The Marblehead School Committee voted Thursday night to schedule three school days during April vacation and two more at the end of June, to make up the last five of 10 days canceled during the teachers strike. The new school days are April 23, 24, 25 and June 23 and 24.
School days had already been added for Dec. 23 and February 18-21 (vacation week).
More than 1,700 people responded to a survey sent out by interim Superintendent John Robidoux, asking for input on when to make up the missed days. The most popular choice was April vacation, followed by days at the end of June. Scheduling school on Saturdays was a distant third choice among parents.
Robidoux emphasized that any snow days that happen will mean adding more school during April break.
“I like the idea of allowing people to have that four-day weekend in April. It’s a really, really long stretch for folks,” said School Committee member Sarah Fox. “We just need to be aware that if we have snow days, the Tuesday (of April break) will be the first thing that we’ll probably go after.”
With no snow days, the last day of school will be June 24. High school graduation is on June 6.
Attendance policy debate
Fox also recommended suspending the district’s attendance policy for the rest of the school year.
“It’s been an anomaly of a year,” she said. “Given how we got here, I have a hard time holding students’ feet and families’ feet to the fire when we’re in this situation because of an illegal strike.” She suggested parents should have the leeway to let their students stay home if they need a break. Member Alison Taylor agreed.
Robidoux, however, pushed back.
“I totally understand where the committee is coming from, but if we just say you’re absolved from attendance for the rest of the year we will have truancy issues more than we already do. Our accountability to the state will be in the toilet.”
Robidoux continued: “I think you’re giving carte blanche to kids — and I understand why — to not come to school when we already have attendance issues. Our counselors and administrators are fighting to get kids to school in general.”
Ultimately, the committee approved suspending the attendance policy during the 10 make-up days. Robidoux will report back in January on how the district might operationalize relaxing the attendance policy for other days as well.
Student services oversight
Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Mike Pfifferling revealed that several students who had been placed in out-of-district schools were not included in the fiscal year budget.
“We anticipate the Special Education tuition lines will exceed $1 million more than budgeted,” Pfifferling said. “Fortunately, the district prepaid $900,000 worth of tuition at the end of FY 24 with year-end budget surplus, leaving a current shortfall of approximately $155,000.”
He said the district will apply for “extraordinary relief” from the state in special education reimbursements.
Pfifferling also announced that he has prepared a draft level service budget for FY 26. He will be working with Robidoux to “fine tune” the plan before presenting it to the School Committee.
“In a normal year, we would have started this a month or two sooner,” he added, blaming the delay on the teachers strike.
The committee discussed possibly putting placeholder overrides, without amounts attached, on the Town Meeting warrant — for a general override and for capital expenses.
Leaky roof
Fox delivered a quick update on the roofing project at MHS, where leaking has worsened in recent weeks.
New proposals from the project manager and architect range in cost from the $5.3 million already approved by Town Meeting in 2022, to a much larger $14 million price tag.
“We will be coming back with more information on the best way to move forward,” Fox said. Town Finance Director Aleesha Benjamin said Town Meeting could possibly vote to use $1.6 million leftover from the Brown School building project for the high school roof, according to Fox.
Antisemitism investigation
Robidoux updated the committee on the antisemitism investigation launched over the summer. “Many people have been interviewed, many more people have been identified. I’ve been in constant contact with (investigator) Allyson Kurker as she navigates current and former staff members.”
The $25,000 investigation was started when some teachers and parents accused other educators and the district of being antisemitic.
Robidoux addressed claims that Marblehead is no longer a desirable school district in which to work.
“We’ve hired 94 staff since July 1, which I think is pretty impressive, including six during and since the strike,” he said. “People still want to come here and want to work in Marblehead.”
