School Committee Meeting - June 8, 2026

The meeting was called to order at 7:02 p.m. by President Lance Davis. The meeting was conducted via remote participation pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2025.

Attendance:

• President Lance Davis: Present
• Member Laura Pitone: Present
• Member Michele Lippens: Present
• Member Elizabeth Eldridge: Present
• Member Andre Green: Present
• Dr. Emma Stellman: Present
• Mayor Jake Wilson: Present
• Member Leiran Biton: Present
• Dr. Emily Ackman: Present

Quorum: 9 members present.

Student representatives Marley and Bhavika provided updates on high school activities:

• X-Block Initiatives: 'Social Mediums' project encouraged cell-phone-free activities, including board games and a soccer game with over 30 participants.
• Honor Societies: Recent inductions were held for National Art, Music (TRI-M), Computer Science, Math, and National Honor Societies.
• Elections: Campaigns are underway for class officers, student representatives to the School Committee, and the School Improvement Council. Voting is scheduled for June 10.
• Climate Action Club Summit: Scheduled for June 10, 4:00–6:00 p.m. at the high school, featuring middle school climate projects.
• ECHO/Capstone Projects: Seniors recently showcased real-world projects; students expressed interest in more transparency regarding project requirements for future classes.

Twenty-one speakers addressed the committee, primarily regarding the potential return of School Resource Officers (SROs) and the Winter Hill transition.

Key Comments on SROs:

• Mark Fekete (67 Church St): Opposed SROs, citing data that police presence harms students' sense of belonging.
• Vika Safran (16 Prospect Hill Ave): Urged the city to hire more social workers instead of armed police.
• Claire Valentin (68 Hooker Ave): Immigration attorney noted that SRO notes are often used in deportation proceedings: "SROs introduce into the school setting events occurring in the community ignoring the presumption of innocence."
• Jamal Halawa (SHS Teacher, via Jessica Wigoda): Shared student quotes expressing fear of racial profiling and criminalization of minor mistakes.
• Kevin Foster (34 Putnam St): Cited ACLU data showing schools with SROs have 3.5 times more arrests.

Key Comments on Winter Hill:

• Melissa Duarte (AIM Parent): Expressed exhaustion over the instability of the Winter Hill transition and its impact on students' mental health.

Healy School 8th graders (Rowan Adam, Sabrina Karanfa, and Joey Tippins) presented research on school culture, emphasizing the need for more student autonomy and better teacher-student relationships.

Working Group Recommendations:

1. Create a district-wide middle grades framework prioritizing choice and leadership.
2. Ensure consistent leadership opportunities across all K-8 schools.
3. Expand world language access.
4. Build executive functioning skills into the curriculum.
5. Strengthen vertical alignment between grades 6 and 9.
6. Standardize high school transition supports.
7. Pilot and scale successful programs (e.g., electives at Winter Hill).
8. Expand mentorship opportunities.

High school administrators discussed the need for a revised partnership with the Somerville Police Department (SPD).

Key Data and Points:

• Police Interactions: In 2025, there were 334 interactions with SPD at the high school campus, including 38 calls made by administration.
• Safety Concerns: Principals cited 'swatting' hoaxes, missing student reports, and community violence as reasons for needing a dedicated officer who knows the student body.
• Principal Alicia Kirsten: "We are not looking for SPD to police our students... We are looking for a dedicated partnership with specific police officers to keep our students, staff, and families safe."
• Principal Jack Haverty: Noted that an officer who does not know a student's trauma background can inadvertently escalate situations, leading to unnecessary arrests.

OST Strategic Plan:

• Director Rosanna Parabello outlined goals for a unified sliding scale for fees and centralized registration to improve accessibility.

Basic Needs and Housing:

• Director Regina Bertoldo reported on the success of the Office of Basic Needs.
• Outcome: 92% of seniors experiencing housing insecurity graduated in 2026.
• Retirement: Regina Bertoldo announced her retirement; Jennifer Ochoa will succeed her as Director.

The Committee took the following official actions:

• SEU Unit A Accretion: Voted to authorize the Chair to sign the MOA adding Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Physical Therapists (PTs) to Unit A.
• SEU Unit A MOAs: Approved Appendix B and D MOAs for 2025-2026.
• SEL Specialist Stipend: Approved a side letter for Unit A Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Specialist stipends.
• Non-Union COLA: Approved a 3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for non-union personnel for FY27.

The Committee voted on the proposed FY27 Operating Budget.

Motion: To approve the FY27 budget in the amount of $123,101,384.

• Discussion: Member Biton noted the budget includes six additional FTE positions for special education co-teaching and interventionists. Mayor Wilson expressed concern over the total amount relative to the city's allocation.
• Vote Outcome: Approved 7-1.
  • Yes: Davis, Biton, Lippens, Eldridge, Green, Stellman, Ackman.
  • No: Mayor Wilson.
  • Absent/Abstain: Pitone (Recused from specific discussion, but present for roll call).

Policy Manual:

• Cell Phone Policy: First reading of an interim district cell phone policy (Policy 1107) to align with upcoming state requirements.
• Student Handbook: First reading of proposed changes to the SHS Student Handbook.

Grants and Donations:

• Approved $18,480 from the DESI Tutoring Partnership.
• Approved $32,400 from the Dorothy Lally Estate for SHS.
• Approved a monetary donation of $9,552.31 from Joy and Castles for the SHS Automotive program.