Minutes
Quincy School Committee Policy Subcommittee Meeting
A meeting of the Policy Subcommittee was held on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at 6:30 pm in the Coddington Building. Present were Subcommittee members Mrs. Tina Cahill, Mrs. Emily Lebo, and Mr. Doug Gutro, Policy Subcommittee Chair. Also present were School Committee Members Mr. Paul Bregoli, Mrs. Kathryn Hubley, and Mrs. Courtney Perdios; Superintendent Kevin Mulvey, Assistant Superintendent Erin Perkins, Ms. Kim Connolly, Mr. Michael Draicchio, Ms. Julie Graham, Mr. Michael Marani, Ms. Maura Papile, Mr. Keith Segalla, Mr. Lawrence Taglieri; former School Committee Member Mr. Frank Santoro, and Ms. Laura Owens, Clerk.
Superintendent Mulvey shared the results of the QPS School Year Calendar survey, which was shared with staff, parents, and students in Grades 8-12 and LEAP. The parent survey was translated into Chinese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, and Spanish, as were the emails sent out sharing the survey link. The survey was open from February 14 to March 4, 2024.
1,249 Parents responded, representing 2,017 students currently enrolled in QPS, or just under 20% of the student population. (Parents selected all the grades they have students enrolled in.) The majority of parents disagreed or strongly disagreed with beginning the school year prior to Labor Day (62%) or collapsing the February and April vacation weeks into a single week in March (56%). For the questions on adding observed holidays for Rosh Hashannah, Yom Kippur, Diwali, and Eid Al-Fitr (I’eed Al- Fitter), most respondents were neutral or did not agree with adding the additional days. For Lunar New Year, 43% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed, 26% were neutral, and 31% disagreed or strongly disagreed. For removing Good Friday, there was a similar split of 41% agreed or strongly agreed, 21% neutral, and 38% disagreed or strongly disagreed. 42% of parents responding agreed or strongly agreed that there should be no change to the calendar structure; 28% were neutral; and 30% disagreed or strongly disagreed
695 staff members (38.6%) responded to the survey. More than 50% of the staff disagree or strongly disagree with starting the school year before Labor Day and adding observed holidays for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Diwali, and Eid Al-Fitr. 81% disagree or strongly disagree with changing the February & April vacation weeks to a single week in March. For Lunar New Year, the response was similar to parents with 42% agreeing or strongly agreeing, 21% were neutral, and 37% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing. For removing Good Friday, 34% of staff responding agree or strongly agree, 22% neutral, and 44% disagree or strongly disagree. 53% of staff responding agree or strongly agree there should be no change to the calendar structure, 22% are neutral, and 25% disagree or strongly disagree.
For students, 317 of 3836 students in Grades 8-12 and LEAP responded to the survey (less than 10%), which was sent to their QPS email address. The majority of students responded that they agree or strongly agree with adding all of the observed holiday options. The majority also disagree or strongly disagree with starting school before Labor Day, removing Good Friday as an observed holiday, or changing the February and April vacation weeks to one week in March. The students were split over keeping the current calendar structure with 25% agreeing or strongly agreeing; 32% neutral; and 44% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing.
Mrs. Cahill asked and received confirmation that both parents in the same family could have completed the survey.
Mrs. Cahill asked about the affect for employee contracts for adding Lunar New Year as a holiday. Superintendent Mulvey said this would likely be requested as a paid holiday for 52-week employees, possibly also school year staff such as paraprofessionals and clerical. Mr. Mullaney will follow up with cost impact of adding the additional holiday.
Mrs. Lebo asked what percentage of students at NQHS identify as Asian, 54.2% which includes students from India, Pakistan, and other countries that do not celebrate Lunar New Year.
Mrs. Hubley asked for a breakdown of elementary and middle school student attendance data for February 9 with information about the number of students who cited Cultural Holiday as the excuse for absence.
Superintendent Mulvey then presented the two options for the 2024-2025 QPS School Year Calendar Option A has no change to school year calendar structure and Option B adds an observation of Lunar New Year on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 as a No School Day, which would move the end of the school year out by one day.
Mrs. Cahill made a motion to accept the Option A 2024-2025 QPS School Year Calendar.
On the motion, Mrs. Cahill noted that the excused absence is available for students who observe the holiday.
Mrs. Lebo agrees, the majority of people answering the survey don’t want to see the calendar format changed.
Mrs. Perdios supports Option B, adding the observation of Lunar New Year is an important issue for families. On the survey, Mrs. Perdios said she heard from parents who selected the neutral option because the specific holiday doesn’t impact them directly, but they may have wanted to be supportive of families who do.
Mrs. Hubley supports the Option A calendar, noting that most staff members do not want the calendar format to be changed.
Mrs. Hubley asked for clarification to be added to the calendar that every weather-related closure must be made up. Mrs. Perdios agreed that there is confusion among parents about this issue.
Mrs. Lebo seconded the motion.
Mr. Gutro asked for clarification on the process for approval process for the calendar. The 2024-2025 QPS School Year Calendar will appear on the March 20 School Committee Meeting agenda under Old Business for discussion and will be eligible for vote at the April 10 School Committee Meeting.
On the motion, Mr. Gutro would like to see the City consider making Lunar New Year an observed holiday so there could be consistency.
Mrs. Perdios asked how the removal of the Good Friday holiday was done on the City side. Mr. Mulvey said City contracted staff received an additional personal day, this was negotiated during contact bargaining. All QPS contracts would need to be similarly impact bargained if that change were to be considered to the school year calendar.
On a roll call vote of the Policy Subcommittee, the ayes have it 3-0.
Mrs. Cahill made a motion to adjourn at 7:15 pm, seconded by Mrs. Lebo. On a voice vote, the ayes have it.