School Committee Meeting - September 29, 2025

Meeting Date: September 29, 2025 Governing Body: Somerville School Committee Type of Meeting: Regular Meeting Attendees: Ilana Krepchin (Chair), Leiran Biton, Andre Green, Sarah Phillips, Ellenor Barish, Laura Pitone, Rubén Carmona (Superintendent)

Executive Summary: The Somerville School Committee convened for a regular meeting on September 29, 2025. Key discussions included student representatives' reports on school activities and climate education initiatives, public comment regarding solar panels at Kennedy School, and the Superintendent's report on facilities, special education updates, and staff recognition. The meeting also featured a comprehensive report from the Personnel Team on hiring, retention, and diversification efforts, and a detailed enrollment trends presentation. Significant discussion was held regarding the MSBA finance presentation for the Sycamore Street project, with committee members seeking clarification on timelines and the impact of proposed school configurations.

• The meeting was called to order.
• Roll Call:
  • Ms. Biton: Present
  • Dr. Ackman: Present
  • Mr. Green: Present
  • Ms. Barish: Present
  • Dr. Phillips: Present
  • Chair Krepchin: Present
• Quorum: A quorum was established.

• A moment of silence was observed, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

• Student representatives Marlee Thrasher and Bhavika presented a report on current school activities.
  • Club Fair: Held two Wednesdays prior, featuring new clubs like the American Civil Liberties Union and active participation in established clubs like the Community Service Club and Dear Asian Youth (30+ students per meeting).
  • Freshman Peer Mentor Program: Newly implemented program involving peer mentors trained in restorative justice circle leading to integrate freshmen into the school community.
  • BSHS (Be Somerville High School) Initiative: Revision of responsibility rubrics and grading structures for student participation. Students participated in teacher training to emphasize new norms.
  • Climate Education Initiatives:
    • Fifth-grade teachers partnering with Mass Audubon for three days of climate introduction lessons as a preview to STEM week.
    • 14 high school students trained with Mass Audubon and fifth-grade teachers to co-lead climate education lessons to fifth-grade classrooms, starting October 15th.
  • Staff Update: New Dean, Mr. Gonel, in Beacon community.
• Discussion:
  • Mr. Green welcomed the student representatives, emphasizing their non-voting role but encouraging their participation in agenda item discussions. He offered support for research and resource access.
  • Mr. Biton applauded the substantive update, particularly the climate lessons for fifth graders. He inquired about freshman club participation, noting an increase in freshmen joining clubs, especially sports, with more sophomores joining as they become comfortable.

• Speaker: Iris Gershman, 108 Hudson Street, 5th Grade, Kennedy School.
  • Summary: Advocated for installing solar panels at Kennedy School to improve environmental awareness.
  • Key Points:
    • Kennedy School currently lacks solar power.
    • Suggested placing a solar array over part of the front basketball court, which is planned for a playground, to provide shade and energy.
    • Proposed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) as an alternative funding model, where a company pays for installation and the city pays a monthly fee.
    • "A solar canopy on the front playground would be helpful because it provides shade and to and Energy to the School, as well as an opportunity to educate the students on renewable energy."
  • Thanked Ms. Pitone, Mr. Piton, and Mr. Davis for their support.

• Superintendent Rubén Carmona
  • Jewish High Holidays: Acknowledged Rosh Hashanah and upcoming Yom Kippur (starting October 1st at sundown).
  • Hispanic Heritage Month: Recognized Jennifer Ochoa, SFLC Basic Needs and Housing Support Social Worker, for being selected as a distinguished Latino leader by the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus. She was honored at the Latino Excellence on the Hill event.
    • 1,900+ students (38% of student body) identify as Hispanic/Latino in Somerville Public Schools.
  • Facilities Update:
    • New School Building Designer: Perkins Eastman selected for architectural design of a new facility.
    • Building Inspections:
      • A terracotta panel fell from the back of Somerville High School on September 23rd, in the same location as a previous incident last year.
      • City is conducting inspections; Superintendent requested a third-party assessment to identify root cause.
      • Another loose panel observed at the front of the high school on Friday; city staff secured the area and contractors addressed it over the weekend.
      • Exterior brick at the East Somerville Community School also inspected due to fallen/loosened panels; areas sectioned off for safety.
  • Special Education Update:
    • Next School Committee meeting (October 6th): Director of Special Education, Ildefonso Arellano, will provide a comprehensive update.
    • District will convene a special education listening session for families, hosted by SFLC and the special education department.
    • District will maintain transparency regarding state data and reports to improve outcomes for special education students.
  • Staff Recognition: Introduction of new administrative staff and celebration of educators achieving professional teacher status.
    • Karen Woods, Chief Personnel Officer, presented the recognitions.

