Okay. So, we are going to get started. Uh Dr. River Cologne isn't with us today. Um so, I'm going to start uh the meeting. I will call us to order the Monday, February 23rd, 2026 meeting of the Hoyok school committee to order at 6:01 p.m. Roll call, please. Miss
Feliciano, >> Mayor Garcia, um Dr. Vera Cologne, Mr. Sheen, >> present. Miss Lefave, Miss Lebron Martinez >> here. >> Uh, Miss Tenzy Williams,
>> Mr. >> President. >> Mr. Michaelelsson, >> I'm here. >> Miss Leau >> here. >> Miss Wilson, >> I'm present. But I believe that Miss Tensley Williams thought she was all set for the meeting. >> Yeah, she I gave her the phone number
and she dialed in. Um, her number is 5336916. >> Yeah, I've been talking to her. I'm Yeah, I'm on it. >> Okay. >> Okay. Uh, pledge of allegiance, please. >> Melry just joined us.
>> I pledge allegiance. Allegian to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. Uh just uh to note this
meeting is being recorded and live broadcast. Uh in March uh Governor Moore March 2025, Governor Mora Healey signed into law bodies to H62 is amended by S2506 entitlement act extending relative to
extending certain CO 19 measures adopted during the state of emergency of interest to all governmental public bodies in Massachusetts. The act extends until June 2027, the authority for meetings of multiple public bodies to be held in an entirely remote or hybrid format. All public bodies may hold fully remote or hybrid meetings without the
physical presence of a quorum of the public body as long as adequate alternative means of public access is provided. We do have individuals signed up for public comment this evening. And just for the ease of uh Miss Feliciano who has to promote people up to um
webinar um panelists, please make sure you have your first and last name in your uh name just so she can easily do that and so she's not looking for people. Um we obviously don't have a student showcase today, but we will
start with the public uh comment. Just give me one moment to pull up the list people that signed up. Um the first one is um going to be Sarah Long. She emailed me separately. So and then you can start your list. >> Okay. So uh just reminder we will start. It is 2 minutes of public comment um per
person and we the first person is uh Sarah Long. I'm sorry. Give me one second. Okay. Um, it's okay to start. >> Yep. Go ahead. >> Okay. Um, my name is Sarah Long. I live at 20
Mason Road in Goodyear Park. Um, our city is losing prochial school students because families do not see a clear pathway behind beyond 8th grade in Hoyok. Most prochial school parents do not view Hoyok High School as a viable option. This stems in part from public
perception and the school's perceived challenges, but also from a lack of connection or rootedness within the public school system. When there is no visible K through 12 continuum within the city, families understandably look elsewhere and some ultimately decide not
to move to Holo at all. I can speak to this personally. As a Hoyok resident whose daughter attended Blessed Sacrament, my husband and I faced this exact situation. We were really happy at BS. The education she received was wonderful. The structure and environment
of Catholic school were exactly what we had hoped for. But we left in sixth grade. Like the vast majority of her classmates and friends who live in Hoyo, when a seat opened in another district, we took it. There was no guarantee another
opportunity would prevent present itself before a high school and utilizing Pope or St. Mary's was not feasible. In making this decision, my husband and I never con considered our daughter staying at BS and going to Hoyok High School. In fact, we realized not too
long ago that despite living in Hoyok for 20 years, we'd never actually been in the high school building past the auditorium and have zero knowledge of what the school actually offers. Her daughter's been out of the district now for four years, and she's happy and thriving.
But in recent months, I began to notice a persistent feeling every time I left her school. After coming home from a basketball game there one evening, I said to my husband, I finally figured out what it is. It was homesickness. It
was a Hoyok is our home, not Westampton. While the future of Blessed Sacrament is uncertain, Ma delar Rosa will remain open next year. At the same time, school districts that have historically been destinations for holio parochial school students. >> You can just finish up your comments.
You're two about two minutes. If you can just finish up your comments. >> Oh, sure. Um I believe it's worth investigating a collaborative model in which Hoyok public schools share select resources with prochio schools and potentially other private or homeschool students. This can include access to
academics, athletics, foreign languages, extracurricular that small schools can't sustain. The state of Michigan has a wellestablished collaborative framework in which public school districts receive partial funding for private school students who access their programming.
