2026-09-17 - School Committee

Summary

This page summarizes the posted agenda (Agenda #16), not what happened at the meeting. The 5:00 PM executive session covered global successor-contract bargaining strategy for six Educational Association of Worcester units, separate sessions for Units A/B and the Paraeducators, nonunion negotiations involving the Clerk, Kristi Turgeon, and review of executive session minutes from August 13 and September 3; the open session began at 6:00 PM. Consent items were the September 3 minutes and Operation Warm coat donations (about 500 coats for Norrback Avenue School and jackets for about 240 students at Clark Street Community School). No public petitions were listed. The Superintendent's goals for 2026-2027 were up for approve-and-file, and grants listed were $50,000 (Creative Experiences), $525,000 (Early College Support) and $20,000 (Early Literacy Consortium). The Administration's proposed changes to the Career Technical Education Admissions Policy and the Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy for 2026-2027 were marked for referral to Operations and Governance, and Mailman's request for a plan to keep schools operating through a cybersecurity incident was marked for referral to the Administration. Other items included Mayor Petty's evaluation recap for the Clerk, a proposal to recognize May as Mental Health month, and Administration responses on the Claremont/Woodland Street structure and on Hispanic/Latinx enrollment in advanced coursework.

Source: posted agenda (PrimeGov, template 76312); no minutes or transcript yet.

Issues discussed: CTE Admissions and Middle School Pathway Policies, WPS Cybersecurity Incident Response, School Boundary Realignment

Agenda

CLERK OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
WORCESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
20 IRVING STREET
WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS 01609

The School Committee will hold an in-person meeting with a virtual option*:

on: Thursday, September 17, 2026
At: 5:00 p.m. Executive Session
6:00 p.m. Open Session
Esther Howland Chamber, Worcester City Hall or virtually with link below

ORDER OF BUSINESS

A. General Business Items taken in Executive Session

To discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining if an open meeting may have
a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the public body and the chair so
declares – Successor Contract Negotiations (Global) – Educational Association of
Worcester, Units A/B; Educational Association of Worcester, Paraeducators Unit;
Educational Association of Worcester, Aides to the Physically Handicapped, Monitors
and Drivers Unit; Educational Association of Worcester, Therapy Assistants Unit;
Educational Association of Worcester, Parent Liaisons Unit; and Educational
Association of Worcester, ESL Tutors Unit.

To conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel
and/or to conduct negotiations with nonunion personnel – Administrative Clerk of the
School Committee Kristi Turgeon

Executive Session pursuant to Mass. G.L. c. 30A, Section 21(a), Purpose 7 to comply
with, or act under the authority of, any general or special law, including the
Massachusetts Public Records Law, Mass. G.L. c. 66, Section 10, and the
Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, Mass. G.L. c. 30A, Sections 22(f) and (g), relating
to review of executive session minutes for meetings that occurred on August 13,
2026 and September 3, 2026.

B. Call to Order

C. Pledge of Allegiance/National Anthem

D. Roll Call

M. Student Advisory Committee Items

i. Approval of Minutes
Approval of Minutes of the September 3, 2026 School Committee Meeting.

ii. Approval of Donations
To consider approval of a donation from Operation Warm of approx 500 coats
to benefit the students of Norrback Avenue School.

To consider approval of a donation from Operation Warm of jackets to benefit
about 240 students at Clark Street Community School.

iii. Notification of Personnel Records

a. New Hire Instructional Staff
b. New Hire Non-Instructional Staff
c. Resignations/Retirements

iv. Initial filing of Recognition

v. Notices of Interest to the District or to the Public

F. Item for Reconsideration

G. Held Items

H. Recognitions

I. Public Comment-Any member of the public may address the Committee regarding

any item before them for two (2) minutes. Those speaking will state their name, their
residence, and the item on which they wish to speak for the record. Those speaking
may do so in person or via remote participation. Those wishing to address the
Committee in a language other than English are asked to notify the Clerk of the
Committee in advance, so the Committee may be provided with an interpreter.
Members of the Committee may not respond to the comments of the public at the

meeting. Click to view Policy BEDH-Public Comment

J. Public Petition

K. Report of the Superintendent

ros 6-12 (Administration)
(September 17, 2026)
WPS Superintendent Goals for School Year 2026-2027
Recommendation: Approve and file

L. Reports of the Standing Committees

N. Approval of Grants and other Finance Items

To consider approval of the Creative Experiences Grant from the Mass Cultural
Council in the amount of $50,000 to support activities in the arts, humanities, and
sciences.

To consider approval of the Early College Support Grant from DESE in the amount of
$525,000 to support WPS students taking Early College courses.

To consider approval of the Early Literacy Consortium Grant from DESE in the amount
of $20,000 to connect districts and educator preparation partners to support teaching
and learning of early literacy.

To consider approval of a prior year payment in the amount of $7,900 for missed
salary increase.

To consider approval of 13 prior-year payments in the amount of $81,975.93.

O. General Business

gb 6-23 (Mailman)
(February 26, 2026)
Response from Administration for gb 6-23
To get an update on the current structure at Claremont/Woodland St and any
proposed changes.
Recommendation: Approve and file

gb 6-46 (Alvarez)
(April 16, 2026)
Response from Administration for gb 6-46
Request data on enrollment and participation of Hispanic/Latinx students in advanced
coursework and recommend actions to increase access and support as needed.
Recommendation: Approve and file

gb 6-99 (Administration)
(September 17, 2026)
Proposed Changes to CTE Admissions Policy
To Approve the Proposed Changes to the Career Technical Education Admissions

Policy for 2026-2027
Recommendation: Refer to Operations and Governance

gb 6-100 (Administration)
(September 17, 2026)
Proposed Changes to Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy
To Approve the Proposed Changes to the Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy
for 2026-2027.
Recommendation: Refer to Operations and Governance

gb 6-101 (Biancheria)
(September 17, 2026)
Request administration review suggested National Awareness Days and Months to
expand and improve knowledge in recognizing many areas of concern, but not limited
to, additional suggestions for visibility, celebration, education and advocacy.
Recommendation: Refer to Administration

gb 6-102 (Roy)
(September 17, 2026)
Request administration and the Worcester School Committee to establish annual
recognition of the month of May to recognize Mental Health month. The month is
dedicated to raising awareness about mental illnesses, reducing stigma, and
promoting mental health education and resources.
Recommendation: Approve and file

gb 6-103 (Mailman)
(September 17, 2026)
Request administration share how the district is prepared to keep WPS open and
operational during a cyber security incident, including day to day operational items,
such as attendance and buses.
Recommendation: Refer to Administration

gb 6-104 (Mayor Petty)
(September 17, 2026)
Evaluation Recap
To conduct an evaluation of the School Committee Clerk.
Recommendation: Approve and file

P. Announcements

Meeting Dates:
-September 24, 2026, Teaching, Learning and Student Success, 5:00 p.m., 20
Irving Street, Room 410, Worcester
-October 8, 2026, School Committee Meeting, 5:00 p.m., City Hall, Esther Howland
Chamber
-October 13, 2026 Operations and Governance (Regular Meeting), 5:00 p.m.
Vernon Hill Elementary School Auditorium, 211 Providence Street.
-October 13, 2026, Operations and Governance (Community Realignment Forum),

6:00 p.m., Vernon Hill Elementary School Auditorium, 211 Providence Street.

Q. Adjournment

Kristi Turgeon, Clerk of the School Committee

Transcript

Transcript pending: YouTube captions can't be retrieved yet (see the Worcester playbook).