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Home My WebLink About2025-05-22 School Committee PacketOpen Session 8:00p.m. Reading Memorial High School Library Reading, MA Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet May 22, 2025 Town of Reading Meeting Posting with Agenda This Agenda has been prepared in advance and represents a listing of topics that the chair reasonably anticipates will be discussed at the meeting. However the agenda does not necessarily include all matters which may be taken up at this meeting. Page | 1 2018-07-16 LAG Board - Committee - Commission - Council: School Committee Date: 2025-05-22 Time: 8:00 PM Building: School - Memorial High Location: School Library Address: 62 Oakland Road Agenda: Purpose: Open Session Meeting Called By: Thomas Wise, Chair Notices and agendas are to be posted 48 hours in advance of the meetings excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Legal Holidays. Please keep in mind the Town Clerk’s hours of operation and make necessary arrangements to be sure your posting is made in an adequate amount of time. A listing of topics that the chair reasonably anticipates will be discussed at the meeting must be on the agenda. All Meeting Postings must be submitted in typed format; handwritten notices will not be accepted. Topics of Discussion: 8:00 p.m. A. Call to Order 8:00 p.m. B. Public Comment Consent Agenda 1. Minutes (05-12-2025) 2. Acceptance of FY25 Computer Science Professional Development Grant Award 3. Friends of Reading Track Donation 4. Barrows America’s Stonehenge Field Trip Request Accounts Payable Warrant Reports 1. 05-08-2025 2. 05-15-2025 Reports 1. Student 2. Superintendent 3. Liaison/Sub-Committee 8:20 p.m. E. New Business 1. FY25 Q3 Financial Update 2. Superintendent Summative Review a. Timeline Outline and Discussion b. Evidence Review 9:00 p.m. D. Old Business 1. Second Reading, edit (if necessary), and Vote to Adopt (A) Policy GBGE – Domestic Violence Leave 9:15 p.m. E. New Business Town of Reading Meeting Posting with Agenda This Agenda has been prepared in advance and represents a listing of topics that the chair reasonably anticipates will be discussed at the meeting. However the agenda does not necessarily include all matters which may be taken up at this meeting. Page | 2 3. First Reading of New Policy GBEBD – Online Fundraising and Solicitations – Crowdfunding 4. Policy Updates – Review, edit (if necessary), and Vote to Adopt (A) Amended Policies: a. GBJ – Personnel Records b. GCA – Professional Staff Positions c. GCBA – Professional Staff Salary Schedules d. GCBB – Employment of Principals (formerly known as Employment of Administrators and Directors) 5. First Reading of New Policy GCBC – Professional Staff Supplementary Pay Plans 9:45 p.m. G. Executive Session 1. To conduct strategy in preparation for negotiations with non-union personnel (Central Office & Principals). 10:15 p.m. Adjourn Join Zoom Meeting https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/82327948098 Meeting ID: 823 2794 8098 Find your local number: https://readingpsma.zoom.us/u/kq4bzw0LZ Consent Agenda Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet May 22, 2025 Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Page | 1 2016-09-22 LAG Board - Committee - Commission - Council: School Committee Date: 2025-05-12 Time: 7:00 PM Building: Location: Address: Session: Open Session Purpose: Open Session Version: Draft Attendees: Members - Present: Tom Wise, Carla Nazzaro, Erin Gaffen (remote), and Lara Durgavich Members - Not Present: Shawn Brandt and Sarah McLaughlin Others Present: Assistant Superintendent for Learning and Teaching Dr. Sarah Hardy and Superintendent Dr. Thomas Milaschewski Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Olivia Lejeune on behalf of the chairperson. Topics of Discussion: A. Call to Order – Mr. Wise called the meeting to order at 7:02pm welcoming everyone to the METCO Headquarters in Boston, MA. Roll Call Attendance – Mrs. Gaffen – here, Mrs. Nazzaro – here, Lara Durgavich – here, Mr. Wise – here B. Public Comment – None Consent Agenda 1. Minutes (04-10-2025) 2. Parker Granite State Manufacturing Field Trip Request 3. Parker Canobie Lake Park Field Trip Request 4. Coolidge Special Olympics Donation 5. Acceptance of FY25 FC181 ELL Support 6. Acceptance of the Funding Transfer from Opioid Revolving Fund to Reading Public Schools Accounts Payable Warrant Reports 1. 04-10-2025 2. 04-17-2025 3. 04-24-2025 4. 05-01-2025 Mrs. Gaffen motioned to approve the consent agenda, seconded by Mrs. Nazzaro. Page | 2 Dr. Milaschewski highlighted the memo in the packet approving the transfer of funds from the Opioid Revolving Fund to Reading Public Schools. He thanked the Reading Coalition for partnering with the district to use these funds to expand a part-time health teacher position to full-time. Roll Call Vote – Mrs. Gaffen – yes, Mrs. Nazzaro – yes, Lara Durgavich – yes, Mr. Wise – yes The vote passed 4-0. Reports 1. Students – Student representatives shared a number of recent highlights and upcoming events: a. Dance Team Tryouts – Scheduled for early June b. Cheerleading Team Tryouts – Also happening in early June c. Prom and Graduation – Both events are coming up at the end of the month 2. Assistant Superintended for Learning and Teaching – Dr. Hardy noted that as we continue to support different groups of students to ensure their success, special attention is being given to Boston resident students. A grant opportunity was identified to provide additional early literacy tutoring specifically for this group. The district has partnered with Ignite Tutoring, which uses a unique model of 15 minutes of online tutoring per day focused on early literacy skills. Students are paired with instructors who speak the same language, which is particularly helpful for multilingual learners. This program was introduced during the first meeting, and initial data was shared to encourage participation. 3. Superintendent – Dr. Milaschewski jumped off Dr. Hardy’s report on Ignite highlighting a recent Johns Hopkins study that demonstrated the program’s positive impact across the country. Dr. Milaschewski also expressed his gratitude to former METCO Director Mr. Kurtis Martin, who was in attendance, for his significant contributions to the METCO program in Reading. 4. Liaison/Sub-Committee a. Mrs. Gaffen – No report b. Mrs. Nazzaro – The vote on the Killam project is scheduled for tomorrow. If the vote does not pass, we plan to request permission from the MSBA to bring the project back to voters. Being part of the MSBA program remains a valuable opportunity for us. c. Ms. Durgavich – No report d. Mr. Wise – There were two important votes at Town Meeting over the past two weeks. The first was the approval of financing for the Killam project, and the second was the unanimous approval of the budget. E. New Business 1. ACE Update Page | 3 Ryan Johnstone from the Ad Hoc Commemoration Establishment (ACE) Committee— formerly known as the Bill Russell Committee—joined the meeting to provide an update. The committee was established by the Select Board in August 2022 to honor Bill Russell’s legacy and acknowledge his mistreatment in Reading. Between January and April 2025, the committee held four meetings and planned additional events for May and June, including participation in Reading Friends and Family Day and Juneteenth. Discussions focused on what more can be done and how to increase community involvement. Feedback from the community included suggestions such as creating a permanent exhibit, encouraging open dialogue about Russell’s treatment, launching a general education campaign, and supporting student-written articles. While no formal actions were taken, the committee used this time to brainstorm and gather community input. 2. Friends of Reading METCO Discussion Ms. LaVonda Epps and Ms. Ilka Walkley, Co-Chairs of FORMETCO, began by introducing themselves and then presented the following questions for the committee to collectively address and discuss: a. How would you define success for the program? b. What are members proudest of about the METCO program? c. What improvements would members like to see? d. Is there a need to educate the broader Reading community about the importance and impact of METCO? How could we do this together? e. What do you see as your role in advocating for the program overall? 3. State of the Reading METCO Program Dr. Milaschewski, Ms. Jerika Santiago, and Ms. Cindy Marte presented an update on the current state of the Reading METCO Program, beginning with introductions of METCO staff from each school. The presentation included: • Senior spotlights, highlighting graduating students as part of the focus on excellence • Program enrollment data • Updates from the 2024–2025 school year, featuring student and staff engagement • A spotlight on the METCO Student Advisory Council (SAC) and Coordinators • An update on the future of the METCO Director position and leadership structure Regarding leadership moving forward, Dr. Milaschewski announced that Jerika Santiago and Cindy Marte will serve as full-time Co-METCO Directors. Additionally, the district will be adding a full-time METCO School Counselor at the middle school level, ensuring that all K–8 schools have dedicated METCO counseling support. Mykel Derring, current Parker METCO Coordinator, will now support all district schools, with a flexible schedule based on school and student needs. A full copy of the presentation can be found here. Page | 4 4. METCO CEO Search Timeline and Process Dr. Milaschewski is serving as the superintendent representative on the METCO CEO search committee. She expressed gratitude to the current CEO, Milly Arbaje-Thomas, who has held the position since 2018. The first committee meeting took place a month ago, focusing on what to expect during the search process. The next step was to gather stakeholder feedback to develop a job description, which was posted on May 9th. Applications are now being received. Applicants will be interviewed in June and July, with a final decision expected in early August and a planned start date in September. Mr. Wise also thanked Milly for her advocacy and strong community connections. Dr. Milaschewski highlighted the growing momentum around the METCO 2.0 vision, which outlines what a high-quality METCO program should look like, and there is confidence that this momentum will continue. Ongoing work includes defining the program through 13 commitments that represent a high-quality METCO experience. The Reading team will select several focus areas to guide practices for the 2025–2026 school year. D. Old Business 1. Update on METCO Program Director Search Process An update was provided during the State of the Reading METCO Program presentation. 