• Presenters: Karen Woods (Chief Personnel Officer), Chris Glynn (Director of Educator Development), Mariana McDonald (Director of Human Resources).
• Personnel Strategy:
  • Recruitment (strategic partnerships, relationship building).
  • Hiring and Onboarding (highly skilled and diverse staff).
  • Retention (systems, culture, feedback, recognition).
  • Development and Support (collaboration, professional growth).
  • Advancement and Recognition (new opportunities for growth).
• Vacancy Data (as of end of last school year):
  • Total Vacancies: 145
  • Resignations: 34 (23 teachers, 7 paraprofessionals, 4 administrators).
    • Teacher resignations: 3.8% of teaching staff.
    • Paraprofessional resignations: 5% of paraprofessional staff.
    • Administrator resignations: 4.7% of administrator staff.
• New Hires (last year): 94 new educators (11 administrators, 65 teachers, 3 nurses, 13 paraprofessionals, 2 administrative assistants).
  • 7 internal promotions among administrators.
• New Educator Trends (Unit A Educators):
  • Fewer new hires needed each year since the post-COVID peak of 100.
  • Retention rates: 1-year (89%), 2-year (77%), 3-year (54%).
• Staff Diversification:
  • Substantial growth in diversifying staff.
  • Percentages of diverse staff increased from 2022-23 to 2025-26 (raw data).
  • Strategies include working with Equity and Excellence Office, diversity recruitment fairs, retention strategies, and affinity spaces.
• Department Highlights:
  • New Staff Database: Custom-designed for HR, launching by January, allowing staff to view/update information and improving data accuracy.
  • Substitute Support Program: Launched in September for building substitutes, including initial meetings and training (e.g., trauma-informed practices). Training will be provided on a rolling basis during early release Wednesdays.
  • Common Planning Time (CPT) & Paraprofessional PD:
    • Altered CPT structure in new contract based on educator feedback.
    • 80+ unique teams for deeper work.
    • 22% of Unit A educators trained as CPT leaders.
    • Embedded paraprofessional-specific PD, well-received.
  • Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) Teaching Resident Partnership: Harvard fellows teach, providing release time for SPS teachers to coach. Many fellows have been hired by SPS.
  • Professional Development Alignment: PD aligned with the newly created SPS Instructional Vision, providing a foundation for educators.
  • Boston College Lynch Leadership Academy Partnership: Expanded to include assistant principals and department heads to develop leadership capacity.
• Staff Recognition Event: District-wide celebration held last June, recognizing individuals nominated by peers and those reaching career milestones.
• New Administrators Introduced:
  • Darrell Nash, Chief Communications Officer
  • Mercedes Braga-Tinoco, Assistant Director of Human Resources
  • Simone Braga, Director of Enrollment and Admissions
  • Caitlin Sheehan, Assistant Director of Food Services (not present)
  • Isabel Barros, Interim Principal, Capuano Early Childhood Center
  • Keveny Landry, Special Education Department Coordinator for AIM program
  • Kate DeLisi, SEEK Program Director, Kennedy School
  • Rocio Camargo Ruiz, Interim Assistant Principal, Winter Hill Community Innovation School
  • Blair Williams, Pre-K-12 Supervisor for Health and Physical Education
  • Belki Sosa-Jones, Department Chair for Adult Basic Education at SCALE
• Educators Achieving Professional Teacher Status:
  • Next Wave & Full Circle: Pauline Katz, Shontay Rabouin
  • Argenziano School: Jamie Ballerini, Ori Musselman, James Mandart, Lisa Stahl, Kristen Swanson, Ms. Candelora
  • Brown School: Alexandra Chase, Susan Gardner, Kayla Pugliese (also at Capuano)
  • Capuano Early Childhood Center: Jessica Da Silva, Catherine Delta, Kitt, Sarah Butler
  • Multilingual Learner Education Department: Antonella Doramo
  • East Somerville Community School: Nora Sheehan
  • Healy School: Harper Stevens (formerly Andrade)
  • Kennedy School: Sarah Burke, Chelsea Costa, Elizabeth Gursky, Dr. Amy Malidore, Alex Rickwood
  • Somerville High School: Sue Bullock, Amber Hall, Aileen Sill, Stan Marmish, Max Everard, Dr. Laura Peters, Ms. Pilch, Eva Mamjunder, Dr. Christian Medina
  • West Somerville Neighborhood School: Stephanie Joseph
  • Winter Hill Community Innovation School: Brynn Rothschild-Shea, Emily Tease
  • District Leaders: Beverly Mosby (Pre-K-12 Music and Theater Arts Department Chair), Kathleen Seward (Coordinator for Humanities Curriculum Instruction and Assessment)
• Discussion:
  • Ms. Barish praised the positive energy and work of the personnel team.
  • Mr. Green noted the high morale of educators despite national trends and commended the prudent approach to staff diversification.
  • Mr. Biton expressed gratitude for the work, the new staff database, and the substitute training program, inquiring about evaluation of its success.
  • Ms. Pitone highlighted the success of the staff recognition event and the value of internal promotions and the Lynch Leadership Academy. She inquired about retention of educators of color.
  • Mr. Davis sought clarification on retention numbers compared to pre-COVID years, noting the positive trend of fewer new hires.
  • Dr. Ackman thanked Mariana McDonald for her work on hiring and the administration for responding to staff feedback regarding the Lynch Leadership Academy.
  • Dr. Ackman inquired about the number of open positions remaining; 7 teacher vacancies, 1 paraprofessional vacancy, 0 administrator vacancies (as of last week).

