Superintendent's Report 9.12.18

Superintendent’s Report to the School Committee

September 12, 2018

Elementary Enrollment Update:

• We’ve continued to monitor the elementary class sizes during the last few weeks of this school year.
• Despite the difficult budget decisions last spring whereby class sections in grades K-3 were decreased by one, I am pleased to report that most class sizes have leveled out between 18-23 students as predicted. 
• There are a couple of outliers in 4 grade at Stanley, because they remained at 3 sections: two sections have 16 students and the third has 18. 
• In addition, third grade at Clarke currently has 25 & 25 however, there are students listed in that homeroom that are attached to other specific programs in that school. However, we are working closely with Mrs. Hunt to determine the additional supports that may be needed here, as well. 
• The third grade at Stanley School is our largest class with 25 and 26 students in each class.
• I think it’s important to note that through the appeals process with regard to student relocation assignments, several families appealed their placement and for a number of reasons those appeals were granted. 
• We are currently reviewing applications for general education ESPs to provide support in those third-grade classrooms. 
• It is also important to remember that with this decision of decreasing class sections, there is now available breakout space for use at Stanley School. My vision and expectation are that these spaces would be utilized by students in third grade often with the adult support that we will be putting in place. 

School Business Administrator Search

• The Interview Committee consists of Evan Katz, School Business Administrator, Joanne van der Burg, Budget and Finance Specialist, Martha Raymond, Director of Student Services, Julie DeLillo, Director of Human Resources, Carin Marshall, Chair of the Budget Subcommittee, and myself. 
• Of the nine resumes we received, we had narrowed the candidates down to 4 and were to be conducting 2 phone interviews and 2 in-person interviews next Thursday. However, 2 candidates have retracted their candidacy.

MSBA Update

• We submitted the next two deliverables to the MSBA in the Eligibility Period by the deadline of August 30th: The Educational Profile Questionnaire and Enrollment Projection. 
• I followed up with the MSBA this week to ask where the approval of our School Building Committee stood. I was told it is still being reviewed by legal but our liaison will investigate where we are in the queue. 
• Our next deliverable date is November 28th when the Enrollment Certification Executed and Maintenance and Capital Planning Information is due.

Boston Magazine - Best of Boston

• I have Tweeted and celebrated with our staff the fact that Swampscott High School ranked #31 in Boston Magazine’s most recent issue naming Best Public High Schools in 2018. In 2016, Swampscott High School was ranked #39.
• Criteria include: class size, student-teacher ratio, MCAS, SAT scores, AP scores, graduation rate, students attending college, and teacher evaluation ratings.
• Significant progress but not surprising. 
• Data Specialist and AP Teacher Training

The Opening of the School Year

• It was a challenging start to the school year with the extreme heat. We faced challenges as did every other district that started before Labor Day.
• The students and staff were troopers through this extreme heat.
• I want to thank the families for their flexibility during this period when last-minute early release days were called. 
• Fire Drills (4 per year) and ALICE Drills have been scheduled at all 5 schools.

Summer and Ongoing Maintenance Projects

Clarke School
Painting (3) offices
Patch wall & paint Art Room
Clean & paint Gym Vents
Coordination of plumbing repairs
Floor repairs in Portable Building
Fire Alarm Upgrade project - (ongoing)
Coordination and selection of Stage Lift
Demolition and Construction of walls, floor, and stage for lift - (ongoing)
Moved Library from Portable to Main Building
Repair shelving at Art Room
Patching of concrete stairs at Gym

Hadley School
Patch walls at Stair Landings
Classroom door repairs
Coordination of exterior door repairs
Patch walls in classrooms
Patch & paint Gym floor
Moving of classrooms
Repair fence at Playground

Stanley School
Paint (3) rooms
Paint Art Room floor
Paint (2) Bathrooms
Paint interior & exterior stairs
Moving of classrooms
Floor repairs in classrooms
Coordination of carpet installation in classroom

High School
Coordination of sprinkler repairs in Gym with Metro Swift and Fire Department
Paint room
Coordination of plumbing repairs
Floor repairs at 1st floor 8-Wing
Repair Science Room tables

Middle School
Coordination of plumbing repairs
Coordination of electrical repairs
Installation of Pre School Playground equipment
Cleaning of roof drains
Opened up the wall in HR File Room to access plumbing leak above Kitchen
Office - extensive brick removal necessary to access
Replace ceiling in Kitchen Office

District
Central Office moves at MS including construction, moving & painting
Green Communities Grant kickoff meeting
Installation of AED cabinets at Athletic Fields
Purchasing and delivering of supplies and materials for Summer Cleaning
Moving of classrooms between buildings in the district
Coordinating of Outside Cleaning contractors at Middle and High Schools
Removal of downed trees and branches after the storm
Coordination of annual Fire Alarm & Sprinkler testing
Coordination of Annual Elevator Testing - (ongoing - rescheduled by State Inspector)
Coordination of the Hiring of new Custodial Staff
Coordination and finalization of numerous preventive maintenance contracts - Fire Alarm and Sprinkler, Emergency Generator and Metasys Controls
Heating system coordination walk-thru to determine the scope or needed work - (ongoing)
Removal of e-waste to HS loading dock for pickup

Municipal
Replaced the door at Fish House