2. School Choice Update and Second Lottery Process Dr. Milaschewski provided a brief overview of the School Choice program for those unfamiliar and reviewed the results of the first lottery, which was completed earlier this month. In the first lottery, 27 students were accepted. We initially opened 10 kindergarten seats and received 21 applications. Based on current kindergarten enrollment, we feel comfortable opening an additional four kindergarten seats. There were some discussions about class sizes and ensuring that adding these seats would not trigger the need to hire an additional kindergarten teacher, maintaining alignment with class size guidelines. Mr. Wise motioned to approve the chart as written in the packet with the amendment for four kindergarten seats, seconded by Mrs. Nazzaro. Roll Call Vote – Mrs. Gaffen – yes, Mrs. Nazzaro – yes, Lara Durgavich – yes, Mr. Wise – yes The vote passed 4-0. Mr. Wise motioned to adjourn, seconded by Mrs. Nazzaro. The vote passed 4-0. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq5WCiY3ZOE Meeting Adjourned from regular session at approximately 9:16 pm. TO: Reading School Committee CC: Dr. Thomas Milaschewski, Superintendent of Schools Philip Littlehale, Interim Director of Finance and Operations DATE: May 19, 2025 FR: Katelyn Finnegan, Assistant Business Manager RE: Acceptance of FY25 Computer Science Professional Development Grant Award The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has awarded Reading Public Schools with a FY25 Computer Science Professional Development Grant in the amount of $2,000. The purpose of this competitive Computer Science Professional Development grant is to support Massachusetts public school teachers in learning Computer Science content. Funds under this grant may be used to attend select summer Professional Learning workshops run by DESE’s CS professional development provider CSforMA. Thank you for your support and your vote to accept the FY25 Computer Science Professional Development Grant Award. Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Olivia Lejeune, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent DATE: May 20, 2025 RE: Vote to Accept Friends of Reading Track Donation Please vote to accept a donation of $300 from the Friends of reading Track, Inc. This donation is in support of the coaching assistant positon. Please find attached the donation letter from Edward P. Hackett, Treasurer. Thank you. Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Olivia Lejeune, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent DATE: May 20, 2025 RE: Vote to Approve Barrows America’s Stonehenge Field Trip Request Please vote to approve an out of state, day field trip request to America’s Stonehenge, in Salem, NH. The trip will take place on June 10th for 4th grade students. Please find attached the field trip approval form. Thank you. Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 New Business Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet May 22, 2025 1 | Page To: Reading School Committee From: Philip A. Littlehale, Interim Director of Finance & Operations Date: May 20, 2025 Re: FY25 Q3 Notes FY25 Q3: General Fund The funds anticipated to be available at Year End is currently estimated to be $75,000. This balance reflects the following: Encumbrance of all remaining salary expenses. Expenditure of all non-personnel lines Planned Year End Expenses/Transfers: Technology refresh/renewal: $350,000 Special Education Tuition Prepays*: $1,200,000 Transfer to Special Education Reserve Fund: $300,000 *Massachusetts General Laws allow out of district pre-payments of up to three months of any approved private placements, and up to 100% of collaborative placements. This prepayment of special education private day and collaborative out of district placements is a past practice of the Reading Public Schools and will be repeated in FY25 to defray FY26 expenses. FY25 Q3: Grants New Grants: METCO BBI $ 5,000 Safe & Supportive Schools $10,000 Financial Education Innovation $ 3,200 IDEA IEP $20,000 Mid-Year increase of $439 to Title II and $7,900 to DPH grant award amounts. FY25 Q3: Revolving Accounts Special Education Stabilization Fund moved to Gift/Donations/Stabilization Accounts. FY25 Q3: Gift/Donation/Stabilization Accounts Special Education Stabilization Fund moved to Gift/Donations/Stabilization Accounts. Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 FY25 Q3: General Fund Administration 1,374,689 - 1,374,689 1,006,230 73.20%367,238 1,221 99.91%(1,221)0 100.00% 2.44% General Education 33,139,716 - 33,139,716 19,964,385 60.24%12,737,278 438,053 98.68%(363,054)75,000 99.77% 58.85% Special Education 17,572,955 - 17,572,955 11,850,784 67.44%5,990,516 (268,345) 101.53%268,345 0 100.00% 31.21% District Wide: Health Services 969,558 - 969,558 578,074 59.62%383,675 7,809 99.19%(7,809)0 100.00% Extra Curricular 81,186 - 81,186 102,814 126.64%(21,554) (75)100.09%75 0 100.00% Athletics 789,018 - 789,018 811,172 102.81%(63,985) 41,830 94.70%(41,830)0 100.00% Technology 686,736 - 686,736 536,957 78.19%152,529 (2,750)100.40%2,750 0 100.00% Sub-total District Wide 2,526,498 - 2,526,498 2,029,017 80.31% 450,666 46,814 98.15%(46,814)0 100.00% 4.49% School Facilities 1,696,953 - 1,696,953 1,258,850 74.18%280,847 157,256 90.73%(157,256)0 100.00% 3.01% Special Ed Fund - - - - 0.00%300,000 (300,000) 0.00%300,000 0 100.00% 0.00% GRAND TOTAL 56,310,811 -56,310,811 36,109,265 64.12%20,126,546 75,000 99.87%0 75,000 99.87% FY25 Est YE % Used RevCost Center FY25 Original Budget Transfers FY25 Revised Budget FY25 Q3 YTD Expenditures FY25 Q3 % Used YTD FY25 Q3 Encumb./Re quire FY25 Est YE Available FY25 Est YE % Used FY25 Est YE Xfrs FY25 Est YE Available REV FY25 Q3: Grants Grant Beginning FY25 Year Balance Q3 YTD Expended & Encumb. Remaining Requirment Projected End Year Balance Beginning FY25 Year Balance Q3 YTD Expended & Encumb. Remaining Requirment Projected End Year Balance Beginning FY25 Year Balance Q3 YTD Expended & Encumb. Remaining Requirment Projected End Year Balance Beginning FY25 Year Balance Q3 YTD Expended & Encumb. Remaining Requirment Projected End Year Balance STATE METCO 133,937 133,937 - - 822,531 406,294 322,237 94,000 METCO BBI 1,420 1,420 - - 5,000 1,473 - 3,528 METCO REI 15,000 15,000 - - 14,975 14,975 - - Northeast Food 5,048 5,048 - - Dept. of Public Health 98,616 52,907 45,709 - Innovation Career Pathways Support 50,000 28,632 21,368 - Skills Capital Technology and Equip. 75,000 75,000 - - Special Earmark- Anatomy Table 50,000 50,000 - - MyCAP 22,500 - 22,500 - HQIM- PDPO 37,383 14,850 22,533 - Safe & Supportive Schools 10,000 - 10,000 - Financial Education Innovation Fund 3,200 - - 3,200 TOTAL STATE -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ 155,405$ 155,405$ -$ -$ 1,189,205$ 644,130$ 444,347$ 100,728$ FEDERAL Title I 13,230 13,230 - - 89,152 35,633 40,147 13,373 Title II 17,829 16,875 954 - 44,214 211 3,214 40,789 Title IV 6,308 5,880 428 - 10,000 3,295 - 6,705 IDEA 240 1,152 1,152 - - 471,648 444,358 27,290 - 1,170,400 529,222 368,297 272,881 IDEA 262 21,753 19,760 1,993 - IDEA IEP 5,505 5,505 - - 20,000 1,200 400 18,400 Chronic Absenses 2,850 2,850 - - ELIM. TIME OUT ROOMS 44,459 44,459 - - ESSER III $ 707 $ 707 $ - $ - TOTAL FEDERAL 707$ 707$ -$ -$ 1,152$ 1,152$ -$ -$ 561,829$ 533,158$ 28,671$ -$ 1,355,519$ 589,321$ 414,051$ 352,148$ FY 25 Quarter 3 Grant Balance FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY25 Q3: Revolving Accounts Fee-Based Programs Fund code FY25 Balance July 1, 2024 FY25 Q3 YTD Actual Revenue FY25 Q3 YTD Actual Expend. FY25 Q3 Balance FY25 FY Forecast Revenue FY25 FY Forecast Expend FY25 Offsets FY25 YE Forecast Balance Athletics 4320 82,012 354,779 35,867 400,924 474,675 74,945 404,720 77,022 Community Education -Drivers Ed. and Adult Ed.4390 148,464 133,963 97,852 184,575 150,000 115,000 - 183,464 Community Education - Summer Programs 4400 67,275 20,019 55,465 31,829 70,000 55,465 - 81,810 Drama Activities Coolidge 4380 27,435 32,220 23,027 36,628 32,220 23,027 15,000 21,628 Drama Activities Parker 4360 42,169 12,649 14,566 40,252 33,000 29,000 15,000 31,169 Drama Activities RMHS 4350 49,270 57,676 37,601 69,345 68,000 69,000 34,000 14,270 Extended Day Program 4378 163,596 1,319,772 1,355,524 127,844 1,800,000 1,800,000 75,000 88,596 After School Activities Parker 4370 72,579 28,736 18,560 82,755 33,000 33,000 - 72,579 Extracurricular Coolidge 4326 2,698 - - 2,698 - - - 2,698 Extracurricular Band Activities 4354 6,194 24,795 17,525 13,464 28,695 28,425 - 6,464 Guidance Testing 4325 13,214 91,484 25,506 79,192 91,484 80,000 - 24,698 Full Day Kindergarten Tuition 4440 672,793 239,372 - 912,165 293,744 - 400,000 566,537 RISE Preschool Program 4410 287,650 388,982 9,974 666,658 452,000 20,000 350,000 369,650 Special Education Tuition 4430 650 - - 650 18,815 6,438 - 13,027 School Choice 4315 159,040 188,147 - 347,187 252,500 - 159,040 252,500 School Lunch Program 4310 1,286,074 1,460,148 2,045,638 700,584 2,700,000 2,600,000 257,192 1,128,882 School Transportation 4330 - 46,540 46,540 - 46,540 46,540 - - Use of School Property 4420 45,090 243,840 96,072 192,858 