[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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",[32,76,88],{"_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":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6193547,"mediaKeyId","3866855-1c2cd5f7e44ce220f29263f1ac02be97","parentId",3866855,"title","Students and parents press Northampton School Committee over ‘third-period’ scheduling gap at NHS","audioSeconds",2533,"startMs",713000,"endMs",3246000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3866855-1c2cd5f7e44ce220f29263f1ac02be97&start=713&end=3246","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3866855-1c2cd5f7e44ce220f29263f1ac02be97/thumbnail_713000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6193547/Massachusetts/Students-and-parents-press-Northampton-School-Committee-over-third-period-scheduling-gap-at-NHS","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193547-7696e4a4e8be29f8ec53ebae916d7747/orig.mp4?Expires=1770457076&Signature=N99gfoquLZ44En7ev5eR0I8mXfR3fUAAfluKLC0Z88kjP~EjMSZiYSRCypsXxPQXdy~Q6eVjGPELTbYpIAOHk~z24FcuSG3RsSnRX2-GtWaDQa3ecCkHZUoj8IHaMsJ~YO0bt-gWpNZN-HtWb7LEVmkcdv7A1t0NBJe6PWaT7kxN2yvGqRH3XiPgFvpuvFOdB4CykML59fDSeB4K1B2HGUmK6wXz0ylo7uvi-rjb5zKZGp7hSQX81v1r80xHaOCmcBCP3UrZD8tRJjCPiJ4qd0-tS~m9hfmfd1229V948ANwaYcRZHxO9TG5c9U402LcYL5XabiC0JBVK8UZHZ~DQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Northampton City, MA","date","2025-06-19T00:51:10Z","article","A wave of students, parents and staff urged the Northampton School Committee on June 12 to address a “scheduling crisis” at Northampton High School after this spring’s staffing reductions left dozens of rising seniors without on-campus third-period classes.

The committee heard more than a dozen public comments from high school students, parents and employees describing seniors told they face an open third-period or must take classes at Smith College or asynchronous courses that remove them from the high school for significant parts of the day.

The issue, students said, is a direct effect of last year’s budget cuts and the district’s inability to run additional class sections. Student union president Artis Vaughn, who identified himself as the newly elected president of the student union, said he was “kicked out of honors Spanish 5 because the school is unable to run 2 sections and unable to switch me into any other classes because it would create a whole third period second semester.” Vaughn added that many colleges require four years of language, and losing a year could harm admissions chances.

Student representative (NHS) said scheduling “is the realization of many of our concerns regarding the recent and proposed budget cuts,” and reported “more than 75” students affected by holes or conflicting singleton classes. The student representative told the committee: “NHS needs more teachers so that students are able to take NHS classes while they are enrolled at NHS.”

Several students and parents described the practical burdens of the temporary solution offered by guidance counselors: taking one or more Smith College classes off campus or evening/night courses. Parent Lisa Papadimitriou said asking students to take multiple college courses off campus relies on family resources many do not have, and “assumes that they have a car. It assumes that they don't have to care for younger siblings. It assumes that they don't have an after-school job.”

Educators and paraprofessionals also spoke. A paraeducator at Northampton High School described students “upset, crying, not knowing what to do,” and said, “It is not Smith College's job to educate high school students in Northampton. That is our job.” Others pointed to students with IEPs among those squeezed by the schedule, raising equity and special-education access concerns.

Why it matters: multiple speakers said the scheduling gaps threaten college competitiveness for honor and AP students, disrupt school community participation, and impose transportation and caregiving burdens when students must leave the building for classes. Committee members acknowledged the urgency during discussion of the budget and one-time fund requests later in the meeting.

Committee response and next steps: the committee debated reallocating recently identified city-side savings and state-aid changes to address high-school staffing needs. The board approved an amended motion that directed the superintendent to move quickly to restore staffing at NHS: the motion authorized the superintendent to “restore 2 positions at the high school immediately and fund the school garden program,” and requested that remaining identified funds be returned to the committee at a special meeting on June 25 for decisions about additional allocations. The motion passed on a roll-call vote.

What is unresolved: parents and students asked for rapid hiring so schedules can be set before fall; they also asked for broader remedies to prevent recurring cuts that shrink course offerings. Committee members said additional funding discussions will continue at the June 25 special meeting and during August budget conversations.

The committee’s vote count and details on the emergency allocation appear in the separate “Votes at a glance” summary published with this package.