• Presenter: Simone Braga, Director of Enrollment and Admissions.
• Enrollment Overview:
  • Data collected as of September 19th. Enrollment is fluid.
  • Enrollment has remained steady over the last 8 years, with a drop during 2021-22 (pandemic).
  • Projected to reach 5,000 students by October 1st.
  • Includes 101 outside-placed students (special education, walking services).
• Breakdown by Schools:
  • Schools remain steady overall.
  • Kennedy School saw a slight increase due to an added 6th-grade classroom.
  • Slight decrease at Somerville High School and Winter Hill.
• Enrollment by Grade Level:
  • Slight decrease in Pre-K.
  • Significant jump in Grade 9: 49 new students registered, indicating community interest in the high school program.
• Top 10 Languages Other Than English (New Registrations):
  • Community is diverse.
  • 58% decrease in Haitian Creole speakers (a target language).
  • Mandarin is slowly growing.
  • Arabic is steady and increasing, with families often registering multiple children.
• Top Countries of Birth (New Registrations):
  • 75% of new registrations are U.S.-born.
  • Of U.S.-born, 65% speak a language other than English as their primary language.
  • Majority are Pre-K (33%) and Kindergarten (48%) students, indicating families are maintaining primary languages.
• Enrollment Trends (MLE & Special Ed Departments):
  • MLE Department: Slight decrease from last year (1,170 to 1,150).
  • Special Education Department: 13% increase in students requesting IEPs, requiring additional staff for enrollment and placement. Collaboration with special education team is strong.
• Summer Withdrawals:
  • 143 students withdrew to public schools outside the district.
  • 9 students enrolled at Prospective Academy (still local).
• Points of Interest:
  • 833 students enrolled since January 2025.
  • 199 families did not attend or complete registration.
  • 16.4% of families requested in-person support for enrollment.
  • 38 inter-district transfers approved (grades 1-8); 12 denied due to space limitations.
  • 50 students placed in schools but waitlisted for preferred K-8 schools.
  • 44 students on Pre-K waitlist for Healy, Kennedy, or West Somerville.
  • 61 Pre-K families assigned to a school but chose not to attend SPS (compared to 53 last year, 37 in 2004). Reasons include not getting first choice, after-school program conflicts, or staying with existing daycare.
  • Monitoring Somerville birth data, which shows a decline from 2022 (600 to 400 to 255), potentially impacting future enrollment.
• Discussion:
  • Chair Krepchin clarified that waitlisted students for preferred schools were not necessarily denied their neighborhood school.
  • Mr. Green inquired about current empty seats and capacity across all grades, particularly noting limited 6th-grade capacity (only Healy School has space).
  • Mr. Pitone asked how the current enrollment data aligns with previous enrollment forecasts, noting higher-than-projected kindergarten numbers. Superintendent Carmona expressed concern about declining birth rates impacting future predictions.
  • Ms. Barish asked about the number of new 9th-grade students who were previously in the district, left, and returned, highlighting the need to understand why families leave in middle school.
  • Dr. Phillips requested data on withdrawals by school and grade level, specifically regarding a constituent's claim of disproportionate withdrawals at Argenziano between 1st and 2nd grade.
  • Ms. Pitone inquired about trends in newcomer data and its impact on enrollment.
  • Dr. Ackman requested data on the overlap between MLE and special education populations.
  • Ms. Pitone raised concerns about potential student loss trends in schools transitioning from 5th to 6th grade and the impact of consolidating schools on seat distribution across the city, particularly in the west.