It would be worthwhile to examine whether a comparable structure could be financially and legally feasible in Hoyok. >> Okay, thank you. Your time is up. Uh, our next speaker is Brandy Bellachico. >> Good evening. My name is Brandy
Bellachico. I live at Tenith Street in South Hadley. Tonight, I'm here because I am overwhelmingly confused about why we seem I'm a teacher in Holio public schools, as you know, why we seem so far apart on so many of our proposals and
bargaining. At our last bargaining session, we could not even TA a preamble. We were asked to define the word threat, which is something that Miriam Webster does. I'm just going to take the remainder of my time to read as much as the preamble as I can because I'm super
confused about what is the issue. It is the intent of the association and the committee, this is our proposal, to continue their harmonious relations and to promote mutual cooperation and understanding. The committee and the association are committed to provide education of the highest quality
possible for the children of Holio public schools. The committee and the association enter into the following agreements believing that the a positive professional conditions are essential component in creating a productive learning and teaching environment. Good
morale within the teaching staff are critical to the achievement of that goal. The committee and the association enter into the following agreements believing that they will help to provide the best attainable professional conditions for the staff of the Holio public schools. The association and the
committee understand and agree that providing an education of the highest quality depends on the free exchange of ideas. Teachers opinions will be considered on matters that affect the system and its programs. The association and the committee agree that they will work to create and preserve an
atmosphere which members of the staff can express their views freely. Neither the committee, its agents, nor the association will take any adverse actions or make threats against any staff member for expressing opinions. The committee and the association affirm
their belief that a complex and progressive school system should be guided by an informed committee and an actively involved professional staff. fulfillment of >> you finish up your comments. >> Thank you. That's I'll stop there. >> Okay. Thank you.
Our next speaker is Nancy Richtor. Nancy, you have two minutes. >> Hi, good evening. Hi, my name is Nancy Richtor and I live at 96 Fuller Street in Lello. Um, I am the cosmetology teacher at Dean Techch High School. The
HDA has been told that our compensation proposal was too far apart from where the district is. Let us be real for a moment. The HDA is pro proposing that we have fair pay for longevity and education, yearly step increases, and a
scale that mirrors the kind of pay scale that every other district in the state of Massachusetts has. The district, that's you, is tying pay to lensure, leading to inequitable outcomes for staff of color. You are proposing pay
raises tied to evaluations, often subjective and personal, again leading to inequitable outcomes. This is not rewarding great work. This is just punishing those that need support. You are proposing a salary schedule that
separates teachers into different categories, leaders in advanced, all leading to a more fractured staff. When we asked the superintendent candidates, one of them was surprised that we that was even on the table. So, I'm here to urge you to consider what has worked in
other districts to retain staff and help Holio catch up to the norm. We cannot pretend that money is irrelevant. I am proud to be a Holy Oak teacher. I'm actually looking to move to Holio. I am proud to be an HPS employee and just
want to be part of a more affordable option for great teachers down the line. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Our next speaker is Alex Suspes. Alex, I don't know if you're talking yet or you're on mute if you are.
>> I live at 13 Fail Avenue. Um, Holio Public Schools performance-based salary structure has undervalued education in the city. It's created a pipeline of educators at a discount and left us with our retention U curve. At one end, those who leave within their first three years because of lack of uh support and poor
work conditions overall, and at the other end, veteran educators who've been institutionally robbed by insulting pay increases. A return to a fair salary structure, as Nancy was saying just before me, is long overdue. The money is in our budget, and
transitioning to a regular salary structure will not bankrupt us. It is a resource allocation issue of HPS's making. A couple months ago, this body unanimously voted to post our superintendent salary at the top end of the average. HPS continues to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to
people who don't work with students, teachers, and in some cases don't even live in our state. Why does leadership not have the courage to do what every district in the state does, which is pay its educators fairly? The vast majority of HPS's budget comes from public funding from the state of Massachusetts,
not the city's budget. Holio's political leaders and the district keep pedalling the opposite line instead of being brave and writing institutional wrongdoings in this city. HA's proposed salary structure is fair and equitable with surrounding districts who keep losing experienced educators too. It is just
the beginning phase of writing a fatal error created by receiverhip and you all have the power and resources to do right by our school system and change it. So do it. Thank you. >> Thank you.
