In addressing the Old Rochester School Committee on April 11, Old Rochester Regional Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Dr. Shari Fedorowicz was careful to explain that the Student Opportunity Act is not to be confused with ORR’s School Improvement plan, otherwise known as Vision 2028.
Nonetheless, Fedorowicz was enthused to recommend that the Tri-Town’s $28,000 slice of state funding for this program, based on ORR’s relatively small population, be accepted by the school committee. The money committed by the state for this purpose translates to approximately $30 per student.
The committee approved the allocation by the state to fund ORR’s compliance with the Student Opportunity Act for the 2024-25 school year.
The SOA, Fedorowicz explained, is basically a commitment the school makes to ensure that every student can access an education. She called it “a subset of the district initiative and uses evidence-based programs or ‘EBP’s’ focusing on our high-needs students.”
High-needs students fall into three broad categories: students with disabilities, students in low-income homes and English-language learners.
The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) reviews public schools’ SOA’s annually. Taking feedback from stakeholders outside the school committee and in the community, the SOA is developed and after gaining the approval of the school committee on April 11, still requires a final approval by DESE.
ESE’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) Improvement Project did not require a vote of the committee. Transferring to the new plan will be a gradual process, explained ORR Director of Student Services Kristine Lincoln.
Committee member Jim Muse called identifying the necessary details of an IEP for each student “an enormous task” and added he hopes for more of an emphasis on family education, especially before the process begins and also as it is being rolled out. “And that can’t happen until the staff is educated,” Muse said, stressing the importance of families’ input.
Also on the April 11 agenda was the annual public hearing that once again determined that ORR will remain a School Choice district for the 2024-25 school year.
Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson explained that students enrolled at ORR via School Choice are entitled to remain in the system.
Historically, ORR averages 125 students in the program that includes students ages 7-22. As of April 11 for Grades 7 to 12-plus, ORR has 119 students enrolled in School Choice and is anticipating 101 for the 2024-25 school year based on impending graduations.
With that, Nelson recommended ORR maintain its 125-student cap per established policy. In further breakdown, Nelson recommended ORR cap Grade 7 at 12 new School Choice students, capping Grade 8 at 13 new School Choice students and capping Grade 9 at 10 new enrollees.
Selecting students is based on a lottery of applications. The order in which names are pulled from a basket establishes a waitlist for that school year.
Also approved on April 11: a $500 donation from the Emma Whittaker Scholarship Fund in the ORR student’s memory to a member of the 2024 graduating class; $2,000 from the Mattapoisett Land Trust to support the June 3 Grade 7 whale-watch trip and a donation to improve a 2-foot-diameter plaque honoring a group of volunteers on their 50th anniversary.
The Superintendent’s Evaluation will be conducted over the next couple of months. Nelson reported on the process so far. By the end of April, committee members were to have in their possession a progress update on the four superintendent’s goals. After subcommittee meetings, the School Committee at large will prepare feedback and in June prepare to share it with the public.
In his report, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howie Barber told the committee there is approximately $117,000 remaining in unencumbered funds in the FY24 Operating Budget.
In her report, Chairperson Michelle Smith said she was pleased to note an 8-1 vote would authorize the ORR District to request a total of $12,000,000 from the Tri-Towns in a debt exclusion for the purpose of upgrades to the school buildings.
The Rochester Select Board and Finance Committee voted in recent public meetings to recommend the town’s residents vote against the request at the May 13 Annual Town Meeting. While the presentation made by ORR representatives has received positive feedback in other member towns, Rochester officials stated that the article as written lacks sufficient detail. Joe Pires cast the lone dissenting vote when the matter was taken up by the ORR School Committee.
The ORR School Committee planned to reconvene on Wednesday, May 1, for an executive session and to discuss the status of the request.
In his report to the April 11 meeting, Nelson credited the Tri-Towns’ three public-health nurses for their work supporting a mental-health event sponsored by the ORR District. He also said the recent solar eclipse was a huge event thanks to the ability to purchase special glasses that students were able to wear upon deboarding school buses and looking into the sky.
In her report, Fedorowicz said that the final Professional Development Day will be held on June 5, when committee member (and retired Mattapoisett Schools Principal) Rose Bowman will address the faculty. Fedorowicz credited the student musicians and teachers for their work on putting on a successful jazz concert.
ORR High School Principal Mike Devoll opened the meeting by honoring three students: three-time Special Olympics bowling champion Michael Hogan; Tyler Young, who set an ORR school record for the 1,000-meter run indoors at 2: and Wesner Archelus, the MIAA Division 4 champion in the 55-meter hurdles. Devoll said ORR plans to install a wall of recognition for school record holders across all ORR sports.
In his report to the committee, Devoll updated the committee on the spitting incident involving an ORR player that occurred in March during the MIAA boys’ state basketball tournament. Devoll said the student took full responsibility for his actions and was removed from the team. ORR reported the incident to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association and abided by school disciplinary policies.
Under the recommendation of the MIAA, Devoll said he, Nelson and Athletic Director Chris Carrig will participate May 3-4 in a training event titled, “Addressing Hate in School Sports.” The event, led by Northeastern University’s Center for the Study of Sport in Society, will feature training against bias and discrimination in sports. There will also be a follow-up visit by Northeastern representatives to ORR.
During Open Comment, Liz DeCarlo thanked the administration for its initiative in taking the training being provided by Northeastern. DeCarlo stressed the importance of taking the benefits of the training beyond the campus and into the community.
Carol Chouinard of Rochester objected to what she said is an emerging media-driven narrative about ORR that she considers inaccurate and unfair. Saying the committee has not heard the entire story of what transpired at the basketball game referenced by Devoll, Chouinard noted that the superintendent and principal were among the people in attendance and would not have allowed the things for which ORR personnel has been accused.
The next meeting of the ORR School Committee is scheduled with the Joint School Committee on Thursday, June 20, at 6:30 pm at the ORR Junior High Media Room and will be accessible live via Zoom.
ORR School Committee
By Mick Colageo