• Motion: To approve minutes from August 25, 2025.
  • Moved: Mr. Pitone
  • Seconded: Mr. Green
  • Vote: All in favor. Motion carries.

• Motion: To approve subcommittee reports.
  • Moved: Mr. Green
  • Seconded: Dr. Ackman
  • Vote: All in favor. Motion carries.
• Discussion on St. Anne's Property (from subcommittee report):
  • Ms. Barish inquired about the reference to St. Anne's property in the report.
  • Mr. Biton clarified that City Council discussed acquiring the property adjacent to the Sycamore Street/Winter Hill Building, but the archdiocese is not currently in a position to sell.
  • Mr. Davis confirmed this, noting it was raised as a possibility for future development.
  • Mr. Green added that the archdiocese previously stated they were in no rush to sell, but have since sold the Matignon building.
  • Dr. Ackman stated the city has continually followed up with the archdiocese, who consistently respond they are "not ready yet."
  • Mr. Biton noted City Council has submitted a resolution for discussion at an upcoming School Building Facilities and Maintenance Subcommittee meeting.

• Mr. Green's Framing:
  • Encouraged review of the presentation before the next CAG meeting.
  • Expressed personal opinion against spending $10 million more to move a building away from poorer students.
  • Stated the question is about the size of the school at Sycamore, not combining schools.
  • Priorities: Need for more seats, especially given potential growth beyond 5,000 students.
  • Inquired if building a 950-seat school at Sycamore would require commitments regarding the use of the current Winter Hill building.
  • Acknowledged the late hour and suggested continuing discussion next week.
• Discussion:
  • Chair Krepchin clarified that Mr. Green's opinion on Trum vs. Sycamore is not necessarily the committee's or city's.
  • Ms. Pitone asked for clarification on the decision timeline (internal vs. MSBA-driven). Superintendent Carmona will get an answer from the OPM regarding external MSBA deadlines.
  • Mr. Green noted he asked Director Raish for a timeline of school committee decisions, including the educational plan.
  • Mr. Biton asked if the committee is beholden to close the current Winter Hill building if a new one is built at Sycamore (Mr. Green stated he does not know).
  • Mr. Biton questioned the statement that MSBA support for a future Brown School project would be unlikely if the Sycamore project proceeds. Mr. Green suggested it's an unofficial belief that MSBA would not fund another project immediately after Winter Hill.
  • Dr. Phillips noted that tightening state budgets could impact future MSBA priorities.
  • Mr. Green explained MSBA's "one school in the hopper at a time" policy for urban districts.
  • Dr. Ackman inquired about the educational vision for a 925-student K-8 school and how it would maintain a small school feel. Superintendent Carmona noted the design team would address this, potentially by distributing sections of the building.
  • Mr. Green clarified that building a large school doesn't mandate filling all seats immediately and allows for modular programming.
  • Ms. Barish sought clarification on the "2.06 Rating" in the CAG projections, asking if it means twice the tax increase of the high school project. Mr. Green confirmed it's approximately double.
  • Mr. Davis expressed preference for smaller schools and concern about losing the only school in Ward 6. He emphasized that the committee should decide what's best for students, regardless of MSBA hints.
  • Ms. Barish asked about the dramatic increase in paraprofessionals projected for Winter Hill (from 32 to 60) in the CAG projections. Superintendent Carmona stated he would investigate.
  • Ms. Barish inquired about the design basis for the Brown School addition drawing (Slide 10) and if green roofs or other features were discussed.
  • Mr. Green noted that MSBA is prescriptive about what they will fund.
  • Dr. Ackman highlighted the need for the committee to make decisions based on imperfect data and sought advice on navigating this.
  • Ms. Pitone compared the current decision to the high school project, noting the increased complexity. She reiterated concerns about seat distribution across the city and potential "seat deserts" in the west.
  • Mr. Green noted the enrollment study projected fewer children in East Somerville due to gentrification and that the 2-mile busing radius extends into East Somerville, making legal busing unlikely to be required.
  • Mr. Biton expressed concern that consolidating schools could exacerbate diversity differences by concentrating families in certain areas.
  • Dr. Phillips suggested that for future discussions, the committee could pick criteria (e.g., equity, cost) and discuss choices based on those criteria.
  • Chair Krepchin clarified that Mr. Green's intention was to provide a subjective summary of the discussion, not a formal committee recommendation.

