The meeting began with extensive dialogue about the shortage of nursing staff across the Methuen School District. Allison DWI, representing the Methuen School nurses, brought forward concerns following the resignation of the former nursing director and the removal of a float nurse position without prior discussion. DWI emphasized the dire staffing situation, stating, “Every building is running on a single nurse,” which violates the state’s minimum standard of one nurse for every 500 children. This is particularly problematic in schools where student numbers far exceed this ratio, such as the high school with over 2,000 students.

DWI elaborated on the impact of the shortage on student care, particularly for those with mental health issues and other medical needs. “None of us are doing care plans… those students are just sitting there in limbo,” she noted, highlighting the inability to implement necessary care plans due to the lack of staff. Cara Blat, co-president of the Methuen Education Association, supported DWI’s concerns, stressing the need for adequate nursing resources to care for medically fragile students.

Adding to the urgency, Shannon Quinn spoke of the challenges faced by families of medically complex children, especially given the current nursing shortage. Quinn raised concerns about the availability of care for her type 1 diabetic child if the sole nurse is unavailable, questioning the district’s preparedness for such situations.

The meeting also addressed significant safety concerns following a recent threat at one of the schools. J. Jelbert expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of the incident, advocating for more serious responses such as holding meetings at the police department rather than the school. Jelbert suggested, “A meeting at the police department would be more fitting… that the threat is being taken seriously,” and called for the student involved to be temporarily banned from campus.

Emails from community members echoed these concerns. Jillian Kelly advocated for a zero-tolerance policy for severe offenses, stating, “I believe that first offenses for something so drastic… qualifies for an immediate expulsion.” Cynthia Frzy suggested the installation of metal detectors in schools, comparing their necessity to security measures at courthouses and airports.

The committee also discussed ongoing issues with transportation services. Concerns were raised about the default status of current transportation vendors, who were deemed to be failing their contractual obligations. The functionality of the bus-tracking app, Beacon Connect, was reported to be only partially operational. A motion was proposed and unanimously approved to issue a default letter to the transportation vendors, formally notifying them of their breach of contract. Additionally, the committee declared the transportation situation an emergency under Chapter 30B, allowing the district to procure services from another contractor without a formal bid process.

The discussions then turned to the recruitment challenges for other staff positions, notably special education roles and school psychologists. Despite efforts to fill these vacancies, the district has faced difficulties competing with surrounding towns’ pay scales. The committee acknowledged the high costs associated with outsourcing services due to these unfilled positions and the impact on budget management.

One significant proposal was to increase the per diem rate for school nurses and to establish a rate for licensed practical nurses (LPNs), which was unanimously approved. The committee recognized the importance of adjusting these rates to attract qualified candidates amidst the ongoing nursing shortage. There was also a call to reconsider the reinstatement of a floating nurse position, which had been previously cut due to budget constraints.

In terms of school operations, a brief facilities report included updates on resolving issues like the “Do Not Enter” sign at a local school and the installation of a new flag at CGS, both of which were positively received. Additionally, transportation issues, particularly those affecting afternoon services, were noted, with plans for a meeting with the transportation contractor, Beacon, to address these concerns.

The Methuen School Committee also focused on the development of a three-year strategic plan for improvement from 2024 to 2027. Dr. Golovsky presented changes to the plan based on previous feedback, emphasizing the need to streamline the plan while maintaining necessary actions. The committee particularly aimed to measure the effectiveness of tiered mental health services for students.

Lastly, the committee discussed the first reading of a proposed staff conduct policy, which received heavy criticism for being unclear and overly broad. Members suggested reviewing policies from other districts as a model for improvement and sending the policy to the policy subcommittee for revision. The motion to table the proposed policy was passed, allowing for further refinement.