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Lowell School Committee asks superintendent for Bartlett ADA update, to help form PTO after parent testimony
Summary
After a parent testified that Bartlett School lacks required accessibility features, the committee voted to ask the superintendent for an update on three chair lifts and to work with the school on forming a PTO to support the LEAP program.
The Lowell School Committee on July 16 voted to request that the superintendent report to the committee and to the Bartlett School parent community on accessibility at the Bartlett School and to help the school create a parent-teacher organization. The motions followed public comment from a parent who said the school lacks legally required ADA features and described ongoing hardship for students with disabilities.
The request came after Joanna Turcotte, a Lowell resident and parent of a child enrolled in the LEAP program, told the committee the Bartlett is “not compliant with ADA accessibility standards” and described missing ramps, the absence of legally designated handicap parking at the front office, and delays in installing three chair lifts. “The installation delay of 3 lifts still jeopardizes the well-being and safety of our students with mobility challenges,” Turcotte said.
The committee approved motions to ask the superintendent for a status update on which programs will be affected by accessibility gaps and on the three chair lifts, and to ask the superintendent to work with the Bartlett’s community school manager to help create a PTO to support school events and programming. The motions were made by Mister Rossi and seconded by Miss Doherty and were approved by voice vote.
Committee members also discussed programmatic equity for citywide schools and the need for sustained funding and supports for LEAP students, including after-school and summer programming, staff training, and transportation for eligible students. The public speaker urged more parent engagement and suggested districtwide supports for special-education parent organizations.
The motions direct the superintendent to return with information; the committee did not adopt a specific spending authorization at the meeting. Next steps listed by the committee include a superintendent report on accessibility and the superintendent’s work with Bartlett staff to support PTO formation and programmatic planning.
