MINUTES

April 16, 2025

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ATTENDANCE: Lisa Fitzpatrick, Abby Steiner, Sara Scibelli, Erica Nissenbaum, TJ Howell, Kris Rueger, Mark Bail, Kris Nordin, Valerie Sousa, Susanne Thomas, Hilary Coughlin, Tim Mullett

GUESTS: Ryan Schneider, Amanda Emet, Kimberly McCluster, Alex Lennon, Christy Parziak, Leanne Mousette, Kerri Laurenzo, Chris

Treasurer Report: Current on our payments to MTA. She’s now receiving check elect

MOTION: Hilary Coughlin

SECOND: Tim Mullett

VOTE: Unanimous

Computer Insurance: Kris Nordin explained computer insurance. There is a deductible. We fund $2500 every year. This year, we had an extraordinary number of broken screens, probably 20 screens. Some people have had multiple claims. Ryan Quimby wants to buy 10 screens, so they will be on hand. They have no screens. Until they are ordered, the best they can do is provide a Chromebook. He would like $3300 this year. There is $500 left in the account. They would like to order them in a bulk as 10 screens. Each screen is $330.

Sara Scibelli says there’s a lack of equity between departments. The police department and other employees do not fund repairs.

Abby says they should have approached the ELEA with an MOU, not a casual conversation in the hallway. 

TJ asked about the silicone keyboard cover. Kris and Abby said they were available at IT. TJ also asked about what would happen, if, say, 100 computers were damaged.

It was noted that we don’t get information about the damage or nature of damage. 

Approval of March minutes. 

MOTION: Rueger

SECOND: Hilary

VOTE: Unanimous

Process of Reduction in Force 

Abby noted that everything is tense. Tears. Chatting in corners. People are tense. Gordon gave Kris and Abby some generalities about the process. There was some idea of the quantity of cuts. Gordon said he was going to try to get out to the buildings to meet with the people receiving pink slips. Because of the number of people, emails were sent out. It was sent out after school, rather than having to work all day if notification came in the morning.

Susanne Thomas asked if principals were ever involved in notifying personnel about pink slips. Twenty letters went out. 

MB: 4 letters.  

MS: 4 letters.  

MV: 3 letters.  

BP: 7 letters.

HS: 2 letters. 

Some people have yet to address bumping. Five people were cut. Building representatives were mentioned as someone to reach out to, but they were not informed of what happened.

A number of people announced the intent to retire. 

There are a number of Questions regarding Reduction in Force Letters: 

If someone rejects a bump, are they still eligible for unemployment?

Should building reps attempt to answer people who received a letter? Kris said people should reach out to her or Abby if reps don’t have answers.

How did some non-student facing positions remain while classroom teachers were cut?

Asked if we would try the MOU, now that specific people have been cut?

Guests want to know what positions are gone? Sara Scibelli says Gordon needs to send out an email notifying all of the staff.

 

Election of  ELEA Officers 

Call for nominations May 19 

Elections: 48 hours–request a ballot by June 9 at 3:30, ballots close at 3:30 on June 11

 

Motion to Adjourn: Sara

Second: Susanne

Vote: Unanimous

ELEA Executive Board Meeting 

October 16, 2024

 

Attendance: Rebecca Tidlund, Erica Nissenbaum, Kris Nordin, Abby Steiner, Tim Mullett, Kris Rueger, Sara Scibelli, Lisa Fitzpatrick, Hilary Coughlin, Angela Emiterio, Valerie Sousa, Susan Thomas, Patrick Morrissey

 

Guests: Paula Burke, Julie Elkhay, Lisa Rinaldi, Kim Camire, Diane Longo, Kelly Mazza, Gilda Sanchez

 

1. Treasurer Report.  Money is coming in and going out. The books are up to date. Motion to accept the report. Kris Nordin. Second: TJ Howell. Vote: Unanimous.

