Superintendent's Report to SC 4.11.24

      

SWAMPSCOTT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

TO: Swampscott School Committee

FROM:  Superintendent Angelakis

DATE:  April 11, 2024

RE:  Superintendent’s Report 

METCO Program Update

• METCO Director Search

• The first round of interviews has concluded.

• Candidates are being selected to move to the second round of interviews.

• METCO New Student Meet ‘n Greet (Temi & Krista)

• Today (SMS and SHS) and April 25th for Kindergarten

• Today’s Agenda: METCO Meet 'n Greet

• SAVE THE DATES:

• Heritage Festival - May 17th - 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Town Hall

• Juneteenth Celebration - June 12th - 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Town Hall

• Lots of student involvement, new ideas, and activities! Thank you, Temi & Krista!

• METCO Program Annual Update 

• At the May 23rd School Committee Meeting

Swampscott Elementary School (SES)

• The last elementary teacher tour was today, April  11th.

• We continue to work with our traffic consultants to establish protocols and procedures for drop-off and pick-up at SES.

• At this time, we have secured a 4th bus, which potentially allows students living 1.8 miles to utilize bus transportation. 

• ONLY ELIGIBLE FAMILIES have been sent a survey to try to calculate a true sense of how many eligible students will be utilizing the bus. 

• A huge thank you to Ms. Mackey Knowles for developing an internal webpage for the transition to the new school for faculty and staff only:  https://sites.google.com/swampscott.k12.ma.us/sestransition/home

Spring School Committee Presentations

• This Evening - April 11th 

• State of Student Services - Assistant Superintendent Raymond

• State of SEL & Mental Health Services - Director Harris

• April 25th 

• Budget - Fy24 - Q3 Projection

• Budget - FY25 Update

• Professional Development Update - Director Dr. Bacon

• May 9th 

• Technology Update - Director Mackey 

• SHS School Counseling Annual Report - Principal Kohut & Dept. Chair Sturma

• May 23rd

• METCO Program Annual Update - Interim Co-Directors - Mr. Bailey and Ms. Lynch

• June 13th 

• School Improvement Plan Presentations - Principals/Asst. Principals

Superintendent's Report to SC 03.14.24

      

SWAMPSCOTT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

TO: Swampscott School Committee

FROM:  Superintendent Angelakis

DATE:  March 14, 2024

RE:  Superintendent’s Report 

METCO Program Update

• METCO Director Search

• We have 18 applicants for our METCO Director position.

• There will be three rounds of interviews

• The screening of applicants has narrowed the first round of interview candidates to 9

• The first-round team will consist of the Director of HR, the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, and three METCO parents.

• The second-round team will include the Director of HR, the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, Principals, and Students.

• Final Interviews will be conducted with the Superintendent,  Director of HR, and Asst. Superintendent of Student Services.

• Mr. Temi Bailey and Ms. Krista Lynch have been appointed interim co-directors. 

• We have hired an Academic Tutor to assist with the student tutoring Salvatore Barbagallo

• Temi & Krista have a strong partnership and are doing an outstanding job.

• I meet with them biweekly, and they meet with the principals regularly.

• They have worked closely with METCO, Inc. regarding enrollment procedures, and we will look at student applications shortly.

Swampscott Elementary School (SES)

• On Friday, March 1st, Ms. Sanborn and I traveled to Gardner, Massachusetts, to visit their new elementary school, which opened in 2022. 

• It is Pre-K-4 with approximately 1,000 students, which is comparable to our school, which was built for 900 students.  

• Principal Earl Martin and Superintendent Mark Pellegrino greeted us warmly, gave us an extensive tour of the school, and shared valuable information about their administrative structure, drop-off/pick-up procedures, and daily schedule.  

• The elementary administrative team met with all general education teachers last week and shared plans for teams and classroom placements. 

SHS Guest Speaker Matthew Bocchi

• The Jauron Family Foundation and Swampscott High School will host speaker Matthew Bocchi to present on opioid awareness.  (High School Health Teacher -  Hadley Woodfin)

• There was a student presentation on Monday morning, March 11th, and then an evening presentation for our community from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm.

• Matt discussed his journey through the loss of his father on 9/11, his battles with addiction, and the road to recovery and healing. 

• I was incredibly proud of our student body for their attentiveness and engagement.

• Ms. Woodfin collected some student data following the presentation:

• Student Data Matt Bocchi

• Counselors are available to support students in need due to this assembly.

• If you’d like to learn more, Matt Bocchi Flyer 

Calendar for SY 2024-2025

• We’re a little late with the calendar this year as we continue to have a few discussions about the opening of SES.

• I hope to have it on the agenda for March 28th. 