Our next speaker is Jacob uh Bilski. >> I've been trying to promote him, but he's not taking it. So you Oh. Oh. >> Okay. Oh, there he is. >> Oh, there he is. >> Hi, Jacob Bilski, 142 Nassau Drive in Springfield. I teach at Peek Middle
School. Uh I'm here to talk on behalf of the Holy Teachers Association uh about the proposal for school length of school year and protected prep time. Uh specifically around prep time, the HDA has consistently been proposing five
protected prep periods every week. Uh we've come up and bargaining to allowing the district to take two of those prep periods as a compromise per month. Um, and I just want to say that as a
secondyear teacher, prep periods are critical in Holio in the ethnic studies department. We haven't had a coach all year, which has increased the planning demands on teachers in ethnic studies uh because our curriculum is not being maintained at the moment due to the lack
of a coach. And my colleagues in math and English in particular and science as well all need their prep periods in science. They need to prepare for labs consistently. Um I think the curriculum has recently changed as of last year. So there's still science teachers still
getting used to a newer curriculum. Uh in ELA and math the demands are very high. In ELA in particular, uh the grading demands for grading essays constantly uh require them to have that prep time so that they're not working unpaid
outside of contract hours. So, I would urge the school committee to uh propose a contract that gives all teachers five preps per week protected uh rather than trying to take away those preps which hurts teachers and forces us
to work outside of contract hours. Um, it can be done at both the middle schools I've worked at, METAF and uh, now at PEC. We manage to have both a PLC meeting block and a prep period every day. Uh, so I don't see why that can't
be done at the other grade levels with creative scheduling. Uh, yeah, that's it. >> Thank you. It's your time. Thank you. Our next speaker is um is it Nana Ansai? >> Yes.
>> Okay. >> Uh my name is Nana Buu Ansa. I live at 446 Appleton Street in Holio. Um I've taught third grade at Morgan School for 6 years. And at our last bargaining session, it was said that the school committee doesn't understand the day-to-day of teaching. I understand
that you may not all come from an education background, but you got into these positions because you care about this community and improving our schools that have been underperforming for so long. That being said, let me explain one key aspect of teaching and learning,
and that is the necessity for productive struggle and independent practice. We teach students a skill, give them support, but most importantly, give them time to grapple with that skill and practice it independently. Now, we're not students. We are teachers and
professionals and yet so often our time is taken, micromanaged, and we're told just how to do the jobs that we're trained to do. It should go without saying that for us to practice our expertise, we need independent, protected prep time. This is the only
time during the workday that I can plan my lessons, respond to student work, collaborate with my colleagues, and communicate with parents. And so without protected prep time every day, I'm forced to work at home or late at school. And honestly, I do that most days anyway because the time is just
never enough. Basically, our schools function on the goodwill and donated time of well-meaning professionals. So, when the HTA proposes 1 hour daily of protected prep time, it's because we need it. We can't do our jobs if you don't trust us to, and we can't show up as our best self if we spent the night
before planning and prepping because the time during the day was taken. Thank you. >> Thank you. Our next speaker is Bob Williams. Hello everyone. Um, my name is Bob Williams. I'm a world history teacher at
Hoyok High School and a proud member of the Holo Teachers Association. Um, many of our speakers have talked about the >> We need your address, please. >> Oh, my apologies. 8 Maple Street, South Hadley, Massachusetts. >> Thank you. >> I'm here today to talk about the effect
that the conditions that many of my colleagues have talked about districtwide are having on our classrooms and in my in my particular case, my hallway. Um, we have lost uh just in my hallway of on the third floor
um four teachers in the last three months. um three ELA teachers and one history teacher. They almost exclusively all left because they were offered better paying positions in other districts, more competitive
salaries, and less working uh uh less working hours, better prep, um more control over professional development, more autonomy within their classrooms. If Hoya public schools wants to turn the
ship, we have to be competitive with the other school districts in our region. If we are not, we are going to continue to lose teachers at the rate of 30%. We saw a slight hold back from that, a slight decline in that loss of about 3 and a
half to 5% from last year to this year. Much of that, if not all of that, was due to the efforts of the Holio Teachers Association to hold on to staff, to convince people to stay, that we were going to change. We're going to work with the school committee to change things for the better.