313,000 120,000 170,000 68,090 Lost Books/Tech 4450 34,517 21,160 1,764 53,913 21,160 18,000 - 37,677 TOTAL Fee-based Revolving Funds 3,160,720$ 4,664,282$ 3,881,481$ 3,943,521$ 6,878,832$ 5,118,840$ 1,879,952$ 3,040,760$ FY25 Third Quarter Financial Report and Projected End Year Status: Revolving Accounts FY25 Q3: Gift/Donation/Stabilization Accounts Gifts/Donations/Stabilization Funds Fund code FY25 Balance July 1, 2024 FY25 Q3 YTD Actual Revenue FY25 Q3 YTD Actual Expend. FY25 Q3 Balance District Donation Fund 4790 14,040$ 5,000$ 11,390$ 7,651$ Barrows Donations Fund 4791 2,222$ 464$ 675$ 2,012$ Birch Meadow Donation Fund 4792 8,808$ 724$ 473$ 9,059$ Joshua Eaton Donation Fund 4793 13,862$ 1,089$ 873$ 14,079$ JW Killam Donation Fund 4794 24,111$ 683$ 2,809$ 21,985$ Wood End Donation Fund 4795 18,094$ 582$ 16,675$ 2,001$ Coolidge Donation Fund 4796 12,953$ 75,928$ 13,076$ 75,805$ Parker Donation Fund 4797 9,457$ 18,160$ 15,997$ 11,620$ High School Donation Fund 4798 16,558$ 17,232$ 9,051$ 24,739$ SEPAC Donation Fund 4760 300$ 460$ 460$ 300$ Special Education Donation Fund 4799 319$ -$ -$ 319$ Libby Scholarship Donation Fund 4752 1,138,829$ -$ -$ 1,138,829$ Special Education Stabilization Fund 8226 385,163 11,299$ -$ 396,462 TOTAL Gift/Donation/Stabilization Revolving Funds 1,644,717$ 131,622$ 71,479$ 1,704,860$ FY25 Q3: Student Activity Accounts Student Activity Accounts Fund code FY25 Balance July 1, 2024 FY25 Q3 YTD Actual Revenue FY25 Q3 YTD Actual Expend. FY25 Q3 Balance Barrows Student Activities 8950 6,521$ 2,398$ 5,477$ 3,442$ Birch Meadow Student Activities 8950 13,210$ 2,583$ -$ 15,793$ Joshua Eaton Student Activities 8950 5,125$ 128$ 2,711$ 2,542$ JW Killam Student Activities 8950 15,489$ 3,163$ -$ 18,652$ Wood End Student Activities 8950 16,304$ 2,209$ -$ 18,513$ Coolidge Student Activities 8950 38,660$ 45,898$ 36,376$ 48,181$ Parker Student Activities 8950 7,643$ 78,014$ 77,998$ 7,658$ High School Student Activities 8950 125,415$ 136,553$ 128,771$ 133,197$ RISE Student Activities 8950 1,333$ 775$ -$ 2,108$ TOTAL Student Activity Accounts 229,700$ 271,720$ 251,334$ 250,087$ To: Reading School Committee From: Dr. Thomas Milaschewski, Superintendent Date: May 20, 2025 Re: Mid-Cycle Formative Review Process Discussion During the May 22nd School Committee meeting, I will provide an overview of the evidence aligning to the four Superintendent goals and the corresponding key actions and benchmarks that I plan to provide as part of the summative review process. Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 Old Business Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet May 22, 2025 TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Olivia Lejeune, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent DATE: May 20, 2025 RE: Second Read and Vote for Adoption of New Policy During the May 22 School Committee meeting, the committee will be asked to approve the second reading and adoption of Policy GBGE – Domestic Violence Leave. A copy of the policy can be found in the packet. Thank you. Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 File: GBGE Reading Public Schools Page 1 of 6 File: GBGE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEAVE POLICY It shall be the policy of the school district to permit an employee to take up to 15 days of domestic violence leave from work in any 12 month12-month period. In order toTo be eligible for said leave: (ii)1. the employee , or a family member of the employee must be a victim of abusive behavior; (iii)2. the employee must be using the leave from work to seek or obtain medical attention, counseling , victim services, or legal assistance; secure housing; obtain a protective order from court; appear before a grand jury; meet with a district attorney or other law enforcement official; or attend child custody proceedings or address other issues directly related to the abusive behavior against the employee or family member of the employee; and (iv)3. the employee must not be the perpetrator of the abusive behavior against such employee’s family member. The employer shall have the sole discretion to determine whether this leave shall be paid or unpaid. An employee seeking such leave shall exhaust all annual or vacation leave, personal leave, and sick leave available to the employee, prior tobefore requesting or taking domestic violence leave, unless the employer waives this requirement. Except in cases of imminent danger to the health or safety of an employee, advanced notice of domestic violence leave shall be required. If such imminent danger exists the employee shall notify the employer within 3 workdays that the leave was taken. The notification may be communicated to the employer by the employee, a family member of the employee or the employee’s counselor, social worker, health care worker, member of the clergy, shelter worker, legal advocate or other professional who has assisted the employee in addressing the effects of the abusive behavior. If an unscheduled absence occurs, an employer shall not take any negative action against the employee if the employee, within 30 days from the unauthorized absence or within 30 days from the employee’s last unauthorized absence in the instance of consecutive days of unauthorized absences, provides any of the documentation found in (1) to (7) below. An employer may require documentation that the employee or employee’s family member has been a victim of abusive behavior and that the leave is consistent with clauses (i) to (iii) as above referenced; provided, however, that an employer shall not require an employee to show evidence of an arrest, conviction or other law enforcement documentation for such abusive behavior. The documentation shall be provided to the employer within a reasonable period after the employer requests it. An employee shall satisfy this documentation requirement by providing anyone any one of the following documents to the employer: Current MASC Standard Policy File: GBGE Reading Public Schools Page 2 of 6 1. (1) a protective order, order of equitable relief or other documentation issued by a court of competent jurisdiction as a result of abusive behavior against the employee or employee’s family member; 2. (2) a document under the letterhead of the court, provider or public agency which the employee attended for the purposes of acquiring assistance as it relates to the employee or family member; 1 of 3 File: GBGE Reading Public Schools Page 3 of 6 File: GBGE 3. (3) A police report or statement of a victim or witness provided to police documenting the abusive behavior; 4. (4) documentation that the perpetrator of the abusive behavior has admitted to sufficient facts to support a finding of guilt ; or has been convicted of , or has been adjudicated a juvenile delinquent by reason of any offense constituting abusive behavior; 5. (5) medical documentation of treatment as a result of the abusive behavior; 6. (6) a sworn statement, signed under the penalties of perjury, provided by a counselor, social worker, health care worker, member of the clergy, , shelter worker, legal advocate or other professional who has assisted the employee in addressing the effects of the abusive behavior; 7. (7) a sworn statement, signed under the penalties of perjury, from the employee attesting that the employee has been a victim of or is a family member of a victim of abusive behavior. All information related to the employee’s leave shall be kept confidential and shall not be disclosed, except to the extent that disclosure is: (ii)1. requested or consented to, in writing, by the employee; (iii)2. ordered to be released by a court of competent jurisdiction; (iv)3. otherwise required by applicable federal or state law; (v)4. required in the course of an investigation authorized by law enforcement, including, but not limited to, an investigation by the Attorney General; or (vi)5. necessary to protect the safety of the employee or others employed at the workplace. The Superintendent shall ensure that notice is provided to all employees in the next school year and beyond by appropriately amending the district’s employee handbooks, by whatever title they may be known, or by direct notice about the Domestic Violence Law and securing the employees employee's signature acknowledging receipt of the handbook/notice. The Superintendent shall be responsible for notifying all current employees, unless they have been notified through the handbook, of this policy in a manner that they deem appropriate. No employer shall coerce, interfere with, restrain or deny the exercise of, or any attempt to exercise, any rights provided herein or to make leave requested or taken contingent upon whether or not the victim maintains contact with the alleged abuser. No employer shall discharge or in any other manner discriminate against an employee for exercising the employee’s rights under law. File: GBGE Reading Public Schools Page 4 of 6 The taking of domestic violence leave shall not result in the loss of any employment benefit accrued prior to the date of such leave. Upon the employee’s return from such leave, they shall be entitled to restoration to the employee’s original job or to an equivalent position. Definitions of ‘abuse”, “abusive behavior”, “domestic violence”, “employees” and “family members” may be found in the laws referenced below. SOURCE: MASC - Updated 2022 2 of 3 File: GBGE Reading Public Schools Page 5 of 6 File: GBGE LEGAL REF.:: M.G.L. 149:52E NOTE: The School Committee should seek the advice of counsel, deliberate, and determine whether or not to change the following language in the first paragraph as the School Committee, in consultation with the Superintendent, may choose to 1) make this type of leave paid or unpaid, and 2) make an employee exhaust other leave options or not: “The employer shall have the sole discretion to determine whether this leave shall be paid or unpaid. An employee seeking such leave shall exhaust all annual or vacation