Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the METCO topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
METCO PTG dissolution and director vacancy prompt committee outreach, public asks for inclusive reconstitution
Summary
Public comments urged clear outreach to METCO families after the METCO PTG disbanded; a community member announced a run for school committee and speakers pressed the district to review staff turnover in METCO roles.
Public commentators at the Jan. 7 meeting urged the school committee to ensure broad outreach to METCO families after recent organizational changes and staff turnover.
Michael Williams, a Concord resident, asked the committee to clarify a December policy change governing representation when the METCO PTG is inactive. Williams said the published policy language did not explicitly commit to notifying all eligible Concord, Carlisle and Boston METCO families that they are eligible to stand for representative positions, and he asked the committee to stipulate that outreach will be conducted. He also announced his intent to stand as a candidate in April 2025.
Kristen Haggerty of Revolutionary Road echoed the concerns and requested an agenda item examining METCO director turnover. Haggerty cited a string of departures for METCO staff and asked the committee to examine retention and working conditions for METCO employees. Committee members said they plan to include METCO topics on upcoming agendas and will invite MECO leadership to a future meeting for a fuller discussion.
Ending: Committee members agreed to prioritize outreach to METCO families, to seek a reconstituted METCO parent group rather than allowing the PTG to remain defunct, and to arrange a February meeting that includes METCO leadership and additional discussion of director recruitment and retention.