If the contract that you your bargaining team is accepted, we're not going to lose 30%. We're going to lose 35 to 40%. At our last bargaining session, Dr. Clone Rivera stated that that most of you were unable
>> just finish up your comments. >> Yep. Last sentence. I would like to invite everyone on the school committee to please come to our buildings. Come to our classrooms. See what our working conditions are like. If you are unaware of what our jobs are, if you are unaware of how difficult our working conditions
are, please come and see it for yourself. Don't take our word for it. Come to us. >> Okay. Thank you. And our final uh public comment is Nick Cream. >> Uh good evening. My name is Nick Cream. I live at seven Warner Street, apartment two in South Hadley. I'm an ethnic
studies teacher at Deantech and president of the Holio Teachers Association. Um yeah, I encourage you all to come to our schools. Uh Deech 346. Come visit me anytime you want. Um would love to have any or all of you in my classroom. Um and I'm sure many of my colleagues would share that same
sentiment. Um, we were also made aware that maybe you all were not kind of getting our proposals, which I think by Brandy was reading some of it. So, in my last 90 seconds, I'll try to kind of highlight some of the things we are um talking about. 185 days. Um, very standard around here. Some districts go
less. Um, very very few. Uh, I think there's maybe one goes more. Um, so we're asking for that. we still have uh yet to be um provided with any evidence that those extra PD days, those three, four days, whatever, um are actually
impacting student results in a positive way. Um prep periods, you've heard multiple people speak to this. Right now, our proposal is giving two prep periods per month for whatever the district would like to see. In addition to that, we have proposed half days where professional development can take place in the latter half of the day
while students are there in the morning. So, this would leave about only one week where teachers would have five preps per week, uh, once a month, one week per month. Um, so we don't feel like we're asking for a lot when five daily preps really should be and is the norm in most school districts. As Nana was saying,
people need to work outside of their contracted hours. Uh, and because we have uh such a femaleheavy um industry that we're in, a lot of that labor goes unpaid um just because we live in a sexist society. um compensation in my last 20 seconds.
Uh a lot. We're going to we're going to work through the numbers. We'll we will we will work together to find numbers that work for both of us. But what you all need to know is that teachers in Holio have been getting underpaid for 10 15 maybe more years. And so we need to start to write this ship and it needs to
be an effort to keep people here and to attract the very best, most qualified educators because that's what our students deserve. Thank you. >> Thank you. And that concludes our uh public comment for this evening. Um moving on to new
business that school committee vote to approve the employment contract for Anthony Sodto, chief of finance and operations effective July 1, 2026 through Jul through June 30th, 2029 as presented. Someone want to move the motion? >> So move order. I got Miss Tensley
Williams on the phone. >> Yes. Let the >> if we could put that on the uh the record. >> Okay. Miss Wilson, did you move that motion? >> I did. Thank you. >> Okay. Was there a second? >> Second. >> Second.
>> Okay. Uh second by Mr. Zaza. Discussion. Uh Mr. Michaelelsson. >> I have nothing to discuss. >> Uh Mr. Isaza. >> No, I don't have anything to discuss either. >> Okay. Can you just put your hand down then? Um, okay. Seeing no discussion,
uh, roll call, please. Miss Feliciano. >> Sorry. Um, Miss Lebron Martinez, >> yes. >> Miss Tenzy Williams, >> yes. >> Mr. Isaza, >> yes. >> Mr. Michaelelsson,
>> yes. >> Miss Lubau, >> yes. >> Miss Wilson, >> yes. >> Mr. Sheen, >> yes. I miss the fave. >> Yes. >> And uh Miss Feliciano, it looks like the mayor is in the waiting room. If you can promote him up.
