Quincy Citywide Parent’s Council

Minutes from March 12, 2007

Broad Meadows Middle School

Schools represented at this meeting: Atherton Hough, Beechwood Knoll, Bernazzani, Central, Lincoln Hancock/Della Chesia, Montclair, North Quincy High, Parker, Point Webster, Quincy High, QPAC, Sterling, and Wollaston.

Meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm, with Fiona Canavan presiding. 

Fiona announced that Janet Powell, Director of Student Support Services, was the speaker for the evening.  Also in attendance was Helena Skinner, Director of the Guidance Department at NQHS.  Judy Todd, Director of Special Education, who was also scheduled to speak, was not in attendance due to illness.

Ms. Powell thanked the Council for inviting her and asked for introductions of everyone in attendance.  She noted that this is her 33^rd year with the Quincy Public Schools.  She began as the Coordinator of the Special Needs Preschool Program, then became a Guidance Counselor at Broad Meadows, and 16 years ago moved to the central office to become the Director of Psychological Services and then Director of Student Support Services.

Ms. Powell said that her presentation would roughly follow the outline of her recent presentation to the School Committee.  Under her purview are the Guidance Counselors, Psychologists, Nurses, Supervisors of Attendance, Coordinator of Services to Homeless Students, and the Quincy Teen Mothers Program.

Guidance Counselors-52 total counselors

Each of the elementary schools has a full-time Guidance Counselor with the exception of Beechwood Knoll, which has a Counselor 3 days a week.  Each of the Middle Schools has 2-3 Counselors, and each High School has 8-9.  The School Committee has been helpful with reducing the Counselor-to-Student ratio.  The Counselors have Masters Degrees in school counseling or social work.  She focuses on hiring counselors with clinical experience in the issues commonly faced by students.  The Counselors provide individual and group counseling—often during lunchtime—always with parental permission.  They also provide classroom lessons on selected issues—they are working on standardizing the issues to be addressed in classrooms, such as bullying prevention, harassment, career awareness, etc.  The Counselors also provide parent and teacher consultations, crisis intervention (about 200 per year), and referrals to other agencies for special services.  They work with about 500 families involved with the Department of Social Services.  Guidance Counselors are all members of the Special Education Teams and at the elementary level are the chairs of these teams.  They also assist with MCAS testing when necessary.

Psychologists-10 total

The School Psychologists all have Masters Degrees with Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS).  They provide psychological testing, meet with parents, and some classroom lessons.  She noted that the lessons tend to vary depending on the school and are usually responsive that school’s particular issues.  She welcomes input from parents so that these lessons can be more proactive.

 School Nurses-23 total

QPS has a full-time nurse in every building.  She noted that not many communities have this level of nursing.  Nurses provide student and parent education and care for sick students.

Supervisors of Attendance—2 total

These staff (formerly known as Truant Officers) have Bachelors Degrees and are licensed by the Department of Education.  They play a key role since poor student attendance is an early indicator of trouble to come for many students.  They try to address the problem early.  In severe cases, a Family Assistance Conference is held.  This is unique to Quincy and is a meeting with a Department of Social Services worker, a Court worker, the Supervisor of Attendance, the parent(s), and the student (if appropriate).  Together they develop a family service plan to address the attendance issue.  If there is no improvement, then a “Failure to Send” (for younger students) or a “Child in Need of Services-CHINS” (for older students) petition is made which may lead to further involvement by DSS or the Court.  The Supervisors of Attendance also verify residence to insure that students actually reside in Quincy.  Ms. Powell noted that she considers it a compliment that some families try to send their children to QPS even though they do not live in Quincy.  However, she said that this cannot be allowed. 

 Coordinator of Services to Homeless Families-1 staff

QPS serves an average of 230 homeless students each year—to date this year they have served 160 homeless students.  These students meet the federal definition of homeless and include those who are living in shelters, those who are doubled up with other families because they have lost their home due to hardship, and unaccompanied youth—teenagers who have no regular home, but stay with relatives or friends (“couch surfing”).  Ms. Powell noted the dedication of the Coordinator, Isabel Ventre.  She said that fundraising helps pay for services for these students such as T passes, holiday gifts, and supplies, noting the work done by Quincy Point Congregational Church which raised $10,000 this past holiday season by selling a CD.

 Quincy Teen Mothers’ Program-QTMP

This program serves an average of 25 girls and their babies each year and is now in its 28^th year.  Most of the girls in the program will get their high school diploma, some will get their GED.  Sandy Arabian noted that these girls are at very high risk for violence, substance abuse and other problems and thus their children are at risk as well.  In response to parent question about the eligibility of a specific young woman, Ms. Powell said that students can remain in the program until age 22, depending on what grade level they are in.  In response to another parent, she said that although some of the students in QTMP are sped students, probably more are limited-English speaking students.

 Bonnie Marcel asked about sex ed for in-district sped students, noting that out-of-district sped students do not receive sex ed at all.  Ms. Powell said that if the student is in a school with health programs, then they receive the same education as all the other students.  The curriculum is roughly as follows:  Grade 5 have a Growth and Development class (separate for boys and girls), Grade 6, 7, 8 have some health classes, Grade 9 has some health ed through the career connections and physical education classes.  They also do some special presentations.

 Sandy Arabian asked how the mental health needs of students are identified and addressed.  Ms. Powell said that they will address any barrier to learning.  They offer some ed about mental health through the health education modules—specifically on depression and eating disorders in Grades 6, 7, 8, and 9.  Also, the Guidance Counselors work with teachers as part of the Student Support Team.  QPS works with some mental health agencies that will provide services in-school (always with parental permission).  This is provided through third party payment--he student’s health insurance plan.  The agencies they work with are: South Bay Mental Health, Bay View Mental Health, and Bay State Social Services.