leave, personal leave and sick leave available to the employee, prior to requesting or taking domestic violence leave, unless the employer waives this requirement.” Additionally, the statute does not require that employers with less than 50 employees provide this leave. File: GBGE Reading Public Schools Page 6 of 6 3 of 3 File: GBGE Reading Public Schools Page 1 of 7 File: GBGE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEAVE POLICY The Reading School Committee recognizes the impact of domestic violence on employees and their families and is committed to supporting those affected. In accordance withPer Massachusetts law, the districtIt shall allow be the policy of the school district to permit an employee to take up to 15 days of domestic violence leave withinfrom work in aany 12 month12-month period. In order toTo be eligible for said leave: to address issues related to domestic violence, as outlined below. Additional leave may qualify under other means or policies. Eligibility for Domestic Violence Leave An employee is eligible for domestic violence leave if: 1. The employee or a family member is a victim of abusive behavior; 2. The employee is using leave to: • Seek or obtain medication attention, counseling, or victim services; • Secure housing or obtain a protective order from the court; • Appear before a grand jury, meet with an attorney, or engage with law enforcement regarding the abusive behavior; • Attend child custody proceedings or other legal matters directly related to the abusive behavior; • Address other critical issues related to the abusive behavior against the employee or their family member 3. The employee is not the perpetrator of the abusive behavior (i) the employee , or a family member of the employee must be a victim of abusive behavior; (ii) the employee must be using the leave from work to seek or obtain medical attention, counseling , victim services, or legal assistance; secure housing; obtain a protective order from court; appear before a grand jury; meet with a district attorney or other law enforcement official; or attend child custody proceedings or address other issues directly related to the abusive behavior against the employee or family member of the employee; and (iii)the employee must not be the perpetrator of the abusive behavior against such employee’s family member. Definition of Family Member For the purposes of this policy, "family member" includes a spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, an individual with whom the employee has a significant relationship, or any other individual residing in the employee’s household. Paid vs. Unpaid Leave Subcommittee ApprovedYour text here File: GBGE Reading Public Schools Page 2 of 7 The employer has sole discretion to determine whether domestic violence leave is paid or unpaid. Unless waived by the employer, employees must use all accrued paid leave (vacation, sick, and personal leave) before accessing domestic violence leave. Notice Requirement Except in cases of imminent danger to the health or safety of an employee, the employee must provide advanced notice of their intention to take domestic violence leave. If the employee cannot provide advance notice due to the nature of the situation, they must notify the employer within three business days after the leave is taken. Notification may be provided by the employee, a family member, a counselor, social worker, healthcare provider, clergy member, shelter worker, legal advocate, or othera social worker, a healthcare provider, a clergy member, a shelter worker, a legal advocate, or another professional involved in assisting the employee. Documentation Requirement An employee may be required to provide documentation verifying that they or their family member has been a victim of abusive behavior and that the leave is used in accordance with the law. Documentation may include, but is not limited to: 1. A protective order, order of equitable relief, or other documentation issued by a court of competent jurisdiction as a result of abusive behavior against the employee or employee’s family member; 2. A document under the letterhead of the court, provider, or public agency that the employee attended for the purpose of acquiringto acquire assistance related to the employee or family member’s situation. 3. A police report or a written statement from the victim or a witness provided to law enforcement documenting the abusive behavior; 4. Documentation showing that the perpetrator of the abusive behavior has admitted to sufficient facts to support a finding of guilt, has been convicted, or has been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for offenses constituting abusive behavior; 5. Medical documentation of treatment received as a result of the abusive behavior; 6. A sworn statement, signed under the penalties of perjury, provided by a counselor, social worker, healthcare provider, clergy member, shelter worker, legal advocate, or other professional who has assisted the employee in addressing the effects of the abusive behavior; 7. A sworn statement, signed under the penalties of perjury, from the employee attesting that they or their family member has been a victim of abusive behavior. Documentation must be provided within a reasonable timeframe after the district requests it. If an unscheduled absence occurs, the employee must submit documentation within 30 days of the absence or, in the case of consecutive absences, within 30 days from the last absence. Confidentiality All information related to an employee’s domestic violence leave shall remain confidential in accordance with applicable state and federal privacy laws. Disclosure shall only be permitted with the employee’s written consent, by court order, as required by federal or state law, for a law enforcement or Attorney General’s Office investigation, or when necessary to ensure workplace safety. Commented [TW1]: Double check business days vs. calendar days. File: GBGE Reading Public Schools Page 3 of 7 The employer shall have the sole discretion to determine whether this leave shall be paid or unpaid. An employee seeking such leave shall exhaust all annual or vacation leave, personal leave, and sick leave available to the employee, prior tobefore requesting or taking domestic violence leave, unless the employer waives this requirement. Except in cases of imminent danger to the health or safety of an employee, advanced notice of domestic violence leave shall be required. If such imminent danger exists the employee shall notify the employer within 3 workdays that the leave was taken. The notification may be communicated to the employer by the employee, a family member of the employee or the employee’s counselor, social worker, health care worker, member of the clergy, shelter worker, legal advocate or other professional who has assisted the employee in addressing the effects of the abusive behavior. If an unscheduled absence occurs, an employer shall not take any negative action against the employee if the employee, within 30 days from the unauthorized absence or within 30 days from the employee’s last unauthorized absence in the instance of consecutive days of unauthorized absences, provides any of the documentation found in (1) to (7) below. An employer may require documentation that the employee or employee’s family member has been a victim of abusive behavior and that the leave is consistent with clauses (i) to (iii) as above referenced; provided, however, that an employer shall not require an employee to show evidence of an arrest, conviction or other law enforcement documentation for such abusive behavior. The documentation shall be provided to the employer within a reasonable period after the employer requests it. An employee shall satisfy this documentation requirement by providing anyone any one of the following documents to the employer: (1) a protective order, order of equitable relief or other documentation issued by a court of competent jurisdiction as a result of abusive behavior against the employee or employee’s family member; (2) a document under the letterhead of the court, provider or public agency which the employee attended for the purposes of acquiring assistance as it relates to the employee or family member; 1 of 3 File: GBGE Reading Public Schools Page 4 of 7 File: GBGE (3) A police report or statement of a victim or witness provided to police documenting the abusive behavior; (4) documentation that the perpetrator of the abusive behavior has admitted to sufficient facts to support a finding of guilt ; or has been convicted of , or has been adjudicated a juvenile delinquent by reason of any offense constituting abusive behavior; (5) medical documentation of treatment as a result of the abusive behavior; (6) a sworn statement, signed under the penalties of perjury, provided by a counselor, social worker, health care worker, member of the clergy, , shelter worker, legal advocate or other professional who has assisted the employee in addressing the effects of the abusive behavior; (7) a sworn statement, signed under the penalties of perjury, from the employee attesting that the employee has been a victim of or is a family member of a victim of abusive behavior. All information related to the employee’s leave shall be kept confidential and shall not be disclosed, except to the extent that disclosure is: (i) requested or consented to, in writing, by the employee; (ii) ordered to be released by a court of competent jurisdiction; (iii)otherwise required by applicable federal or state law; (iv) required in the course of an investigation authorized by law enforcement, including, but not limited to, an investigation by the Attorney General; or (v) necessary to protect the safety of the employee or others employed at the workplace. Employee Protections & Rights • The employer shall not coerce, interfere with, restrain, or deny an employee’s right to take domestic violence leave. • The employer shall not make leave contingent upon whether the victim maintains contact with the alleged abuser. • The employer shall not discharge, retaliate against, or discriminate against any employee who exercises their rights under this policy. • An employee shall not lose any accrued employment benefits due tofrom taking domestic violence leave. File: GBGE Reading Public Schools Page 5 of 7 • Upon returning from leave, the employee shall be restored to their original position or an equivalent position with the same pay, benefits, and conditions of employment. Notification to Employee The Superintendent shall ensure that all employees are informed of this policy as follows: 1. The policy shall be included in the district’s employee handbook and any other relevant policy documents. 