• Motion: To approve July and August bill rolls.
  • Moved: Dr. Ackman
  • Seconded: Mr. Green
  • Vote: All in favor. Motion carries.

• First Reading: Letter from the state MTA regarding the FY27 state budget.
• Discussion:
  • Mr. Green inquired if Somerville was affected by any state money currently being held by the governor. Chair Krepchin had no updates but noted the impact was less significant than initially feared.
  • Mr. Biton inquired about opportunities for collaboration on the letter. Chair Krepchin clarified it's a yes/no decision on signing the pre-drafted letter, not an opportunity to tweak language.
• Status: Will be brought to the next meeting for a vote.

• Motion: To approve a field trip for 48 6th-grade students from West Somerville Neighborhood School to Nature's Classroom in Groton, MA, from October 20-22, via bus, at a student cost of $175.
  • Moved: Dr. Ackman
  • Seconded: Mr. Green
  • Vote: All in favor. Motion carries.

• Motion: To accept with gratitude the following grants:
  • Federal Entitlement Continuation Grants and State Continuation Grants:
    • Adult Education and Family Literacy (SCALE): $732,519
    • Metro North WIOA Follow-Up (SCALE): $26,400
    • Proficiency-Based Outcomes in World Language Other Than English (World Language Department): $31,000
    • Federal Adult Education and Family Literacy (SCALE): $146,504
  • Private Grants:
    • Morrison Bender Foundation to Argenziano School: $12,500
    • Reforma Noche de Cuentos Hispanic Month Night of Storytelling (East Somerville Community School): $500
  • Moved: Dr. Ackman
  • Seconded: Mr. Biton
  • Vote: All in favor. Motion carries.
• Discussion (after vote):
  • Mr. Green expressed concern about the equity implications of individual school grants, noting they can disproportionately benefit privileged schools. He suggested the district consider policies around such grants. Superintendent Carmona noted the point and would follow up.

• Motion: To accept with gratitude the following donations:
  • Work gear from Brunt Work Gear (North Reading): Valued at $105,700 (pairs of boots for CTE shops at Somerville High School).
  • Equipment from P.J. Dionne (Woburn): Valued at $5,200 (one Bradley three-bay hand sink for CTE plumbing program at Somerville High School).
  • Moved: Dr. Ackman
  • Seconded: Mr. Biton
  • Vote: All in favor. Motion carries.
• Discussion:
  • Mr. Green highlighted the significance of the Brunt Work Gear donation, noting that access to work boots is a major barrier for many pursuing vocational programs. He requested more information on how this donation was secured.
  • Ms. Barish inquired about storage for 700 pairs of boots.

• Ms. Pitone: Announced shared office hours with Naima Satt and Pat Jalen on November 1st, 10 AM - 12 PM, likely at Zaruma Gold Coffee Shop on Lowell.
• Chair Krepchin: Announced Ward 7 office hours with Christine Barber, herself, and Pat Jalen at Angelina's on October 18th, 11 AM - 1 PM.

• The School Committee extended its deepest condolences to the family of Debbie Carbone (62), sister of Cheryl Young (Principal Clerk Central), aunt of Melissa Juvelakis (K Teacher at AFA), aunt of Matt Young (PE Teacher at East Somerville Community School), and aunt-in-law to Diana Young (First Grade Teacher at AFA).

• The meeting was adjourned.