 Fiona, passing on a question posed by a parent via email, asked about drug prevention education and why it is not vertically integrated.  Ms. Powell said that DARE is provided in 5^th and 7^th grade.  She noted that she likes DARE in spite of some evaluations that question its effectiveness.  She does not think any one intervention should be held accountable for results.  Also the Grade 7 Peer Leaders work with their fellow middle school students and also with 5^th graders about tobacco use prevention.  She noted that cigarettes are a gateway drug and that smoking leads young kids to be comfortable with hiding behaviors from adults.  The health ed units for 6, 7, and 8^th grades include both drug and alcohol units.  Special assemblies are also held—for example speakers who have been convicted of vehicular homicide.  They work with Impact Quincy and she encouraged parents to become active with this group.

 Sandy asked if there is a transition program for sped kids.  Ms. Powell said that all children do transition activities such as school visits, etc.  Also, each Sped Team develops a transition plan for each child.

 Fiona thanked Ms Powell and Ms. Skinner for coming to speak.

 The minutes from the February 12^th meeting were accepted.

The Treasurer, MaryBeth Dooling, presented her report, which was accepted.

School Committee

Roseanne Russell presented the report on the School Committee meetings in the absence of Henry Brawley.  She said that the School Committee commended the emergency response to the recent fire near Parker and Atlantic, which occurred just as both schools were dismissing.  She said that Woodward Ave would be closing this summer as construction begins on the new QHS.  Some administrative offices are already being moved.  The goal for completion is still 2010.  The Assessment Team made a presentation where mention was made of the Individual Student Success Plans (ISSPs).  Some schools make these plans available to parents, but Colleen Roberts later provided clarification to Fiona that these plans are for students who have not passed the 10^th grade MCAS.  (There was much discussion about communication with parents about how students are doing academically.  Several parents of middle school children said that they find the progress reports totally useless.  It was noted that a gap between classroom performance and standardized test results could be an early indicator of problems so parents need assessment information when their children are young.  Sandy will follow up with Dr. DeCristofaro on this issue.)  Linda Stice requested that schools provide advance notice to parents of field trips and other events that will cost money.  The Mayor reported that Quincy did not fare well in terms of local aid in the Governor’s budget.  The Mayor will be asking our legislative delegation to help the Quincy get funds from the telecommunication tax—could be $1.1m. 

 Old Business

Teacher Contracts—Fiona noted that perhaps some misinformation had been presented at a previous meeting.  The teachers have not been offered participation in the state health plan since that is illegal.  They are being asked to accept an offer and then if the law is changed, they could opt into the state plan.  The teachers would accept all the risk if the law is not changed.  All the city unions without a contract have planned a standout for Monday 3/19 at 5:30 outside city hall. (corrected 3/15/07)

Upcoming Speakers

John Franceschini, Director of Physical Education, and Colleen Roberts, Director of Curriculum, will be the speakers at the April meeting.

Judy Todd will be invited to the May meeting since she was unable to attend tonight.

 NQHS Traffic

Fiona reported that the NQHS PAC has noted that the police officer who was directing traffic was no longer there.  He was apparently told to go to Atlantic for a morning basketball program.  Fiona has spoken with Anne Mahoney, Chair of the Safety Subcommittee of the School Committee, who has spoken to Dr. DeCristofaro, and there is now someone there directing traffic again.  Fiona said that while some improvements have been made, someone needs to direct traffic and enforce the rules.  She will ask Anne Mahoney to request that a Crossing Guard be assigned to NQHS all the time.

 Updates

Rich O’Brien, Director of the Information, Technology and Media Services, who spoke at the January meeting has contacted Fiona to tell her that his staff is working with the Squantum School web master to update the site, that they are working on the problem with School Messenger at NQHS, and that the contact cards are being discussed by the data team.

 Foreign Language

Fiona reported that the foreign language teachers from the Middle Schools and the 9^th grade have met and have requested that students who have scored well on the MCAS be allowed to take a full course of foreign language in 7^th and 8^th grade.  They have a goal of including all students, but felt that the students who were doing well on the MCAS were a starting point.  Fiona asked to have Henry Brawley mention at the next School Committee meeting that the Council supports this request.

 Fiona reported a question from a parent via email about the apparent elimination of the jazz band.  Susan Bill said that the jazz band would be starting up again on Tuesdays after school.  She also said that there is now a Music Booster Club to support music education in the QPS. She will e-mail Fiona the information about it to be included on the Citywide website.

Sandy announced that Quincy Parent Advisory Council to Special Ed (QPAC) is having a special speaker on Saturday April 28^th at Quincy High School.  Dr. Maryann Wolfe, of Tufts University, will speak about brain function and reading.  All are welcome to attend.  Registration cost is $25.  Also, the subject at the April 10th QPAC meeting will be transition from high school to college for students with IEPs and 504s.

 Carlos DaSilva recognized all the women present and congratulated them on National Women’s Day.  He also suggested that the Council hold a Candidates Night for the School Committee and the Mayor’s races.  It was decided to wait until September to plan it.  He also suggested that the minutes of the Council’s meetings include a list of those who attended.  After much discussion, it was decided that the schools that were represented should be listed.

 Roseanne noted that nominations for officers should be made at the next meeting, which is April 9^th at 7:00 pm at Broad Meadows.