2. Each employee shall receive direct notification of this policy and sign an acknowledgment of receipt. 3. The Superintendent shall ensure that all current employees are informed of this policy in an appropriate mannerinformed of this policy. Legal References Definitions of "abuse," "abusive behavior," "domestic violence," "employees," and "family members" shall be interpreted in accordance with applicable Massachusetts General Laws (MGL) and Reading School Committee policy guidelines. The Superintendent shall ensure that notice is provided to all employees in the next school year and beyond by appropriately amending the district’s employee handbooks, by whatever title they may be known, or by direct notice about the Domestic Violence Law and securing the employees employee's signature acknowledging receipt of the handbook/notice. The Superintendent shall be responsible for notifying all current employees, unless they have been notified through the handbook, of this policy in a manner that they deem appropriate. No employer shall coerce, interfere with, restrain or deny the exercise of, or any attempt to exercise, any rights provided herein or to make leave requested or taken contingent upon whether or not the victim maintains contact with the alleged abuser. No employer shall discharge or in any other manner discriminate against an employee for exercising the employee’s rights under law. The taking of domestic violence leave shall not result in the loss of any employment benefit accrued prior to the date of such leave. Upon the employee’s return from such leave, they shall be entitled to restoration to the employee’s original job or to an equivalent position. Definitions of ‘abuse”, “abusive behavior”, “domestic violence”, “employees” and “family members” may be found in the laws referenced below. SOURCE: MASC - Updated 2022 2 of 3 File: GBGE Reading Public Schools Page 6 of 7 File: GBGE LEGAL REF.:: M.G.L. 149:52E NOTE: The School Committee should seek the advice of counsel, deliberate, and determine whether or not to change the following language in the first paragraph as the School Committee, in consultation with the Superintendent, may choose to 1) make this type of leave paid or unpaid, and 2) make an employee exhaust other leave options or not: “The employer shall have the sole discretion to determine whether this leave shall be paid or unpaid. An employee seeking such leave shall exhaust all annual or vacation leave, personal leave and sick leave available to the employee, prior to requesting or taking domestic violence leave, unless the employer waives this requirement.” Additionally, the statute does not require that employers with less than 50 employees provide this leave. Commented [MR2]: I believe this is now adequately clarified in the Unpaid vs. Paid Section File: GBGE Reading Public Schools Page 7 of 7 3 of 3 New Business Reading Public Schools School Committee Meeting Packet May 22, 2025 TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Olivia Lejeune, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent DATE: May 20, 2025 RE: First Reading of New Policy During the May 22 School Committee meeting, the committee will be asked to approve the first reading of a new policy, GBEBD – Online Fundraising and Solicitations – Crowdfunding. A copy of the policy can be found in the packet. Thank you. Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 File: GBEBD ONLINE FUNDRAISING AND SOLICITATIONS - CROWDFUNDING School District employees shall comply with all of the following provisions relating to online solicitations and the use of crowdfunding services for school-related purposes as well as all applicable laws, regulations and district policies. No online fundraising may occur except as provided below. The Superintendent shall have final authority to approve any online fundraising activities by school district employees and shall determine and communicate to Principals the circumstances under which online fundraising proposals shall require Superintendent or School Committee approval in accordance with law and school district policy. The Principal of each school shall approve all online fundraising activities within their buildings prior to any employee posting any such fundraising solicitation. Any solicitation shall be for educational purposes only (field trips, supplies, supplemental materials, books, etc.). The solicitation of personal items (coats, nutritional snacks, etc.) shall only be to benefit students directly. To the extent an employee solicits any technology or software, the employee shall secure the prior written approval of the Director of Technology or designee prior to any such solicitation. Any employee seeking to display or post a photograph of a student in conjunction with a fundraising solicitation must first secure the written consent of the student’s parent or guardian. Employees shall not use a crowdfunding source, or set up their appeal in such a way, that they are asking for donations directly from people over whom the employee making the request has authority, or with whom the public employee is having official dealings (such as parents/guardians of student’s in a teacher’s classroom - the solicitation can say “Classroom X needs tissues and crayons,” but it shouldn’t be directed to parents/guardians who have shared email addresses with the teacher for purposes of communicating about their student). Employees using crowdfunding services shall periodically disclose in writing to the Superintendent the names of all individuals whom the employee has directly solicited in any manner including but not limited to oral, written, or electronic solicitation. The Superintendent shall maintain these disclosures as public records available for public review. Employees may only use crowdfunding services that send the items or proceeds solicited by the employee directly to the employee’s school or to the school district. Employees must verify under the crowdfunding service’s terms and conditions that they meet all requirements for such solicitation. Items or proceeds directly sent to employees are considered gifts to the employee and may result in violation of state ethics laws. If an employee’s proposal is approved by the crowdfunding service, the employee agrees to use the donated materials solely as stated in the employee’s proposal. If a solicitation is not fully funded within the time period required by the crowdfunding service, or the solicitation cannot be concluded for any reason, every attempt will be made to return donations to the donors. Donations unable to be returned shall only be used as account credits for future solicitations. 1 of 2 MASC Standard Policy File: GBEBD Unless otherwise approved by the Superintendent in writing, all goods and/or proceeds solicited and received through any online solicitation shall become the property of the School Committee, and not of the individual employee who solicited the item(s) or funds. The employee is prohibited from taking any such item(s) or funds to another school or location, without the Superintendent’s written approval. LEGAL REFS: MGL 44:53A; 71:37A; 268A:3; 268A:23; Ethics Commission Advisory Opinion EC-COI-12-1; CROSS REFS: GBEA, Staff Ethics/Conflict of Interest; GBEBC, Gifts To and Solicitations by Staff; KCD, Public Gifts to Schools SOURCE: MASC - Updated 2022 NOTE: Crowdfunding services are defined as any online service used for the solicitation of goods, services, or money from a large number of people via the internet or other electronic network. Examples include GoFundme, Kickstarter, Indiegogo, YouCaring, and DonorsChoose. 2 of 2 File: GBEBD ONLINE FUNDRAISING AND SOLICITATIONS – CROWDFUNDING Definition Crowdfunding services are defined as any online service used for the solicitation of goods, services, or money from a large number of people via the Internet or other electronic networksoliciting goods, services, or money from a large number of people via the Internet or other electronic networks. Examples include Amazon Wishlists, GoFundMme, Kickstarter, Indiegogo, YouCaring, and DonorsChoose, among others. General Provisions School District employees shall comply with all of the following provisions relating to online solicitations and the use of crowdfunding services for school-related purposes as well as the following provisions relating to online solicitations and the use of crowdfunding services for school-related purposes, as well as with all applicable laws, regulations, and district policies. No online fundraising may occur except as provided below. Approval Process 1. The Superintendent shall have final authority to approve any online fundraising activities by school district employees, provided that all such activities comply with School Committee policies and applicable laws. The Superintendent and shall determine and communicate to Principals the circumstances under which online fundraising proposals shall require Superintendent or formal School Committee approval in accordance withper law and school district policy. 