>> Oh, did he just get here? >> Yeah. Okay. Mayor, I know that you were there. Do you wish to vote on the last item? We haven't closed the vote. >> Mayor Garcia, yes. Thank you. >> Okay. Motion passes. Um, out of state
travel that the school committee vote to approve and authorize out of state travel for Kate Telman, chemistry teacher, department chair, Michelle Gould, expert teacher, Michelle Coto, assistant principal, to attend innovative teaching and learning with NGLC in Portland, Maine from April 9th through the 10th, 2026.
>> Moved by Miss Wilson. Is there a second? >> Second. seconded by Mr. Zaza. Uh discussion. Uh Mrs. Lubold. >> Yes. I just wanted to say that I really appreciated the description of this uh event and and conference that Hoyok High
School is going to um particularly as it focused on student outcomes and um there were direct ties. So I look forward to hearing more about it when they report back to the superintendent as required by our policy. >> See no other hands up. Roll call,
please. Miss Lefay, I'm sorry. Uh, Miss LeBron Martinez, >> yes. >> Miss Tenzy Williams, >> yes. >> Mr. Isaza, >> yes. >> Mr. Michaelelsson, >> yes. >> Miss Lubau, >> yes. >> Miss Wilson,
>> yes. >> Mayor Garcia, >> yes. >> Mr. Sheen, >> yes. >> And Miss Lefave, >> yes. >> Okay. Order filed by committee member Wilson that the school committee be informed of any requirements or disqualifications by
each school for students participation in school events and or field trips whether school or PTO sponsored. Recommendation the school committee I'll entertain a motion the school committee refer this to the leadership accountability and measurement subcommittee move. >> Moved by Mrs. Lubold. Is there a second? >> Second.
>> Second by Mr. Zaza. Any discussion? >> So I just to clarify Mr. Sheen if that's acceptable. >> Yeah, Mrs. Wilson. Thank you. So, I just wanted to clarify that um I I think that sometimes we forget that when we approve
events that some of our students are left behind um for various reasons and I just want to better understand what those uh disqualifications might be, especially since I took a uh a concern
from a parent um and it was disturbing to me um that the student was not allowed to attend because the parent couldn't attend the event. Um, so I'm just trying to get some information so we can give that to all of our parents
and families and guardians so they better understand uh what the requirements are to attend these functions. Thank you. >> Uh, roll call, please. >> Miss Leon Martinez, >> yes. >> Miss Tenzy Williams,
>> yes. >> Uh, Mr. Isaza, >> yes. >> Mr. Michaelelsson. >> Yes. >> Mr. Le, >> yes. >> Miss Wilson, >> yes. >> Mayor Garcia, >> yes. >> Mr. Sheen, >> yes. >> Mr. Le Fab,
>> no. >> Uh, motion passes. Um, order filed by, uh, school committee chair Dr. Rivera Cologne. The school committee create the process for conducting the evaluation of the superintendent. Actually, it should be evaluation of the interim superintendent that the school committee uh refer this to the leadership
accountability and measurement subcommittee. >> So, move. >> Is there a second? >> Moved by Mr. Raza, second by Mrs. Wilson. Any discussion? >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Brown Martinez. >> Yes. >> Miss Tenzy Williams? >> Yes.
>> Mr. Rizaza? >> Yes. >> Mr. Michaelelsson? >> Yes. >> Mr. Dub? >> Yes. >> Miss Wilson? >> Yes. >> Mayor Garcia? Yes, >> Mr. Sheen. >> Yes, >> Miss Lefave. >> Yes.
>> Motion passes. Um, before I go into the next item, which is approval of minutes, are there any objections to doing these all together? >> I was going to make that recommendation. >> I second that. >> No, it doesn't. I just need no one. If no one objects, I will entertain a motion to approve the minutes of
December 17th, 2025 school committee meeting, November 20th, 2025 finance and operations meeting, December 18th, 2025 finance and operations meeting, and January 12th, 2026 school committee uh meeting minutes. >> I'll make the motion.
>> Moved by Mrs. Wilson, seconded by Miss Tensley Williams. Any discussion? Roll call, please. Miss Lebron Martinez. >> Yes. >> Miss Ty Williams. >> Yes. >> Mr. Isaza, >> yes.