 

1. Approval of the September Minutes. Motion: Kris Nordin.  Second: Abby Steiner. Vote was unanimous. TJ Howell abstained. 

 

1. Report: Kris Nordin and Abby. New contract will be posted on the intranet by mid-November. Seniority lists are in the works. First drafts will be distributed in mid-November. IT says the damage to computer screens have been “human error,” i.e. accidents. We pay $400 per screen. They don’t replace screens. Abby reminded everyone that this process is checked four times, but we still need people checking their seniority. Once it’s finalized, it’s law. 

• Special Education Director – Jenny Sullivan. She has started. She may be touring the buildings with ETLs. Joanne Welch is working to onboard her. She’s been a curriculum director and a SPED teacher. 

 

1. ELEA Safety Committee Update. We have had no volunteers for the committee. We may have to create a subcommittee of the executive board and re-advertise the committee. 
2. Safety Concerns at the Elementary Schools. TJ suggested getting the number of injuries filed. Valerie asked if physical behavior could be tracked on Panorama. Kids are being returned to the room 15 minutes after a violent outburst. Nothing is changing. Another guest suggested going to the school committee meetings to make a statement. 

One guest said the problem is becoming more apparent. Paras are quitting because of the student abuse. They are not trained to deal with these kids. Sara pointed out that SPED kids have a lot of rights. Staff have been punched in the face and had their glasses broken. Kids are throwing chairs at them. Parents are not aware of kids being evacuated. One class was evacuated for two hours. The number or training of the staff is not sufficient to deal with the number of kids who are acting out. Another guest says that paras are not trained in restraint training. ABA paras are not trained in ABA. Patrick Morrissey mentioned that restraint training is not mandatory, not compensated, and staff are at risk of lawsuits.

Kris switched the conversation to next steps. She renewed the request of people to serve on the subcommittee. Hilary asked if people could document incidents. Kris said be careful not to put it on the server and not to use kids names. Hilary and Rebecca want to go to the school committee.

Teachers can and do contact parents about their children’s assaultive behavior.

Staff says there’s a lack of support. A lack of process. 

Kris and Abby will reach out to Gordon to find out what’s being reported. They will bring it to the Safety Subcommittee. They will see what information they can obtain. 

ACTION: Staff wants more acknowledgement and support from administration when these incidents occur. The Safety Committee will convene October 23 at BPMS library. They will address the lack of ABA training and restraint training and de-escalation training. 

 

1. Principal Advisory Committee at Meadow Brook. Kris and Abby have spoken with Gordon and he knows what’s up. Abby says that we need to push on multiple fronts. The feeling that the PAC, which has been set up, is a “spirit committee.” It’s not advisory. It’s doing busy work. It’s basically the Sunshine Committee. Abby says the PAC members need to push against the busy work. Abby suggests that department heads need to get together before meetings. Sara asked that we find out from principals what their PACs do. 

• Common Planning Time. Problem: different schools have different uses for CPT. Some of it is not beneficial to teachers. Much of the CPT is not used as “common planning time,” but as professional development being directed by coaches. It’s a loss in prep time. ELEA has had multiple conversations with Gordon about this.. That there were problems with academic coaches, one of whom stormed out of a meeting. That the literacy coach lacked the credentials to instruct reading specialists. The experience with the curriculum director and coaches is authoritarian. DESE is making recommendations. The school committee is involved. The curriculum director is involved. 

They’re being told they need to make up CPT when they have a half day and it’s not scheduled. They want to move it to another time. This came from the coach with Heather Brown in attendance. Coaches are being caught between faculty and the curriculum director. It puts coaches in a supervisory position. Coaches are now observing, but it’s not evaluative. If a teacher is out, they are supposed to check in when they miss a day to discuss following behind in pacing.

 

MOTION to ADJOURN:  Abby

SECOND: Erica 

VOTE: Unanimous

 

https://eastlongmeadow.massteacher.org/2025/03/25/282/