2. The Principal of each school shall approve all online fundraising activities within their buildings prior tobefore prior tobefore any employee posting postspostingposts any such fundraising solicitation. Permitted Use of Crowdfunding Services 1. Any solicitation shall be for educational purposes only (e.g., field trips, supplies, supplemental materials, books, etc.). 2. The solicitation of personal items (e.g., coats, nutritional snacks, etc.) shall only be tofor the direct benefit of studentsbe for the direct benefit of students only directly. 3. Any solicitation of To the extent an employee solicits any technology or software, the employee shall secure the must receive prior written approval from of the Director of Technology Network Administrator or their designee prior tobefore any such solicitationbeing made. Restrictions on Solicitation 1. Any eEmployees may not use crowdfunding services to solicit monetary donations from individuals over whom they have authority or with whom they have official dealings, including but not limited to parents/guardians of students in their classrooms. seeking to display or post a photograph of a student in conjunction with a fundraising solicitation must first secure the written consent of the student's parent or guardian. • Employees may post general requests for classroom supplies (e.g., "Classroom X needs tissues and crayons"), but they mayshould not it shouldn't be directed directly targetto Subcommittee ApprovedYour text here Commented [NP1]: I added this in, there is no legal research on this or clarification according to the statute, so I’m curious what you and the committee thinks. Commented [NP2]: I think it makes sense to have a definition at the top. Commented [NP3]: I wasn’t sure if you wanted a more outlined process for teachers to propose a crowdfunding initiative or if you think keeping it like this is fine. I’m thinking a clearer outline of what a teacher should do to propose a crowdfunding initiative will be helpful since this policy is going to obviously change processes in practice for many educators in the District. File: GBEBD individual parents/guardians who have shared email addresses with the teacher for purposes of communicating about their student). 2. Any employee seeking to display or post a photograph of a student or students in conjunction with a fundraising solicitation must first secureobtain the written consent fromof the student's parent or guardian. Employees using crowdfunding services shall periodically disclose in writing to the Superintendent the names of all individuals whom the employee has directly solicited in any manner including but not limited to oral, written, or electronic solicitation. The Superintendent shall maintain these disclosures as public records available for public review. Use of Crowdfunding Services 1. Employees may only use crowdfunding services that send the items or proceeds solicited by the employee directly to the employee's school or to the school district. Employees must verify under the crowdfunding service's terms and conditions that they meet all requirements for such solicitation, as outlined in the crowdfunding service's terms and conditions, that they meet all the requirements for such solicitations. 2. Any Iitems or proceeds sent directly sent to an employees are considered gifts to the employee and may result in a violation of state ethics laws. Use and Ownership of Donations 1. If an employee's proposal is approved by the crowdfunding servicethe crowdfunding service approves an employee's proposal, the employee agrees to use the donated materials solely as stated in their the employee's proposal. 2. All goods and/or proceeds solicited and received through any online solicitation shall become the property of the School Committee, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Superintendent. 3. The eEmployees isare prohibited from taking any such item(s) or funds to another school or location, without the Superintendent's written approval. Handling of Unfulfilled or Excess Donations 1. If a solicitation is not fully funded within the time period required by the crowdfunding service, or the solicitation if it cannot be concluded for any reason, every attempt mustwill be made to return donations to the donors. 2. If donations cannot be returned, reallocation must be approved by the Superintendent and, when required, by the School Committee. Donations unable to be returned shall only be used as account credits for future solicitations. Transparency and Public Records Compliance 1. Employees using crowdfunding services shall periodically disclose in writing to the Superintendent the names of all individuals they have directly solicited, including oral, written, or electronic solicitation, upon the completion of the crowdfunding campaignto the Superintendent the names of all individuals whom the employee has they have directly solicited, including in any manner including but not limited to oral, written, or electronic solicitation.. Commented [NP4]: This could be confusing for educators. How often is periodically, and to what extent? Commented [NP5]: This could be confusing for educators. How often is periodically, and to what extent? Commented [TW6]: Double check with Legal on this requirement and the retention of parent names. File: GBEBD 2. The Superintendent shall maintain these disclosures as public records and in accordance with state record retention laws available for public review. Unless otherwise approved by the Superintendent in writing, all goods and/or proceeds solicited and received through any online solicitation shall become the property of the School Committee, and not of the individual employee who solicited the item(s) or funds. The employee is prohibited from taking any such item(s) or funds to another school or location, without the Superintendent's written approval. LEGAL REFS.: M.G.L. 44:53A, 71:37A, 268A:3, 268A:23 Ethics Commission Advisory Opinion EC-COI-12-1 CROSS REFS.: GBEA, Staff Ethics/Conflicts of Interest GBEBC, Gifts To and Solicitations by Staff KCD, Public Gifts to Schools NOTE: Crowdfunding services are defined as any online service used for the solicitation of goods, services, or money from a large number of people via the internet Internet or other electronic network. Examples include GoFundme, Kickstarter, Indiegogo, YouCaring, and DonorsChoose. Commented [EC7]: This is already stated at the top of the policy, do you want it here or at the beginning? I don’t think we need it twice. Commented [MR8R7]: Removed; defined at intro TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Olivia Lejeune, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent DATE: May 20, 2025 RE: Policy Updates – Review and Vote on Amended Policies (A) During the May 22 School Committee meeting, the committee will review and vote on the following amended policies as recommended by the Policy Subcommittee: GBJ – Personnel Records GCA – Professional Staff Positions GCBA – Professional Staff Salary Schedules GCBB – Employment of Principals (formerly known as Employment of Administrators and Directors) Two versions of each policy can be found in the packet distinguishing between the current policy and subcommittee approved. Thank you. Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 File: GBJ Reading Public Schools Page 1 of 1 PERSONNEL RECORDS Information about staff members is required for the daily administration of the school system, for implementing salary and other personnel policies, for budget and financial planning, for responding to appropriate inquiries about employees, and for meeting the School Committee's education reporting requirements. To meet these needs, the Superintendent will implement a comprehensive and efficient system of personnel records maintenance and control under the following guidelines: 1. A personnel folder for each present and former employee will be accurately maintained in the central administrative office. In addition to the application for employment and references, the folders will contain records and information relative to compensation, payroll deductions, evaluations, and any other pertinent information. 2. The Superintendent will be the official custodian for personnel files and will have overall responsibility for maintaining and preserving the confidentiality of the files within the provisions of the law. 3. Personnel records are considered confidential under the law and will not be open to public inspection. Access to personnel files will be limited to persons authorized by the Superintendent to use the files for the reasons cited above. 4. Each employee will have the right, upon written request, to review the contents of his/her own personnel file. 5. Employees may make written objections to any information contained in the file. Any written objection must be signed by the staff member and will become part of the employee's personnel file. Further, no negative comment will be placed in a staff member's file unless it is signed by the person making the comment and the staff member is informed of the comment and afforded the opportunity to include his/her written response in the file. 6. Lists of school system employees' names and home addresses will be released only as required for official reports or by the laws. Adopted by Reading School Committee on August 24, 2006 LEGAL REFS: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Sec. 438 P.L. 90-247, Title IV, as amended 88 Stat. 571-574 (20 U.S.C. 1232g) and regulations. CONTRACT REF: All Agreements CROSS REF: Public Right to Know Current Reading Policy File: GBJ Reading Public Schools Page 1 of 2 PERSONNEL RECORDS Information about staff members is required for the daily administration of the school systemdistrict, for implementing salary and other personnel policies, for budget and financial planning, for responding to appropriate inquiries about employees, and for meeting the School Committee's education reporting requirements. To meet these needs, the Superintendent will implement a comprehensive and efficient system of personnel records maintenance and control under the following guidelines: 1. A personnel folder for each present and former employee will be accurately maintained in the cCentral aAdministrationve Ooffice. In addition to the application for employment and references, the folders will contain records and information relative to compensation, payroll deductions, evaluations, and any other pertinent information. 