• Here is a preview of concrete dates:

• Wednesday, August 28th - PK & Grades 1-12 Student's First Day

• Kindergarten Screening - August 28th, 29th, and September 3rd

• Friday, August 30th - No School 

• Monday, September 2nd - No School - Labor Day

• Kindergarten Visitation Day - Wednesday, September 4th

• Thursday, September 5th - Kindergarten Student's First Day - Start Time 8:30 am and Kindergarten early dismissal at 11:30 am

• Thursday, October 3rd & Friday, October 4th - No School - Rosh Hashanah

• Monday, October 14th - No School - Indigenous Peoples' Day

• Monday, November 11th - No School - Veterans' Day

• Thursday, November 28th & Friday, November 29th - No School - Thanksgiving Break

• Monday, December 23rd - Wednesday, January 1st - No School - Holiday Break

• Monday, January 20th - No School - MLK Jr. Day

• Monday, February 17th - Friday, February 21st - No School - February Break

• Friday, April 18th - No School - Good Friday

• Monday, April 21st - Friday, April 25th - No School - April Break

• Monday, May 26th - No School - Memorial Day

• Monday, June 16th - Last Day of School/Day 180 (if there are no snow days) 

Superintendent's Report to SC 2.8.24

 

SWAMPSCOTT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

TO: Swampscott School Committee

FROM:  Superintendent Angelakis

DATE:  February 8, 2024

RE:  Superintendent’s Report 

Mock Town Meeting at the High School

• Mr. Kohut and I were presented with the idea and opportunity to hold a Mock Town Meeting with our 16-- and 17-year-old students.

• This is not an attempt to manipulate an election but rather an excellent opportunity for our students to engage in our Town Government experience. 

• Having grown up in a city my whole life, it took me a while, as an adult, to understand how different the town's government structure is. This is a fantastic opportunity to 3educate our students at a much younger age. 

• The warrant will have two “articles” - the pickleball courts and the voting age.

• Mr. Kohut is working out the details of the actual date of training the students, setting the stage with them, and then the actual Mock Town Meeting date.

• This Mock Town Meeting is not open to the public, but I welcome the attendance of Select Board and School Committee members not as participants but as silent observers on the day of the Mock Town Meeting. 

• The tentative date at this time is February 27th.

Swampscott Elementary School (SES)

• This afternoon, Principal Sanborn, Assistant Principal Knowles, Officer Wilson, and the YMCA Extended Day staff toured the site with our Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) and me. 

• This is the first look they have had inside. The excitement is palpable.

• In the coming weeks, we will be giving tours to the Central Office and other building leaders prior to the elementary faculty and staff tours scheduled for March.

• Working together - the SES administrative team and I are developing regular communications to share with elementary families.

Recognition - Ms. Comparato - Financial Literacy Leader

In 2019, the Swampscott Public Schools proudly established Personal Financial Literacy as a graduation requirement, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to preparing students for real-world challenges. At the forefront of this transformative initiative is our dedicated SHS teacher, Susan Comparato. Not only has she championed this cause for Swampscott, but she has also become a passionate advocate for students across the entire Commonwealth.

Since the inception of this graduation requirement, Ms. Comparato has demonstrated unwavering dedication to enhancing her knowledge and expertise in the field. She has pursued further education and earned numerous certifications, solidifying her position as a leader in Personal Financial Literacy education.

In a recent and noteworthy development, Ms. Comparato took her advocacy to the State House, testifying on behalf of all students about the crucial importance of incorporating Financial Literacy into graduation requirements statewide. Her compelling testimony garnered attention and earned her an interview with WBZ, where she eloquently shared her insights on why Financial Literacy is integral to students' holistic education.

Adding a student perspective to this crucial narrative, our own Sam Snitkovsky was also interviewed, providing valuable insights into the impact of Personal Financial Literacy education from a student's viewpoint.

The culmination of these efforts will be showcased in an upcoming feature scheduled to air on Monday, February 12th, at 6:00 PM. We invite you to join us in tuning in to witness this inspiring story that highlights the dedication of our educators and the importance of financial literacy in shaping the future success of our students. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Superintendent's Report to SC 11.2.23

 

SWAMPSCOTT PUBLIC SCHOOLS

TO: Swampscott School Committee

FROM:  Superintendent Angelakis

DATE:  November 2, 2023

RE:  Superintendent’s Report 

District Crisis Team Meeting Update:

• Each school has its own building-based Crisis Team that meets throughout each school year. These teams are led by the Principal, Assistant Principal (where applicable), and our School Resource Officer. 

• In addition, we have a District Crisis Team that includes town agencies, including Police, Fire, and DPW. 

• We convene three times yearly or more as needed - Fall, Winter, and Spring.

• The fall meeting was held on October 11th. 

• Updated Crisis Response and Medical Emergency Response Plans are shared for every school with the town agencies. These plans outline the roles and responsibilities of faculty and staff in the event of an emergency.

• Plans are not shared more broadly because that would defeat their purpose.

• Goals of the Crisis Teams:

• Mitigation

• Prevention

• Preparedness

• Response 

• Recovery

• Introduced “I Love U Guys” to the town agencies.

• Evacuation Spaces for each school have been changed and were reviewed.

• Swampscott High School Public Address System (PA) issues were discussed. Agencies informed of the grant that was applied for and estimated timeline for notification of grant recipients. 

• In 2024-2025, a new law requires that Medical Emergency Response Plans include procedures to address behavioral health medical emergencies.  

• DESE Model Crisis Plan

Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Grant $310,000:

• COPS Grant Notification

• COPS Grant Press Release