Everett School Committee waives rental fee for City’s Girls’ Day, hears superintendent updates and student report

The Everett School Committee on March 3 voted to waive rental fees for the City of Everett’s Girls’ Day event and heard reports from the student representative and the superintendent.

Student Representative Kelly St. Ford said, “Spring sports are commencing with an informational meeting Wednesday, March 5,” and summarized recent student activities, including theater and music competition results and a student advisory-board rollout.

The committee’s superintendent announced a virtual “Know Your Rights” presentation in partnership with the Elliott Resource Center and Lawyers for Civil Rights, scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. on the coming Wednesday and offered in Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and Haitian Creole. The superintendent described the session as, “This is 1 of the steps that I've taken here at Everett Public Schools to ensure that we are thinking about our families over these last several weeks and for many more months to come, as, the rules and regulations, promulgated out of Washington would have a direct impact on our families.” The superintendent also formally appointed Janet Taylor as principal of the Lafayette School and said Dave (Brady/Bridal) has been appointed Title I director; the announcements were presented as administrative updates rather than as committee actions.

Committee members congratulated students and staff on recent recognitions: the Everett High School Theater Company advanced in the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild festival and several students received individual acting and technical awards; the district's percussion ensemble placed first at a New England Scholastic Band Association competition and will compete in Dayton, Ohio, in April. The superintendent noted Parlin School sixth graders answered more than 42,000 questions correctly on the Prodigy math platform for the month of February.

The committee also reviewed routine procedural items, accepted reports and moved into executive session to approve past executive-session minutes under Massachusetts General Law provisions.

Votes at a glance: - Waive reading of the Feb. 25, 2025 records — motion by Miss Babcock, seconded by Miss Cornelio; outcome: passed (ayes). - Open public comment — motion by Ms. Barrows, seconded by Ms. Cornelio; outcome: passed (opened at 6:36 p.m.; no speakers signed up). - Close public comment — motion by Ms. Babcock, seconded by Ms. Barrows; outcome: passed (ayes). - Accept student representative report and place on file — motion by Miss Babcock, seconded by Miss Barrows; outcome: passed (ayes). - Accept superintendent’s update and place on file — motion by Miss Barrows, seconded by Miss Cornelio; outcome: passed (ayes). - Waive rental fee for City of Everett use of Everett High School for Girls' Day (9 a.m.–4 p.m., April 12, 2025); custodial fees to be paid — motion by Ms. Babcock, seconded by Ms. Cornelio; outcome: passed (ayes). - Accept finance & negotiations subcommittee report (favorably referred Unit B contract to the full committee) — motion to accept subcommittee report; outcome: passed by roll call, 8–0. - Enter executive session to approve executive-session minutes (Mass. Gen. Laws, Ch. 30A) and adjourn from executive session — motion seconded; outcome: passed by roll call, 8–0; meeting entered executive session at 7:00 p.m.

The superintendent’s announcements included logistics for family-focused events: a bilingual family literacy night for pre-K–5 families (date in March; 4:00–5:30 p.m. at the Caverion School), district string concerts for multiple grade bands in March (specific school dates on the district website), and a notice that Girls' Day is organized by the City of Everett with partners including the Everett Police and Fire Departments and the Massachusetts State Police. The superintendent said the district will post the Zoom link for the Know Your Rights session on the Everett Public Schools website and distribute it through district communications.

No public commentators spoke during the public comment period. The meeting recorded eight members present and proceeded through routine business before moving to executive session to review and approve prior executive session minutes under Massachusetts General Laws cited by the chair.

Less-critical items included committee acknowledgments of staff and family milestones and logistical clarifications about upcoming performances and competitions.