2. The Superintendent will be the official custodian for of personnel files and will have overall responsibility for maintaining and preserving the confidentiality of the files within the provisions of thethese files in accordance with applicable law. 3. Personnel records are generally considered confidential under the law and will not be open to public inspection. However, information such as names, job titles, salaries, and work-related contact details may be subject to public records requests in accordance with the Massachusetts Public Records Law (MGL Chapter 66, Section 10) and the exemptions outlinesoutlined in MGL Chapter 4, Section 7, Clause 26. Access to personnel files will be limited to persons authorized by the Superintendent to use the files for the reasons cited above. 4. Each employee will have the right, upon written request, to review the contents of his/hertheir own personnel file. Employees will be provided with a copy of their file within five business days of the request. 5. Employees may make written objections to any information contained in the file. Any written objection must be signed by the staff memberThe employee must sign any written objection and , which will become part of theirwill become part of the employee'’s personnel file. Further, no negative comment will be placed in a staff member'’s file unless it is signed by the person making the comment, and the staff member is informed of the comment, and the staff member is afforded the opportunity to include his/herFurthermore, no negative comment will be placed in an employee’s file unless it is signed by the person commenting, the employee is informed of the comment, and the employee is allowed to include a written response in the file. 5.6.Personnel records will be retained and disposed of in accordance with the Massachusetts Public Records Division’s Records Retention Schedule and applicable federal laws. 7. Lists of school system district employees' names and home addresses will only be released only to governmental agencies as required for official reports or by the laws, including but not limited to MGL Chapter 66 (Public Records Law), MGL Chapter 4, Section 7 (Public Records Exemptions), and applicable federal regulations. Home addresses will not be disclosed for commercial purposes in accordance with state privacy protections. 8. Personnel records maintained in electronic format will be protectsbe protected in accordance with state and federal privacy laws, including MGL Chapter 93H (Data Breach Law) and applicable cybersecurity standards. Subcommittee ApprovedYour text here File: GBJ Reading Public Schools Page 2 of 2 6.9.Requests for personnel file information from outside entities will be processed in accordance with applicable laws and district policies on data privacy. Adopted by the Reading School Committee on August 24, 2006. Reviewed, Amended, and Adopted by the Reading School Committee on ___________. LEGAL REFS.: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Sec. 438, P.L. 90-247, Title IV, as amended 88 Stat. 571-574 (20 U.S.C. 1232g) and regulations. M.G.L. 4:7; 71:42C MGL Chapter 4, Section 7 (Public Records Exemptions) MGL Chapter 66 (Public Records Law) MGL Chapter 93H (Data Breach Law) CONTRACT REF: All Agreements CROSS REF.: KDB, Public’s Right to Know Commented [TW1]: Adjust for standard MGL reference and URL File: GCA Reading Public Schools Page 1 of 1 PROFESSIONAL STAFF POSITIONS All professional staff positions in the school system will be created initially by the School Committee. Although such positions may remain temporarily unfilled, only the Committee may abolish a position it has created. Each time a new position is established by the committee, the Superintendent will present for the Committee's approval a job description for the position, which specifies the job holder's qualifications and the job's performance responsibilities. The Superintendent will maintain a comprehensive set of job descriptions for all positions. Adopted by Reading School Committee on August 24, 2006 Current Reading Policy File: GCA Reading Public Schools Page 1 of 1 PROFESSIONAL STAFF POSITIONS The School Committee shall establish aAll professional staff positions in the school system district upon the recommendation of the Superintendent will be created initially by the School Committee. The Committee intends to activate a sufficient number of positions to accomplish the school district’s goals and objectives and to provide for the ensure equitable staffing across allof each school buildings. Although such positions may remain temporarily unfilled, only the Committee may abolish a position it has created.While positions may remain temporarily unfilled, only the School Committee may formally eliminate a position it has established, in accordance with applicable laws and collective bargaining agreements. Each time a new position is established or an existing position is modified, by the cCommittee, or an existing position is modified, the Superintendent shall willdevelop and present for the Committee's approval a job description, including qualifications and performance expectations, for the School Committee’s review and approval, as appropriate. for the position, which specifies the job holder's qualifications and the job's performance responsibilities. The Superintendent shallwill maintain a comprehensive set of job descriptions for all positions in compliance with applicable state and federal laws. . Adopted by the Reading School Committee on August 24, 2006 Reviewed, Amended, and Adopted by the Reading School Committee on ______________. Subcommittee ApprovedYour text here File: GCBA Reading Public Schools Page 1 of 1 PROFESSIONAL STAFF SALARY SCHEDULES Teachers The Reading School Committee will adopt a salary schedule for regular teaching personnel as part of the contract negotiated with the teachers' bargaining unit. The schedule will be designed to recognize and reward training and experience and encourage additional study for professional advancement. Principals and Other Administrators Salaries will be reviewed annually prior to July 1. The School Committee, with the advice of the Superintendent, will establish levels of compensation for each position based on the circumstances, dynamics, and requirements of each position. Each year, the School Committee may allocate an amount that the Superintendent may use to reward extraordinary services of administrators/directors. Adopted by Reading School Committee on August 24, 2006 LEGAL REFS: M.G.L. 71:40; 71:43 CONTRACT REF.: Teachers' Agreement Current Reading Policy File: GCBA Reading Public Schools Page 1 of 2 PROFESSIONAL STAFF SALARY SCHEDULES General Provisions The salary schedules for professional staff will be periodically reviewed to ensure that they reflect the district’s goals for equity, fairness, and the recruitment and retention of high-quality staff. All salary decisions will be made in compliance with applicable state and federal laws, including the Massachusetts Wage Act (Chapter 149) and all provisions of the state collective bargaining statuses. Teachers The Reading School Committee will adopt a salary schedule for regular teaching personnel as part of the contract negotiated with the teachers' bargaining unit. The schedule will be designed to recognize and reward training, and experience, and encourage additional study for professional advancement. The salary schedule will incorporate provisions that incentivize retention, ongoing professional development, and leadership opportunities for teachersteacher retention, ongoing professional development, and leadership opportunities. Principals and Other Administrators on Individual Contracts Salaries for principals and administrators will be reviewed annually prior tobefore July 1. The School Committee, with the advice of the Superintendent, will establish levels of compensationcompensation levels for each position based on the circumstances, dynamics, and requirements of each position. The School Committee is committed to ensuring that compensation is competitive, equitable, and based on documented evidence, including but not limited to, performance evaluations, achievement of district goals, and regional market rates. It is the responsibility of the Superintendent to present evidence to the School Committee to support recommendations for salary increases. Such evidence may include performance reviews, external salary comparison data, and alignment with district priorities. Each year, the School Committee may allocate an amount that the Superintendent may use to reward extraordinary services of administrators/directors. General Provisions The salary schedule for both teachers and administrators will be periodically reviewed to ensure that it reflects the district’s goals for equity, fairness, and the recruitment and retention of high- quality staff. All salary decisions will be made in compliance with applicable state and federal laws, including Massachusetts Wage Act (Chapter 149) and all provisions of the state collective bargaining statuses. Adopted by the Reading School Committee on August 24, 2006. Reviewed, Revised, and Adopted by the Reading School Committee on _____________. LEGAL REFS: M.G.L. 71:40; 71:43 MGL 71:36 (Teacher's Salaries & Collective Bargaining) MGL 71:59 (Salaries of Principals and Other Administrators) MGL 149 (Wage Act) MGL 149:105A (Pay Equity) Subcommittee ApprovedYour text here Commented [MR1]: This section is listed as a reference but isn’t actually referenced in the text. Should we add something from this