‘It is time to restore the Lynnfield Public Schools’

 

 

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — The time for the school system’s working conditions to improve is now.

That was the message a large number of educators and support staff sent to the School Committee during an emotional meeting held in the Lynnfield Middle School auditorium on Dec. 12.

The meeting began with the School Committee walking through a corridor leading to the auditorium while teachers and staff members leaned up against the walls while holding signs that stated “Our Working Conditions are Learning Conditions: Do the Right Thing” and “Paraprofessionals Deserve a Living Wage.” The educators and support staff entered the auditorium together, and were given a thunderous round of applause.

Chair Rich Sjoberg announced at the start of the meeting that the School Committee voted during executive session to authorize the district’s attorney to hire a third party to conduct an investigation into determining whether “a breach of school district policy, law, contract or accepted standards of professional conduct” occurred. The school board also reapproved the motion during the public portion of the meeting.

While Sjoberg did not mention embattled Superintendent Kristen Vogel’s name, it was clear to the meeting’s attendees whom he was referencing. Vogel has taken a medical leave of absence.

Lynnfield Teachers Association (LTA) Vice President Nicole Hawes and LTA President Alex Cellucci began the meeting by reading a solution called, “Lynnfield Teachers Association Resolution to Address the Crisis in Our School Community.”

“We would like to begin by thanking the parents and the community for their overwhelming support,” said Hawes. “We are here because we need to see change that not only serves the interest of our members, but also the children who we welcome into these buildings every day.”

Cellucci agreed.

“I would like to thank everyone in the community for their support, including our members,” said Cellucci. “Members of the School Committee, we look forward to hearing from you.”

Lynnfield Middle School student services paraprofessional Kathryn Hodge-O’Brien said their responsibilities have increased due to “more and more being added to teachers’ plates.”

“More has been added to paraprofessionals’ workloads while we are being paid poverty wages,” said Hodge-O’Brien. “We are differentiating lessons, helping get homework done, tutoring, giving hugs to kids who need them, working with teachers and checking in on kids. Most paraprofessionals work one to three jobs within the school system while others have outside jobs. While we love our jobs, being able to make a livable wage and being able to contribute to our households should not be a bonus or a perk.”

Lynnfield High School student services paraprofessional Alexandra Romano said special education teachers and paraprofessionals “don’t feel recognized, appreciated, fairly compensated or respected by the Lynnfield School Committee or the superintendents.”

“We wear many hats in the span of a school day,” said Romano. “We are teachers, mentors, social workers, emergency personnel, caregivers, therapists and, most importantly, we give a voice to students who otherwise have none. We take our jobs very seriously and we are requesting that you do too. It is illegal for an education system in Massachusetts to not follow a child’s IEP. Yet, that is exactly what is happening in Lynnfield now due to the lack of respect and severe staffing shortages. Recently, Lynnfield has lost many paraprofessionals and special education teachers. The town is so desperate to find help that they will hire almost anyone.”

Huckleberry Hill School second grade teacher Katie Stevens said the LTA “strongly” disagrees with a recent proposal that would have eliminated the district’s current class size policy. The School Committee tabled the proposal last month.

“Having been in the district for a number of years, we have had classes that ranged from 18 to 23 students,” said Stevens. “Twenty-three is over our K-2 optimal class size guidelines. When it comes to classroom instruction, having 23 versus 18 students is an entire extra group. And when we are seeing students with needs higher than ever before, our students absolutely cannot afford to have less teacher-facing time in small group instruction. The social-emotional needs of our students have drastically changed. The result of that is regularly seeing students with an increased rate of dysregulation and unsafe behaviors, which has created safety risks for other students, teachers and support staff. Without adequate supports in place, staff members are left feeling unsafe and unsure of what to do if physically harmful actions are happening in a classroom or learning space.”

LMS physical education teacher Sheri Weeks said school officials have not been listening to teachers’ concerns about curriculum changes and students’ behavioral issues. She also said some school officials have “physically, mentally and verbally mistreated” employees.

“Some have even chosen to resign due to these working conditions,” said Weeks. “Why and how is this happening in a district like Lynnfield? If we have been given respect and the opportunity to safely share some of these concerns, perhaps we would not be here tonight. It is essential that these dedicated professionals, my colleagues and friends, feel safe, recognized and heard. We, as teachers, are the professionals who are making a difference in the lives of your children. Our hard work should pay off. Our voices matter. We should have stable, strong and healthy working conditions. It is time to restore the Lynnfield Public Schools to the standards of excellence in education and back to the Lynnfield community that I once knew.”

Summer Street School third grade teacher Kate Mancinelli said educators have had their workloads increased considerably over the last several years.

