Students, teachers urge Woburn School Committee to reverse nonrenewals after 22 staff notices

Dozens of students, teachers and community members used the public-comment portion of the Woburn School Committee meeting on June 25 to press the district to reverse or reconsider nonrenewal notices affecting 22 employees, saying the staff cuts will remove counselors and culturally responsive mentors who students rely on.

The comments were emotional and specific. “Mr. G was the main reason why I was able to graduate,” said Talia Hegarty, a recent graduate, crediting a staff member identified in public remarks as “Mister G” with intervening when she faced homelessness and helping her join a support program that enabled graduation. Student speakers repeatedly described the same staff as trusted mentors who de-escalate conflicts, connect students to mental-health services and create a sense of safety and belonging.

The speakers’ appeals came from many parts of the district. Teachers cited academic research and workplace observations supporting retention of staff of color, and the Woburn Teachers Association president urged the committee to consider staff support and evaluation irregularities the union says affected first-year educators. A local historian and other community members also urged the committee to weigh how mentoring and counseling staff support the broader community and the district’s workforce pipeline.

Superintendent Matthew Crowley responded to public comment, thanking speakers and saying the district reviews nonrenewal decisions carefully. He said a range of factors can lead to nonrenewal, including changes in grant funding, enrollment shifts, licensure requirements and program needs, and noted that collective-bargaining agreements govern notice timing and procedures. Crowley noted the district had hired more than 100 employees this year and said administrators aim to “build and sustain a strong, supportive learning environment.”

Committee members and the superintendent also made two procedural points that shaped the discussion. Chair Ellen Crowley said the school committee has no authority to overturn personnel nonrenewal decisions, and a separate vote by the city council earlier this year approved the school committee’s operating budget that will fund schools next year. The superintendent said collective-bargaining rules include timing requirements for nonrenewal notices and that nonrenewal is a process followed annually by districts for varied reasons.

The public-comment period had a committee-approved suspension of the standard three-minute limit, allowing extended testimony. Multiple speakers called for greater transparency about how the 22 nonrenewals were selected and for additional supports for early-career educators placed in difficult working environments.

What’s next: Committee members said they heard the concerns and that some matters raised are outside the committee’s direct purview; the superintendent and staff said they will continue to meet with students and community members. The committee took no formal vote on personnel decisions at the meeting.