[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6396351,"mediaKeyId","2097290-bd1b90f529ad27e3b0b2b085eec7e677","parentId",2097290,"title","Votes at a glance: committee approves minutes, bills, policies and appointments","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",79000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2097290-bd1b90f529ad27e3b0b2b085eec7e677&start=79&end=79","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2097290-bd1b90f529ad27e3b0b2b085eec7e677/thumbnail_79000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6396351/Massachusetts/Votes-at-a-glance-committee-approves-minutes-bills-policies-and-appointments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6396351-5fc17651ceab4ab1e5b4a6f432149ef0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770861452&Signature=i92sh1wRpCybDOy5pb8TDHBCMjMGOOkfMvrgtpgNbAgXmVPeUV-mow0kYCyTNVBdK1mYRM0yvaGCq~1eHZ2BiC8Ju3-uAF5OkMAGZOCiSsyO3x5cCdZRG-Sk4x8gnqneSd4NgepYn6zo-Dq98v9rVPohThFpf5K~UWF50Tu-lupFW9iSW4u6xiDiaeqN40Wqw4LLIEHsVa2ixzQRmoEWz5xKyicFatVXLIzu2yZE-8cGGi8ZWtdFcJRjAkYvRSZK0ZX4mUvvgQRL~TWUNphiElhltxXLFCnk7B9ztnAt0GOZ85sOtL6x6SS1lhI5VdSsya0a1ug2vCnLsR3OpMDk-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical, MA","date","2025-01-09T00:00:00Z","article","At the Jan. 8, 2025 meeting the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School District School Committee recorded a series of routine actions and two staff/ policy decisions.

The committee voted on the following items (outcomes listed as recorded in the meeting transcript):

- Acceptance of the minutes from the Dec. 9, 2024 meeting: Motion, second, voice vote. Outcome: approved (voice vote recorded as “Aye”).

- Approval of bills included in the meeting materials: Motion, second, voice vote. Outcome: approved (voice vote recorded as “Aye”). The packet amount stated in the transcript appears garbled; the transcript reads \"$486,04,064.29\"—that figure could not be confirmed from the record and is therefore reported as stated in the transcript.

- Second reading and adoption of the district religious-accommodation policy: Motion to adopt, second, voice vote. Outcome: adopted (voice vote recorded as “Aye”). Committee discussion noted district legal and compliance review and committee members commended the policy authors.

- Appointment of assistant treasurer: The committee nominated and appointed Paul Kitchen as assistant treasurer. Motion, second, voice vote. Outcome: appointment approved (voice vote recorded as “Aye”). The committee discussed that historically the assistant-treasurer role has been filled by a committee member and legal counsel confirmed that a school committee member may serve in that capacity.

- Vote to approve the 2024 annual report: Motion, second, voice vote. Outcome: approved (voice vote recorded as “Aye”).

- Vote to approve the 2024–25 employee handbook: Motion, second, voice vote. Outcome: approved (voice vote recorded as “Aye”).

- Notices of retirement/early notifications (informational): The committee received and placed on file notifications of retirements effective Dec. 31, 2025 (Colin Zodiac) and Jan. 31, 2026 (Heather Pimentel); motion to receive and place on file carried.

After business, the committee voted to enter executive session under M.G.L. c. 30A, § 21(a)(3) to discuss collective bargaining (GMVEU); the roll-call to enter executive session was recorded as a series of \"Yes\" votes in the transcript.

Notes on vote recording: Most routine motions were decided by voice vote with the transcript recording “Aye” and no individual roll-call tallies for each vote. Where the transcript recorded a specific roll-call (entry to executive session) the clerk read member names and recorded \"Yes.\" For routine votes the record contains motion/second and unanimous voice votes but does not provide numbered tallies or named yes/no votes in the transcript for every item.

