[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6102984,"mediaKeyId","2802546-c04054011677a4a1a9926392155e5da8","parentId",2802546,"title","At a glance: Chelsea School Committee votes on school choice, calendar, and field trips","audioSeconds",552,"startMs",4988000,"endMs",5540000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2802546-c04054011677a4a1a9926392155e5da8&start=4988&end=5540","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2802546-c04054011677a4a1a9926392155e5da8/thumbnail_4988000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6102984/Chelsea-City/Suffolk-County/Massachusetts/At-a-glance-Chelsea-School-Committee-votes-on-school-choice-calendar-and-field-trips","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6102984-7703c6ba57d516d14f818ea4d74e9a6b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433384&Signature=ZWCfWjbAZb9EkHrZh-Kz4Lu80vZhHl9ME6sNRJmQZQ0satZCtk5Be46e9~zcrdV~XuIHJGnJTS1w9khrMctUVcy~WufZ7TFKInkXcy8w~-YDD8jYH85E0823ComJck-mg73KGr5V-WbCru7zGXKmQCXBo-js0oW1zb9Jm1AcH1djRBJAqBpfmMN91DRMX2OJFOqDKwGKssP0TBnSIYoVp6oD3KleoLanozF44FHRB9o-0XKmLFnwZ~3v3w8j962hXfpHseLfe5CMtU8TubnvAz9oh1y~Vr-Feux-18cXhAqIw7Ua3zZXS5ikvSwV4DMV8b7va1FvdsWNY5DYrl15lg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Chelsea Public Schools, MA","date","2025-03-28T00:00:00Z","article","In a set of largely noncontroversial votes, the Chelsea School Committee approved several agenda items by roll call, each passing 7–0 with two members absent.

The votes included:
- Forego school choice for the 2025–26 school year (committee vote: 7 in the affirmative, 2 absent). The committee’s motion was worded as “consideration and action to forego school choice for the 2025–26 school year.”
- Adopt the Chelsea Public Schools calendar for the 2025–26 school year (7–0, 2 absent).
- Approve three field trips: an April 9–10 overnight trip to Blue Hills Reservation for 10 COA students and three chaperones (Outdoor Experience course); an April 17 trip to the Newport Mansions in Newport, R.I., for 178 Chelsea High School students and 20 chaperones (Gilded Age historical research); and a June 9 trip to Canopy Lake Park, Salem, N.H., for 153 eighth-grade students and 15 chaperones (end-of-year school engagement experience). All trip approvals passed by roll call (7–0, 2 absent).

Committee members gave no extended debate on these items beyond the roll-call votes and brief procedural clarifications. Chair Hernandez called the roll for each item and announced that each motion carried with seven affirmative votes and two members absent.

Ending: These routine approvals complete the committee’s new-business agenda; committee leaders encouraged continued public engagement on budget and safety matters that drew extended public comment earlier in the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Chelsea City School Committee Meeting of 3-27-25","oneSentenceSummary","The committee approved a slate of routine items including foregoing school choice for 2025–26, adoption of the 2025–26 school calendar, and several overnight and out-of-state field trips; all measures passed by roll call with seven affirmative votes and two absent.","taxTitle","Chelsea City, Suffolk County, Massachusetts","taxId",78275,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6102989,"School Committee removes meeting time limits from operating protocols after debate",276,5127000,5403000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2802546-c04054011677a4a1a9926392155e5da8&start=5127&end=5403","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2802546-c04054011677a4a1a9926392155e5da8/thumbnail_5127000.jpg","/articles/6102989/Chelsea-City/Suffolk-County/Massachusetts/School-Committee-removes-meeting-time-limits-from-operating-protocols-after-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6102989-fc674146a0bedb1b1c48552430bdec5f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433384&Signature=A8h2Pfff3n6x2ItpXjnfukSh2-odoSzyBswdyINpRGuaVf0BTmQgxX9pmavZvi7pIilwKwlTEcKNLfWbaO3TPWyf3-XdHc-VWo6BOJchwOYHgonWSi4M86oA0yP3O~0ncdgDv4YL6LaVV9Ma2M~MduhOGgmUiiBH7Vlwd5JuDTaXgdbH49Zr4DkT9ow-txV0ZKwg5uKeKttTpSDOWztK8rOq~CVOhN5ky8CO7QTmG7-QhCwkrhnWXAEbzqp2eBJ7AHONNceYJciak171B-b-76W9ve98PGzAymP6nvpGhOL326XsxYPFj1lFao39sqGVLWU7dH-2NkPIm0gcGMk49A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","After debate, the Chelsea School Committee voted to amend and then approve revised operating protocols that removed two specific time-limit bullets that would have suggested meetings run no longer than two-and-a-half hours and presentations be capped at 20 minutes.

