Everett School Committee: votes roundup — school choice opt‑out, two contract renewals, scholarships and payroll approved

The Everett School Committee voted unanimously Monday to opt the district out of Massachusetts’ School Choice program and approved a series of contract renewals, scholarship gifts and routine payments.

The committee’s votes covered administrative and contractual items included on the meeting agenda; most actions passed on recorded roll calls with 8–0 tallies. The actions close out public hearings held earlier in the evening and put several budget‑year 2026 items into the committee’s procurement and scholarship pipelines.

The School Committee voted 8–0 to not participate in the School Choice program under Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 76, section 12B. A district official and committee members said the measure is intended to preserve seats for Everett students given current overcrowding in district schools.

The committee approved a one‑year renewal with North Suburban Transportation for athletic, band and extracurricular trips. Committee discussion noted a per‑trip increase referenced in the meeting packet (the contract rate was described in committee discussion as moving from $5.17 to $5.41 per unit and the superintendent’s office described a roughly $27,000 cost impact tied to trip/waiting charges). The motion to renew passed on a roll call vote, 8–0.

The committee also approved a one‑year renewal with Intrasystems LLC for district technical services and cybersecurity support. The superintendent described the vendor as providing two full‑time technical staff plus higher‑level helpdesk and data‑security services; the renewal passed on a roll call vote, 8–0.

The committee accepted four private gifts to create or seed scholarships: a $10,000 gift from Paul Connolly to establish the Francis M. “Fran” Connolly scholarship (preference noted for Salem State University candidates), a $1,000 Alfred Lattanzi Family Scholarship (GPA 3.0+, preference for business study), a $1,000 Joseph DeStefano scholarship for students pursuing pharmacy or health‑care fields, and a $700 gift from the Zonta Club of Chelsea and the North Shore. Each gift was accepted by roll call vote, 8–0; donors’ stated preferences will be reflected in scholarship award language.

The committee also submitted and approved bills and payroll totaling $1,566,827.44 and approved payment on the same amount; both motions passed by roll call, 8–0.

A separate budget committee of the whole report was accepted and then referred to the committee’s next regular meeting on April 29 for further action; that referral passed 8–0.

Votes at a glance - School Choice: Motion to not participate in School Choice (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 76 §12B). Outcome: Approved, roll call 8–0. - North Suburban Transportation: Approve 1‑year contract renewal (athletic/band/extracurricular transportation). Outcome: Approved, roll call 8–0. - Intrasystems LLC: Approve 1‑year contract renewal (technical services, cybersecurity). Outcome: Approved, roll call 8–0. - Francis M. (Fran) Connolly scholarship: Accept $10,000 gift. Outcome: Approved, roll call 8–0. - Alfred Lattanzi Family scholarship: Accept $1,000 gift. Outcome: Approved, roll call 8–0. - Joseph E. DiStefano scholarship: Accept $1,000 gift. Outcome: Approved, roll call 8–0. - Zonta Club scholarship: Accept $700 gift. Outcome: Approved, roll call 8–0. - Bills & payroll (submit and pay): $1,566,827.44. Outcome: Approved, roll call 8–0. - Budget committee of the whole report: Referred to April 29 meeting. Outcome: Approved, roll call 8–0.

Committee chair and staff said the approvals keep routine operations and district support services funded while the district continues technical and transportation upgrades and prepares for the formal budget vote at a later date.

The committee did not take final action on the fiscal 2026 operating budget at Monday’s meeting; the committee accepted and referred the budget committee’s report for further consideration on April 29.