“To say our plates are full is an understatement,” said Mancinelli. “Our plates have always been full. We are at the point now where that plate has become just too heavy. We are at a breaking point. As educators, we put an immense amount of pressure on ourselves to do it all, be it all and fix it all. The students sitting in front of us are why we do this. We can’t do this alone. We need the support of administrators at all levels. Please partner with us to create a solution.”

LMS sixth grade math teacher Cynthia O’Neil said the 2023-2024 academic year marks her 31st year teaching in the district. While there have been “many changes” over the course of her career, she said she “always felt I had a voice.”

“The leadership team, School Committee and teachers have strived to work together under the umbrella of what is best for our students,” said O’Neil. “Since the pandemic, there has been a shift from being a ‘we’ to becoming an ‘us’ and ‘them.’ In my opinion, this shift has been evident in the disrespectful way in which information is being communicated. According to several sources I researched, the repeated use of all caps is equivalent to yelling. We have received many emails that have been condescending, accusatory and riddled with all caps. The lack of respect in these communications and others like it chip it away at morale.”

LMS sixth grade humanities teacher William Bennett concurred with O’Neil’s point of view.

“When LPS staff are bombarded with hostile emails questioning their integrity as it relates to how and why they have taken a personal day or a sick day, asking to use a bereavement day or asking to check their contract when dealing with end of life issues for their aging parents, it will have an affect on the climate and the morale,” said Bennett.

Lynnfield High School science teacher Stephen Smith recalled that budget cuts resulted in science teachers being moved from teaching four sections to five, and also eliminated double lab blocks this year.

“It was deemed unnecessary to involve anyone from the Science Department in the discussion before the decision was handed down,” said Smith. “My colleagues and I had some serious concerns about the impact of this change on our students. I was quite literally reprimanded for my efforts to include my students and I in the conversation. I would ask school leadership to make an effort to change that culture, and involve more relevant teachers and staff members during the information gathering and decision-making process. I hope today is a first step toward that goal.”

LHS special education teacher Morgan Rapacki said her department “went through a challenging situation” that involved the high school’s former special education team chair last year.

“Rather than replacing our team chair, which is a stipend position, they created another administrative position for one person to cover all special education students for both the middle school and the high school, which is impossible,” said Rapacki. “This administrative person is now needed to provide coverage due to the lack of staff at the middle school while also being tasked with running meetings at both buildings.”

Science Department Head Scott Gordon recalled that, “District administration has eliminated a teaching position at every major department at Lynnfield High School” since the 2020-2021 academic year.

“At least five teaching positions are gone now,” said Gordon. “Two major languages, Italian and Latin, were eliminated from the curriculum last June. Four languages have been cut to two. Also in June of last year, a science teaching position was cut and the Science Department was restructured. It’s extraordinary for me to have to say this, but at no time did anyone in leadership even bother to ask me or any other science teacher what the impact of these decisions might be on our students. We are the experts on this, and yet it was simply done and we were told. To me, that is the very definition of negligent leadership.”

School Committee Chair Rich Sjoberg thanked all of the teachers and staff members for expressing their concerns. He asked LTA President Alex Cellucci to provide the school board with copies of the statements that were read so they can “start the process” of addressing their concerns.

“We truly want to thank you all for your comments this evening,” said Sjoberg. “We hear you, we take your concerns seriously and we want to work together with you. We value your input and we value working with each of you.”

School Committee member Jamie Hayman thanked the educators and support staff for raising their concerns.

“There is a lot of work to be done,” said Hayman. “I appreciate everyone coming here. I look out here and I see a lot of very familiar faces, friends and educators who have taught my kids and spent extra time helping. It hurts my heart to hear this. I think we need to work with Alex and we need to work with the LTA. I heard a couple of people say this needs to be a dialogue, and we need to work together. I think there is a lot of opportunity for us to do that.”

School Committee member Kate DePrizio said she appreciates all of the district’s employees.

“I want everyone in this room to know that you are valued, your voice is valued and your experience is valued,” said DePrizio. “You are not just valued to our children, but by each other and this community. Thank you for being here and speaking honestly.”

School Committee member Phil McQueen thanked the staff members for “sharing your hearts with us.”

“We have to listen to each other and have to work together,” said McQueen.

School Committee Vice Chair Stacy Dahlstedt thanked the educators and support staff for sharing their stories and their concerns.

“It was incredibly informative and heartfelt,” said Dahlstedt. “I want our teachers to know how much I appreciate them. Our teachers and our students are our main focus. What we heard tonight is that things have clearly gone off focus. What I also heard tonight from many of our teachers and staff, and what we are also saying is we want to continue to work together and build from here. I am a parent and a School Committee member, and I think any of you who know me know that this is important to me and to this committee. We will do what we need to do to continue these conversations.”