Committee member Coves Caraballo (name appears in the record as variations) moved to remove the two timing bullets, arguing that some agenda items — especially training sessions or extended presentations during budget season — should not be constrained by a specified time in the protocols. Colleagues said the language read more as a planning guideline than a formal rule, but a majority agreed that the specific time bullets should be removed to avoid limiting transparency or thorough public discussion.

The committee first voted (roll call) to remove the two timing bullets; the motion passed with seven affirmative votes and two members absent. Members then voted to approve the operating protocols as amended; that motion also passed 7–0 with two absent.

During the discussion, members explained that agenda-setting remains the responsibility of the chair and superintendent, and that the protocols provide planning guidance. Members said they expect the chair to be mindful of meeting length and presentation times when arranging agendas but did not want the protocols to be read as a hard cap that might prevent necessary community discussion.

Ending: The amended operating protocols were adopted; the committee said it will continue to balance timely meetings with the need for transparent, substantive deliberations.","The Chelsea School Committee voted to remove two bullets that had suggested meetings be limited to two-and-a-half hours and presentations to 20 minutes; members said those were planning guidelines and the amendment preserves flexibility for thorough discussion.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6102994,"Students press Chelsea School Committee for sexual-health education, violence prevention and staffing changes",234,1141000,1375000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2802546-c04054011677a4a1a9926392155e5da8&start=1141&end=1375","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2802546-c04054011677a4a1a9926392155e5da8/thumbnail_1141000.jpg","/articles/6102994/Chelsea-City/Suffolk-County/Massachusetts/Students-press-Chelsea-School-Committee-for-sexual-health-education-violence-prevention-and-staffing-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6102994-cd04fe005ce5fb18763e9c4491f6fda7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433384&Signature=GlhxmOzeNmgJC8JlMsdKY2LwKhLZLtzFc06N5UoY5TFjWEEyUtOen7RYA7TE5osrG598BP3RFlvIiL6JLQm65QTZaDIuYzAM34NizUSNVD5BI0HSpuBOClGxhohz~wQBIUumWb~UFiWM0j5sPAaj91fPpQpud5r0jK9ROyvPBm8Cj7ySlMRi4b9zFsDQQ4TQShoTuCqAIEpja9iv~mOxQnEw5Fc93LRDf1Yi5gXgxdYXn4f6yjrrMAtH85InjbYZS49Vd4qjC2XV3ht2EBwHYfzTIoPsqby~Q3WgZRWWuM~WziMmF2bG-qs-qWZp5IQ9L1db6Wx8bdnrPxfyVo-QpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Students and youth representatives used the School Committee’s public-comment period to press for programmatic changes and better school responsiveness.

Speakers asked the committee to allocate more resources to comprehensive sexual-health education, violence-prevention programming and staff training rather than additional security or noninstructional spending. Students also described administrative failures to follow up on promised meetings and cited closed library space as an example of poor communication and support.

Andrea Mendez, a sophomore at Chelsea High School, told the committee that she and other students were promised a meeting by Principal Obed Morales after a student panel on March 20 but the principal called out the next school day and the scheduled library follow-up was blocked when the library closed. “This lack of commitment makes us feel…we are not valued,” Mendez said, describing frustration with how student concerns were handled.

Michael Sanabrio, a senior, said the administration has prioritized spending on cafeteria renovations, bathrooms and increased security rather than on teacher pay and class size reductions. “True safety extends beyond security personnel and bag searches and includes ensuring students have access to a well supported learning environment with dedicated, experienced educators,” Sanabrio said.

Several students urged expanded violence-prevention education to teach conflict resolution, communication and emotional regulation. Max Castellon, a student speaker, said recent incidents — including a teen death and an intruder at the school referenced in public comments — reinforced the need for programming he described as immediate and long-term supports for students.

Student representatives at the meeting also reported curricular and extracurricular updates, including spring athletics, the school musical and MCAS testing dates. Committee members responded by outlining paths for student input, including school-site councils and school-level budgets, and said portions of the adopted general fund budget can be reallocated within large line items to fund training or new courses.