Provenance: Each vote appears in the meeting transcript at the times indicated in the meeting record.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","GNBVT School Committee Meeting - January 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The school committee approved routine minutes and bills, adopted a religious accommodation policy after a second reading, appointed an assistant treasurer, and approved the 2024 annual report and the 2024–25 employee handbook. The committee then recessed to executive session for collective bargaining.","taxTitle","Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical, School Boards, Massachusetts","taxId",46542,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6396356,"DEI office reports advisory council, Title IX compliance measures and community resource events",1275,3147000,4422000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2097290-bd1b90f529ad27e3b0b2b085eec7e677&start=3147&end=4422","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2097290-bd1b90f529ad27e3b0b2b085eec7e677/thumbnail_3147000.jpg","/articles/6396356/Massachusetts/DEI-office-reports-advisory-council-Title-IX-compliance-measures-and-community-resource-events","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6396356-16ba093a5060d1cad598b7897e6495ef/orig.mp4?Expires=1770861452&Signature=ezpEDk2A~bSMPMMOz5R~bJQcnBPJKN0UpqsNV3Z~dtTQyFwExS9kSjcJ22~KjNvgHNRMpOtrpD2j~9Fuak1bgyJUsR3tvLnpZzhl4dIUEyuIgP0WtIdFp2yq9iU65qP1f6zPMfpOu7wpdVpnFBmMy-sHikeh4z-JEdfIbfR7hbmEA2BdpvVT9pR548iG1cY4QF77EUtMJ9Oeg-lo7pc6IdyI2KLWmlZmUBDgExfieDEDh1rqhOhNzWS-2IteUX7zoki7Otj3sHpQsbCOacPH5PUcdHt6SYsY6xIiiLW9K3x8q5rns8TeXYyUPVM8oVsQ~Xvm4taG8-Dj0I0yzEuPlw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Yolanda Dennis, the district’s executive director for equity and related functions, and Maria DeMello, the district’s DEI community specialist, briefed the committee on diversity, equity and inclusion work and compliance measures at the Jan. 8 meeting.

“At GNBBT, the DEI advisory council is committed to a school community that promotes power, voice, and agency through listening and learning to foster and support a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment,” Dennis said, reading the council’s declaration.

The DEI report covered three main areas:

- Compliance and Title IX: The office reviewed and updated policies and procedures, including the employee handbook, co-op education handbook and Title IX grievance procedures. A student-designed, laminated 11x17 Title IX poster with a QR code has been posted in every bathroom to direct students to Title IX information and reporting channels. Dennis said district Title IX education is part of preparation in case federal reviews occur.

- DEI programming and supports: The DEI advisory council has nine faculty/staff members and developed district-level definitions for diversity, equity and inclusion. Multicultural Day 2025 planning is underway in partnership with student council, and the DEI office said it will likely spread activities across multiple days in April. Staff presented culturally responsive teaching sessions as part of November PD.

- Community outreach and family supports: Maria DeMello described a resource fair in October that hosted seven community partners (MassHire, Beyond Housing, United Way Family Resource and Development Center, Upward Bound, New Bedford Art, New Bedford Parks & Recreation and others). The DEI office said it has assisted about 20 families with community referrals and distributed supplies via an in-school closet; DeMello also serves as the point of contact for family surveys and referrals.

Dennis said the office also added a vendor/signature requirement for co-op partners confirming awareness of sexual-harassment policies. She noted that, in her three years with the district, most incident reports have been teachable interactions rather than large-scale assaults; she described restorative conversations and follow-up as the typical response.

The presentation also noted statewide collaboration: Dennis and the district host a meeting of the Association of Massachusetts School Equity Leaders (AMSEL) on April 11, and Swansea Public Schools has sought guidance from the district on DEI council development.

Committee members praised the work and said the DEI office’s outreach and compliance work has become a visible part of school operations. The superintendent and other leaders framed the DEI work as part of a multi-year effort to add compliance and human-resources capacity to the district.

