 Energy Management and Conservation

MOTION: 1) Wendy Heaney, 2) William Nash   Unanimous vote.

5.9 Consider and Vote on first reading of revision, Policy # 4110 Rhode Island Educator Code of Professional Responsibility

MOTION: 1) Wendy Heaney, 2) William Nash   Unanimous vote.

5.10 Consider and Vote on first reading of revision, Policy # 5125 Family Education Rights and Privacy Act Education Records and Confidentiality

MOTION: 1) Wendy Heaney, 2) William Nash   Unanimous vote.

5.11 Consider and vote to Re-Open Early Retirement for One Month

MOTION: 1) Wendy Heaney, 2) William Nash   Unanimous vote.

This will include some incentives attached to early retirement, specifically for teachers that are outlined in the Teacher contract.

6. Old Business - None

7. New Business - None

8. Student Representative Report/Update:   Philip Campbell and Julya Pereira 

●        Model UN- Last month Model UN club had their conference in collaboration with Boston College. Club members were able to work together and create position papers, regarding specific world crises and organizations.

●        Bingo for Islanders Committed- Islanders Committed hosted a Bingo games during advisory

●        To celebrate Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, a group of students headed by PE/Health teacher Mrs. Delima put together an awesome project in which students in all health classes created T-Shirt posters with supportive messages directed at raising awareness and support for anyone affected by teen dating violence. There was also a school wide orange-out where students showed out in their best all orange outfits to support the cause.

9. Reports/Updates from the Superintendent and Staff

                9.1 Enrollment

9.1 Financial

7.1 Personnel

APPOINTMENT EFFECTIVE August 27, 2025

Alexandra Mignanelli, Accommodations Coordinator, MHS

NEW HIRE EFFECTIVE March 16, 2026

Sam Gilbert, of Boys Assistant Varsity Lacrosse Coach, MHS

Kristen Gerety, Boys Tennis Coach, MHS

Brody Szako, JV Softball Coach, MHS

Vincent Gardner, Varsity Track Coach, MHS

RESIGNATION EFFECTIVE March 24, 2026

Elizabeth Medeiros, 4hr Teacher Assistant, GLA

RESIGNATION EFFECTIVE April 2, 2026

Jordan Potter, School Data Support Personnel, GLA/GMS

APPOINTMENT EFFECTIVE April 9, 2026

Meghan Ford, Extended School Year (ESY) Coordinator

Megan MacGillivray, Summer Beyond the Bell Coordinator, K-3

Shannon Dugan, Summer Beyond the Bell Coordinator, K-3

Laurie Oliviera, Summer Beyond the Bell Coordinator, 4-5

Casey Bowman, Summer Beyond the Bell Coordinator, 6-8

RESIGNATION EFFECTIVE June 30, 2026

David Alves, Business Office Manager, MPS

7.2 Status Report

Teaching & Learning

● Summer programming planning is underway for Beyond the Bell, running July 6–30

●  Program will include PK–8 academic intervention (half-day) and K–5 enrichment camp

●                    The district received an $83,750 grant from the Van Buren Foundation for Valley Elementary courtyard planning and design

●                    At Gaudet Middle School, grade 8 students completed student-led civics projects as part of new state requirements

●                    The district received a substantial grant from the Van Buren Foundation for the design phase of a new CTE program that is designed in partnership with Electric Boat.  It is also an opportunity to have adult workforce development within our new middle high school. 

ADJOURN FROM MEETING

MOTION: 1) Wendy Heaney, 2) William Nash 

To adjourn from the School Committee Meeting at 6:13 p.m. Unanimous vote.

Next Regular Meeting: Thursday, May 21, 2026