Ending: Committee members and the superintendent thanked students for their testimony and encouraged continued engagement through existing school and district channels such as site councils and scheduled budget-input sessions.","Multiple students told the School Committee they want more comprehensive sex education, violence-prevention classes, better communication with administration and a rethinking of spending priorities, including concerns about cafeteria spending, security staffing and teacher shortages.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6102999,"Chelsea School Committee adopts $150,891,360 general fund budget",660,3816000,4476000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2802546-c04054011677a4a1a9926392155e5da8&start=3816&end=4476","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2802546-c04054011677a4a1a9926392155e5da8/thumbnail_3816000.jpg","/articles/6102999/Chelsea-City/Suffolk-County/Massachusetts/Chelsea-School-Committee-adopts-150891360-general-fund-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6102999-706bc638ca107cf6cad775b5e3165104/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433384&Signature=g8JAQkhy40s14Z~Q1yuhAVQCWoU5W3Wh5gAFee1vhlN2Qvhuyimn0OyZt-za1NKmkSr1dTzLxuQa~KnRsptU-upK1lalNeooz7eHLYIZKpympk-KBJeASk35F9USmWarO3AMahCRlWAMHlGuXDu5MJqt1b3B~QMFBL3w34ObxTPwNgs2NEVhTL5BREnluJCE8yLm7E-~KmD3CVjdaeJpfxqfjf6-eG6UffRNE6yd~Krv-itdCiZIhYKGIF7lT0KOzvB4Wz6JGVhMcDpRCe4ADzEe3Rl2dg8FX~CzZEgTZPlQprcaCFH1kD~8xgCdB6A-m~EdkBXnxxtjx3rUJjmb5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Chelsea School Committee voted 7–0 with two members absent to approve the superintendent’s recommended general fund budget for 2025–26 totaling $150,891,360.

Members and staff described the vote as approval of the overall spending plan rather than a line-by-line spending order. Committee members said larger line items allow flexibility for reallocations at the department or school level. Several student speakers had urged the committee during public comment to reallocate funds toward expanded sexual-health education, violence-prevention programming, teacher support and better communication with students.

Committee member Sarah (first name given in the record only) asked for clarification about what the committee was approving. Dr. Abeyta, the district superintendent, and Chief Financial/Operations staff explained that the approved total sets overall allocations and that flexibility exists within larger line items. Dr. Abeyta said the security/buildings-and-grounds line item is roughly $1 million and can be adjusted within that category if the district chooses to add security staff. She also said mental-health-and-wellness line items could be used for staff training or to create new health classes, including the comprehensive sexual-health education students requested.

Student speakers during the public-comment period described gaps they see in school services. Andrea Mendez, a Chelsea High School sophomore, said administrators promised to meet with students after a recent student panel but did not follow through; she told the committee the principal called out the following school day and the library space students planned to use was closed. Student speaker Michael Sanabrio criticized spending priorities, saying money had gone to cafeteria renovations and additional security staffing while class sizes and teacher absences have harmed instruction. Other students urged more comprehensive sexual-health education and violence-prevention programming.

Committee members said those student requests can be considered within the approved budget. Member Sarah noted that each school has a site-level budget and a school-site council where families and students can provide input. Member Claudia (last name not provided in the transcript) and others said the district received restricted COVID-era funds earmarked by the city and therefore some investments (for example, the cafeteria renovation) were limited by the terms of those grants and could not be reallocated.

Roll call for the budget showed seven votes in the affirmative and two members absent; the motion carried.

The committee chair closed by thanking students for their testimony and encouraging continued engagement through school-site councils and the remaining budget process at the school level.

Ending: The budget takes effect for the 2025–26 school year as the district moves into implementation planning; committee members and staff said they expect to use the budget’s internal flexibilities to respond to students’ requests and to seek additional targeted funding where needed.","The Chelsea School Committee Tuesday approved a $150,891,360 general fund budget for the 2025–26 school year after discussion about flexibility within line items and several public comments from students asking for program and staffing changes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

At a glance: Chelsea School Committee votes on school choice, calendar, and field trips

School Committee removes meeting time limits from operating protocols after debate

Students press Chelsea School Committee for sexual-health education, violence prevention and staffing changes

Chelsea School Committee adopts $150,891,360 general fund budget