WILMINGTON, MA — Zero.
That’s the number of parents typically in the audience during Wilmington School Committee meetings.
New School Committee Chair Julie Broussard would like to change that.
“It’s always disappointing when we don’t have people in our audience,” said Broussard. “We do quite a bit of work to prepare for these meetings. We consider some big topics.”
But parents not showing up to meetings is just a part of the problem. The bigger problem is parents not communicating with the committee at all.
“I always feel I may not be making the best choice,” admitted Broussard. “I may not be voting the right way because I don’t know what the right way is because I don’t hear from parents.”
To that end, Broussard proposed the creation of a new subcommittee (“Family Communication & Engagement”) to develop “some creative ways to reach out to families… and get feedback ahead of meetings that might help the committee make the best possible decisions.”
Broussard’s idea was well received by her colleagues at their meeting last week.
“Sometimes we hear from the community only AFTER we voted,” added School Committee member Manny Mulas. “I think this is a good idea.”
Ginny Bonish, MJ Byrnes and Thomas Talbot all volunteered for and were appointed to the subcommittee, with Mulas serving as an alternate.
The other subcommittee assignments for the next year that were finalized at the meeting include:
- Policy Subcommittee: Ginny Bonish, Peggy Kane, Steve Bjork (Alternate: MJ Byrnes)
- Sick Bank Subcommittee: Manny Mulas, Peggy Kane, Steve Bjork
- Superintendent Evaluation Subcommittee: Julie Broussard, Peggy Kane, Steve Bjork
- Wilmington Educational Foundation Rep: Julie Broussard
- Wilmington Schools Wellness Advisory Committee Reps: MJ Byrnes, Peggy Kane
- Wilmington Special Education PAC Rep: Ginny Bonish, Peggy Kane
- Executive Session Minutes Review Subcommittee: Juile Broussard
- High School Building Committee Reps: Ginny Bonish, Peggy Kane
- Town Master Facilities Plan Committee Rep: Ginny Bonish
- School Committee Handbook Review Subcommittee: Manny Mulas, Peggy Kane, MJ Byrnes
- Collective Bargaining Team for Wilmington Teacher Association Negotiations: Peggy Kane, Steve Bjork
After a great deal of discussion, MJ Byrnes was reappointed as the Committee’s Legislative Representative, with the stipulation that whoever holds the position must consult with the School Committee before acting on its behalf when, for example, meeting with a legislator or writing a letter.
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