section into the first section? This is the section which says we can divide teacher salary proportionally during the school year. Commented [MR2]: Not referenced in the policy Commented [TW3]: Update to align with standard and URLs File: GCBA Reading Public Schools Page 2 of 2 CROSS REF.: GCBB, Employment of Principals CONTRACT REF.: Teachers' Agreement File: GCBB Reading Public Services Page 1 of 1 EMPLOYMENT OF ADMINISTRATORS AND DIRECTORS Administrators and Directors refer to, but are not limited to, the following positions: Assistant Superintendent, Director of Human Resources and Finance, Director of Special Education, Principal, Assistant Principal, Director of Food Services, Director of Nursing, Director of Facilities, Assistant Director of Facilities, Special Education In-District Program Supervisor, Computer Network Manager, Elementary Curriculum Coordinator, METCO Director. Administrators and Directors shall be employed by the Reading Public Schools under individual contracts of employment. Said contracts shall be negotiated between the Superintendent and Administrator/Director. The School Committee may develop guidelines for the Superintendent regarding the terms and conditions for compensation and benefits of such contracts. Contracts issued to Administrators/Directors will be up to three years in length, and may be reissued/renegotiated by the Superintendent, provided that the Superintendent may employ an Administrator/Director under the terms and conditions of the previous contract of employment. As a condition of employment, each Administrator/Director must maintain current applicable licensure; adhere to the policies and goals of the School Committee, adhere to applicable Federal, State, and local law, regulations, and ordinances, and adhere to the directives of the Superintendent and assigned supervisor. Adopted by Reading School Committee on August 24, 2006 Current Reading Policy File: GCBB Reading Public Services Page 1 of 1 EMPLOYMENT OF ADMINISTRATORS AND DIRECTORS PRINCIPALS Administrators and Directors refer to, but are not limited to, the following positions: Assistant Superintendent, Director of Human Resources and Finance, Director of Special Education, Principal, Assistant Principal, Director of Food Services, Director of Nursing, Director of Facilities, Assistant Director of Facilities, Special Education In-District Program Supervisor, Computer Network Manager, Elementary Curriculum Coordinator, METCO Director. Administrators and Directors The School District shall employ principals under individual employment contractsshall be employed by the Reading Public Schools under individual contracts of employment. Said contracts shall be submitted to the School Committee for their approval of all terms, including concerning compensation,/ benefits, performance goals, and evaluation criteria, before the presentation of a contract of employment to the Principal. Compensation and benefits may be exceeded only with The compensation/benefit levels, above referenced, may be exceeded only withthe approval of the School Committee.negotiated between the Superintendent and Administrator/Director. The School Committee may develop guidelines for the Superintendent regarding the terms and conditions for compensation and benefits of such contracts. Initial Ccontracts issued to Administrators/Directors will Principals may be up to three years in length. Subsequent contracts , and may be reissued/renegotiated by the Superintendent, in accordance with School Committee guidelines, with at levels of compensation/ and benefits, determined by the School Committeed,. provided that tThe Superintendent may employ an Administrator/Director Principal under the terms and conditions of the previous contract of employment. The length of second and subsequent contracts of employment for Principals shall be in accordance with state law, which limits the length of principal contracts to no more than five years. As a condition of employment, each Administrator/Director Principal must maintain current applicable licensure as required by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education,; adhere to the policies and goals of the School Committee and the directives of the Superintendent, and annually must submit, with the school council, the educational goals and School Improvement Plan for the school building(s) under their direction, in collaboration with their Sschool Ccouncil., adhere to applicable Federal, State, and local law, regulations, and ordinances, and adhere to the directives of the Superintendent and assigned supervisor. Adopted by Reading School Committee on August 24, 2006 Reviewed, Revised, and Adopted by the Reading School Committee on _____________. LEGAL REF.: M.G.L. 71:41; 71:59B MGL 71:38G (Licensure Requirement) CROSS REF.: GCBA, Professional Staff Salary Schedules Subcommittee ApprovedYour text here Commented [TW1]: Discussed including Assistant Principals and declined as the Policy is adjusted to align with MGL and MASC where specific rules and regulations apply for the Principal position. Commented [TW2]: Update for standard layout and URL. TO: Reading School Committee FROM: Olivia Lejeune, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent DATE: May 20, 2025 RE: First Reading of New Policy During the May 22 School Committee meeting, the committee will be asked to approve the first reading of a new policy, GCBC – Professional Staff Supplementary Pay Plans. A copy of the policy can be found in the packet. Thank you. Reading Public Schools Instilling a joy of learning and inspiring the innovative leaders of tomorrow 82 Oakland Road Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781-944-5800 Fax: 781-942-9149 File: GCBC Reading Public Schools Page 1 of 1 File: GCBC PROFESSIONAL STAFF SUPPLEMENTARY PAY PLANS Certain assignments require extra responsibility or extra time over and above that required of other staff members who are on the same position on the basic salary schedule. When such supplemental assignments require extra time and responsibility beyond that regularly expected of teachers, they may be rewarded with extra compensation. Assignments that are to be accorded extra compensation will be designated by the Committee. Appointments to these positions will be made by the Superintendent for District-wide positions or by the Principal with the approval of the Superintendent for building based personnel. The amount of compensation for the position will be established by the Committee at the time the position is created. A teacher who is offered and undertakes a supplementary pay assignment will receive a supplementary contract specifying the pay, duration and terms of the assignment. If a teacher will not be extended the assignment for the following school year but will remain on the teaching staff, he or she will be so notified in writing prior to the expiration of the contract. Upon termination of the assignment, the supplementary pay will cease. SOURCE: MASC -Updated 2022 LEGAL REF.: Collective Bargaining Agreement MASC Standard Policy File: GCBC Reading Public Schools Page 1 of 2 File: GCBC PROFESSIONAL STAFF SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPLEMENTAL COMPENSATION FOR EXTRA ASSIGNMENTSPAY PLANS Certain assignments require extra additional responsibilityies or time commitments beyond the expectationsextra time over and above that required of other staff members who are on the same position on the basic employees on the same salary schedule. When such supplemental assignments involve substantial require extra time and responsibilityies beyond that regularly expected of teachersemployees, additional compensation may be provided in accordance with applicable Massachusetts General Laws and collective bargaining agreements. beyond that regularly expected of teachers, they may be rewarded with extra compensation. The School Committee shall designate which Aassignments qualify for supplemental compensation. that are to be accorded extra compensation will be designated by the Committee. The Superintendent or their designee shall make Aappointments for district-wideo these positions, while building-based appointments shall be made will be made by the Superintendent for District- wide positions or . The Principal shall make building-based appointmentsby the Principal with the Superintendent’s approval of the Superintendent for building based personnel. The amount of compensation for each designated the position shall will be established by the School CommitteeThe School Committee shall establish the compensation for each designated position at the time the position is created, subject to any collective bargaining agreements in effectexisting collective bargaining agreements. TeachersEmployees who accept a A teacher who is offered and undertakes a supplementalry pay assignment will receive a written agreementnotification supplementary contract specifying the compensationpay, duration, and terms of the assignment. Supplemental pay assignments may be for up to one year and will require renewal, if necessary, for the following school year. If the district does not intend to continue the supplemental If a teacher will not be extended the assignment for the following school year but the teacher will remains employed, the teacher on the teaching staff, he or she will be so notified in writing prior to the expiration of the assignment agreementcontract. Upon termination of the assignment, the supplementary pay compensation will cease. SOURCE: MASC -Updated 2022 LEGAL REF.: MGL 71 MGL 150E Collective Bargaining Agreement(s) Subcommittee ApprovedYour text here Commented [MR1]: “Supplemental Compensation for Extra Assignments” Commented [TW2R1]: Accepted and will incorporate. Commented [MR3]: Could we shift this to all supplemental pay assignments are one-year assignments which require renewal for the next school year? Commented [TW4]: Align w/ standards File: GCBC Reading Public Schools Page 2 of 2