Provenance: DEI presentation and Q&A are recorded in the transcript beginning with the DEI introduction and continuing through committee comments and superintendent remarks.","The district’s DEI office reported establishment of a DEI advisory council, Title IX outreach and materials, multicultural programming, and community resource fairs; the office also described compliance reviews of policies and new family-facing supports.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6396361,"District presents midyear update on strategic plan: PD, MTSS, 'bare block' schedule and CTE growth",1394,1272000,2666000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2097290-bd1b90f529ad27e3b0b2b085eec7e677&start=1272&end=2666","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2097290-bd1b90f529ad27e3b0b2b085eec7e677/thumbnail_1272000.jpg","/articles/6396361/Massachusetts/District-presents-midyear-update-on-strategic-plan-PD-MTSS-bare-block-schedule-and-CTE-growth","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6396361-475a0dcf018b6ba33112eb0db6876215/orig.mp4?Expires=1770861452&Signature=OXuwJeG5qu4J4GML8txYn33XdnKBPsiDEm9m2Bgdvh84ApkJuYHUYvUHHyHWgZ~ignfYdFZiFRMhp0~Q~TZuSUzdU2TzEN9xiysXk~6maTvO2RHVmaBoFR-2~445OT1YHPNBCOXno73loyZp7Fs87od7-fcuELe0l6UazFxG~u-dHPlf0d6dIPzzESoon3ViBh8ZjNrZ9bdfVyYsYWrPFWYkkzQut3eb6YMiJ1nxP79canQwtBUx7VlqbbTL9jtsjLelhi7jX8~YmuN5-TyKB07Jy9YrJp7GUx7swb~q282g2JvOcCRo5qJeuUKn-eFEaTXsrXBdk2A67XjSWNdXVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A district administrator presented a midyear update on Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School’s strategic plan and SMARTIE goals at the Jan. 8 school committee meeting, reporting progress on professional development, student supports, and career-technical partnerships.

The presenter said none of the initiatives are marked complete yet but that work is underway. “You won't see any green tonight because none of the objectives and or initiatives that are currently underway are completed,” the district administrator said, explaining color codes used in the update.

Key progress items and timelines included:

- Professional development and accommodation matrices: An accommodation-matrix training launched Nov. 5 and has been rolled out to departments; the presenter marked this initiative blue (in progress) and said district staff expect full implementation by June 2025 or by early professional-development days in August for late hires.

- Inclusive instruction and DEI-aligned professional development: Sessions on culturally responsive teaching and simulated experiences for teachers launched Nov. 5 and remain on track for completion by June 2025, supported by SMEC and the Equitable Access Grant.

- MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports): A 12-member team has been formed to develop MTSS principles; rollout to full staff is planned for April or May with completion by June 2025.

- \"Bare block\" (30-minute in-school support block): The district is piloting a plan to move targeted student support from after school (2:30–3 p.m.) into a 30-minute block during the school day to accommodate students with athletics, transportation or family obligations. The presenter said full schedule changes are not planned for next school year; the earliest district-level schedule implementation would be Sept. 2026.

- Data systems and absenteeism: The district has implemented an advanced data-analytics system to monitor student progress and chronic absenteeism. The presenter reported chronic absenteeism at 7.7% at the time of the update (7.7% vs. 8.1% previously referenced) and said the district’s goal is a 5% reduction.

- CTE cooperative education growth: Cooperative education placements are up about 7% year-over-year; the presenter said the district had more than 330 students in cooperative placements last year and added roughly 60 new employer partners since 2022 (about 20 this year).

Other items included launch of Trello for district project-management, ThoughtExchange surveys to expand stakeholder feedback, and plans to expand industry-recognized credential mastery by program (target: 10% increase for specified credential strands by June 2025).

Committee members asked about Title I/ESSA funding for parent engagement, schedule impacts for students with athletics or bus obligations, and state guidance on MCAS-related scheduling changes; the presenter said the department of education guidance is pending and the district will remain methodical about schedule changes.