>> Mr. Michaelelsson, >> yes. >> U Miss Leil, >> yes. >> Miss Wilson, >> yes. >> Mayor Garcia, >> yes. >> Mr. Sheen, >> yes. >> Miss Lefave, >> yes. >> Uh, updates on committees, uh, policy
and governance. Mrs. Wilson, do you have anything to update? I do. Unfortunately, I missed the deadline um to submit the agenda, which will never happen to me again. Um so, the meeting on Wednesday is cancelled. The next meeting that's scheduled is on
March 11th. Um and that will be uh downtown on SuffK Street. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh moving on to finance and operations. Just to note the order that came over for the student opportunity act has been complied with
by the committee. Um and also the budget transfer request that the school committee vote to approve the budget transfers for the contingency software contingency 2 software to cover the cost of power school enrollment system and the transfer of funds from the academics and extended learning to the contingency
account following the receipt of the turnaround grant. The only thing to note that the subcommittee did amend this um so it's amended from here that it's uh 385,000 not 325. So the motion would include for the total amount of 385.
>> So moved by Mr. Michaelelsson. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Second by Mr. Zaza. Any discussion? Uh Mrs. Lubold? >> I just I just had a a question. I just wanted to orient myself. The power
school is is what was was also the replace the grading system last year. Is that the same system? It's just it's the transfer is to to have that the system do something else. Is that was I reading that correctly?
It'll be part of enrollment now. >> Mr. Sodto. >> Yeah. So this this particular software that we are eliminating is called school mint and it's the software that we use um for enrollment. So when families need
to enroll their their children in Holio public schools they we use a software called school mint. Um, P school is our new student information system >> and it offers an um it offers a a
separate module that is embedded into powers school that would essentially replace school mint. >> And is the is the implementation plan is that date that's in the in our our notes is that the go live date that it will transfer from system to system is that
>> yes. Okay. >> Just want to know who's who's running that who's running point on that change project. Just curious. >> Yeah. Um our uh director of enrollment ser and services and transportation is
Rebecca Lamb and she will be working with the data team um on this implementation. >> Thank you. >> Mrs. Wilson, >> can can you just clarify again the the change in value cuz what we got said 325
and what's the actual value? >> It's 385. >> And so that was a typographical error. >> Yes. >> The Yeah. And the subcommittee amended it formally. >> Okay. Thank you. I just wanted to make sure. Okay. I appreciate that. Thank you so much.
>> Any other discussion? Roll call, please. Miss Lebron Martinez. >> Yes. >> Miss Tenzy Williams. >> Yes. >> Um, Mr. >> Yes. >> Mr. Michaelelsson, >> yes. >> Mr. Leu, >> yes. >> Miss Wilson,
>> yes. >> Mayor Garcia, >> yes. >> Mr. Sheen, >> yes. >> Miss Lefave, >> yes. >> Okay, motion passes. Uh, joint city council school committee. Mrs. Liberal Martinez, do you have anything? We are in the middle of booking um our
meeting. So hopefully we would have something the 5th or the 12th. So I I'll confirm by tomorrow. >> And leadership accountability and measurement. Miss Lefave. >> This Thursday, >> I don't I think you got cut off.
>> We're meeting this Thursday. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh we have no ongoing business or announcements. Um well announcements are there. Um so at this time I will entertain a motion
to enter executive session uh because an open session may have an undue burden on the bargaining position of the committee to discuss uh superintendent contract and all units collective bargaining. >> So move >> second. >> Been moved by Mr. Zaza, seconded by uh
Mrs. Wilson. Uh, roll call, please. >> Miss LeBron Martinez, >> yes. >> Miss Tenzy Williams, >> yes. >> Mr. Isaza, >> yes. >> Mr. Michaelelsson, >> yes. >> Mr. Bo, >> yes. >> Miss Wilson,
>> yes. >> Mayor Garcia, >> yes. >> Mr. Sheen, >> yes. >> And Mr. Fave, >> uh, yes. >> Okay, folks. So, we will not be returning to open session, but uh we voted to enter executive session, but we need to go to another link, but we
cannot start until 6:45. So, we will see you all in about 10 minutes for the executive session on the other link. Um at this time, the g the regular meeting uh has concluded at 6:34. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you.