The November 17 meeting of the Rochester School Committee was a straightforward and streamlined one, mostly spent covering recent MCAS test results and how the Old Rochester Regional School District measures up to the state. As with other recent committee meetings, it was announced at the beginning that there would be no open public comment section due to recent concerns over safety.
The meat of the meeting was taken up by Principal Derek Medeiros’ presentation regarding the results of the most recent MCAS tests.
“The MCAS is not new to us, but we do know that the last two and a half years of school have not been typical,” said Medeiros.
The committee noted that the Covid pandemic made a large impact on recent MCAS scores compared to prepandemic times, but that the overall comparison to scores across Massachusetts still indicates the ORR District’s commitment to excellence.
“The good news and what the committee will hear tonight is that our students and their families should be proud of the MCAS results produced here at Rochester Memorial School. Although MCAS is one of the many pieces of information to help inform the teaching and learning experiences of our students, we can use this information to assess areas of strengths and also opportunities for our students,” said Medeiros. “Tonight, you’re going to hear many of those strengths that our data shows and more importantly, some action steps on how our team plans to move forward. From a big-picture standpoint, we will use this data to help inform future academic programming and needs in conjunction with all available data points for MCAS.
Medeiros reminded the gathered members that 2022-23 is the first normal year of school for Rochester’s third-grade students.
“We know that there’s been learning loss, and we’ve done a lot here in our district that we’re very proud of to help our students close those gaps. But you’ll see throughout this presentation that our students are performing above the state in almost every category. So we’re very proud of that,” said Medeiros, who pointed out consistently higher percentages of students performing at or above the expected level compared to the state. “And then again, the average scale score of 498 for our students, like I mentioned, right, they are so close to that 500 average scale score, as we’re typically seeing, but (it’s) 493 for the state.”
In his financial report, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howie Barber told the committee that the annual budget maintains its course. He said meal participation continues to grow, as simultaneous, nationwide supply-chain issues continue to disrupt and impact the food program. ORR School Nurse Beth Oleson was credited for the training she provides on kitchen first aid, EpiPen use and choke safety.
At the beginning of the meeting, Chairperson Sharon Hartley publicly aligned Rochester’s with other district school committees that have taken precautions in the wake of threatening conduct at the November 7 Joint School Committee meeting.
“As a result of the threatening, disruptive and disorderly conduct of a few members of the public during the open comments’ portion of the Joint School Committee meeting held on Monday, November 7, which forced the abrupt adjournment of that body before the business of that meeting even began, I have made the decision not to allow public comments at tonight’s business meeting of the Rochester School Committee,” announced Hartley. “A school committee meeting is a meeting at which school committee members must transact portions of their business in public. There is no requirement for public comment. It is entirely at the discretion of the chair.
“Each member of this elected body has been and will continue to be open to hearing or reading public comments from our constituents or any kind of comments from our constituents and our citizens. However, when members of this committee need to be escorted to their vehicles for fear of their physical safety due to the hostile, disorderly conduct from members of the public … I am forced to prioritize not only for our safety, but also so that we can conduct the business of this body. Is my sincere hope that respectful, civil discourse will soon return to the Tri-Town.”
ORR Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson took time towards the end of the meeting to remind those gathered about meeting conduct and regulations, reading directly from the handbook as he did so. Nelson emphasized that respect is a two-way street, and committee members need to treat community members with the same respect they themselves expect and deserve.
The next public meeting of the Rochester School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, January 5, at 6:30 pm at Rochester Memorial School and accessible via Zoom.
Rochester School Committee
By Jack MC Staier