Provenance: Strategic plan update appears in the meeting transcript from the district presentation beginning at the midyear-update slide and continues through committee Q&A about schedule, Title I/ESSA and MCAS implications.","District leaders provided a midyear update on the strategic plan and SMARTIE goals, highlighting November 5 professional development sessions, rollout plans for accommodation matrices, MTSS team formation, a pilot for a 30-minute in-school support block and growth in cooperative education placements.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_46":105,"_48":106,"_50":107,"_52":108,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":109,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":110,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6396366,"Greater New Bedford VoTech students install 1,600-watt turbine on Cuttyhunk Island as part of funded offshore wind study",1077,116000,1193000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2097290-bd1b90f529ad27e3b0b2b085eec7e677&start=116&end=1193","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2097290-bd1b90f529ad27e3b0b2b085eec7e677/thumbnail_116000.jpg","/articles/6396366/Massachusetts/Greater-New-Bedford-VoTech-students-install-1600-watt-turbine-on-Cuttyhunk-Island-as-part-of-funded-offshore-wind-study","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6396366-2d0c2657b3b2f0e2fa1a8ec862f5857c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770861452&Signature=JHEF6GLK8-ESH1sDnYySUq-9vOXZHEFem0rO9MWqflj9GdTg~nfIFvi-9hAd0KDqk8hsbYINDjsLNYVlhFiYld2JAY7hNd5EAIFAaofW2YrrVDE5hxj-Ul1zqKNCW-nRrtkR8znrGTqTpHMwawVnCExEI6TIIjpNLWFw6e0MBwNCfADW9DOcUoLlKVAX3hMrizgKubxJQI4fNkwGeDg7t1NzLL8etNUc~Tq8EocF5MhonFGxcyq0mSysyFA2VRTAe7kuZee2SwL-GB6jFAytp5IksqaR9CIcCN2LPC~rBjlCh1hEaNWABNhOD80xWBlVP3S3lc8l5J0V9YP42w4hjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School engineering students described a collaborative offshore wind-energy project on Wednesday that placed a 1,600-watt turbine on Cuttyhunk Island for a one-year field trial and installed a second tower on the school roof for ongoing comparison.

The project was funded by a $73,000 grant from the South Coast Community Foundation, co-written by Michelle Carvalho of the Cuttyhunk STEAM Academy, said Bob Sutherland, teacher in the senior engineering and robotics shop. “Tonight, you will hear from some of our engineering students about a collaborative project between Greater and Veterinary Tech and the Cutty Hunt Steam Academy to study offshore wind energy,” Sutherland said.

Students described a curriculum that combined generator construction, blade design, wind-tunnel testing and field studies. Aidan Cardoso, a senior in engineering and robotics, said the class made two towers—one installed on the school roof and the other on the island—and collected comparative data on power output, wind speed and rotations per minute. “The project all began when Michelle Carvalho approached the GNDVT engineering program,” Cardoso said.

Student teams made four trips to Cuttyhunk in 2024—March (wind study), May (field study), October (preparations) and November (installation)—and chose a site adjacent to the island’s solar farm to minimize ecological and visibility impacts, student Lily Sharples said. Sharples described community outreach on the island, including two presentations to island residents and displays at the school open house.

Students and staff said the island turbine will remain in place for one year under an agreement with Cuttyhunk residents; the tower on the school will remain permanently. “The wind turbine will be on Cuttyhunk for one year,” Sutherland said in answer to a committee question. Data from the island turbine will be collected continuously during the yearlong deployment.

Technical details presented by students included generator coil-count experiments (groups tested 200 vs. 300 coils and saw higher outputs from more coils), blade-shape testing in a wind tunnel, electrical schematics captured with Multisense software, and use of a monitoring app for real-time data. Students also described cross-trade collaboration—welding for the mast, carpentry for electrical kiosks, and help from facilities and community partners to pour concrete for the anchor.

Teachers and district staff involved in the project provided engineering and site-permitting guidance. The committee asked about permitting and proximity to the airport; staff responded that facilities had reviewed the roof installation and determined the turbine would not be the tallest rooftop structure and therefore did not require additional permitting.

Students said the program will expand next year, with plans to build a second turbine on school grounds to compare performance between unobstructed and suburban locations and to trial a Starlink terminal on Cuttyhunk to relay island data. Three students were selected to present findings at the SkillsUSA statewide competition this spring.

The committee praised the presentations and the students’ work; the district noted the project as an example of CTE (career and technical education) partnerships and experiential learning.

Provenance: The presentation appears in the meeting transcript beginning with the Cuddyhunk project introduction and runs through the student Q&A and committee comments during the engineering presentation.","Engineering and robotics students from Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School presented a yearlong, grant-funded collaboration with Cuttyhunk STEAM Academy that placed a 1,600-watt turbine on Cuttyhunk Island for a one-year field trial and installed a permanent tower on the school roof for comparative data collection.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: committee approves minutes, bills, policies and appointments

DEI office reports advisory council, Title IX compliance measures and community resource events

District presents midyear update on strategic plan: PD, MTSS, 'bare block' schedule and CTE growth

Greater New Bedford VoTech students install 1,600-watt turbine on Cuttyhunk Island as part of funded offshore wind study