\"This huge problem could be solved by hiring the teachers that NHS needs,\" one student told the committee. \"Our teachers can't even teach all of the students at NHS.\"","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Northampton School Committee ｜ June 12, 2025 (Full)","oneSentenceSummary","A wave of students, parents and staff urged the Northampton School Committee on June 12 to address a “scheduling crisis” at Northampton High School after this spring’s staffing reductions left dozens of rising seniors without on-campus third-period classes.","taxTitle","Northampton City, Hampshire County, Massachusetts","taxId",68541,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6193538,"Votes at a glance: Northampton School Committee, June 12, 2025",1079,3366000,4445000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3866855-1c2cd5f7e44ce220f29263f1ac02be97&start=3366&end=4445","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3866855-1c2cd5f7e44ce220f29263f1ac02be97/thumbnail_3366000.jpg","/articles/6193538/Massachusetts/Votes-at-a-glance-Northampton-School-Committee-June-12-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193538-215a45b2ae8a1ff09ce07df9e8c6c6ad/orig.mp4?Expires=1770457076&Signature=oTqksW9JTu6wdituxvOcb4RsQWcqNNu7caflAyi2I-O9XIw~Ky3TdylFv~js0k8XKlaKpxZs91eqT71OgCQuaKv1-Ngcp0MRaxNsOJhouSMrDkK~RGpVf6xW3QfX3-0yaN9tSdtcRxfw0qkPxdKynZjLfsJgd3Mi1nkbEwdeW86e5dCihc4kz6e8JjPy7u18p7fN6lurVEMi8x613rzXA3EFMI4vVwSYF0CEjYkjKunSQeYIfqmh~eF3BGwJap053mLGSXGQzfLd7kAmrtV88xFwaZROjEmeWkhj-SHNs-MNlI1fQq1hz704eKZbeOvNnVepPdS3zSMdQb~0gMGvAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The School Committee recorded multiple formal actions on June 12, 2025. This snapshot lists each item voted on during the meeting, the motion text as recorded on the agenda or in the meeting, the mover/second (as captured in the transcript), the roll-call tally when available, and the committee’s next-step instructions.

1) Approval of minutes and routine recommended actions
- Motion: Approve minutes listed and recommended routine actions (see agenda).
- Mover/Second: Member Miller / Member Davis.
- Outcome: Approved; roll-call unanimous among members present.

2) IT budget transfer ($15,000)
- Motion: Approve budget transfer to increase district-wide software/license fees using available maintenance/repair lines.
- Mover/Second: Member Gacy / Member Miller.
- Outcome: Approved (roll-call); funds reallocated to district licenses.

3) Special education grant/account correction ($62,940)
- Motion: Transfer $62,940 into special-education salary lines to correct earlier grant coding (tuition vs salary).
- Mover/Second: Member Gacy / Member Miller.
- Outcome: Approved (roll-call); administrative accounting correction.

4) Revised 2025–26 school calendar
- Motion: Adopt revised calendar (professional development day change; corrected school-day count).
- Mover/Second: Member Gacy / Member Stein.
- Outcome: Approved (roll-call).

5) NEF Small Grants acceptance ($32,950.35)
- Motion: Accept NEF small grants funding 11 school projects.
- Mover/Second: Member Miller / Member Reisenfroid.
- Outcome: Approved by roll-call; administration to accept and implement per donor terms.

6) NEF Endowment grants (GrowFood $11,000; Math Recovery $29,000)
- Motion: Accept NEF Endowment grants for elementary programming.
- Mover/Second: Member Miller / Member Gacy.
- Outcome: Approved (roll-call); district to administer funds and report per NEF protocols.

7) Special-education transportation contract renewal (Vanpool)
- Motion: Renew contract for special-education transportation and continue concurrent analysis of alternatives.
- Mover/Second: Member Sophie Cox / Member Miller.
- Outcome: Approved (roll-call); transportation director to report back on options.

8) LEADS before/after rates (pricing adjustment and review)
- Motion: Approve LEADS program hourly rate increases, add sibling discount and refer account balance/long-term sustainability to Budget & Property for review.
- Mover/Second: Member Sophie Cox / Member Miller.
- Vote: Approved (7–1); review by Budget & Property requested.

9) Authorization for superintendent to enter business-administrator negotiations (amended)
- Initial motion (failed): Authorize superintendent to enter negotiations with the business administrator for up to two years at 3% annual increases.
- Amended motion (passed): Authorize superintendent to enter negotiations and consult the School Committee in executive session to provide guidance before any final contract is returned to the public body for a vote.
- Outcome: Amended motion approved (roll-call); administration to conduct negotiation and hold executive-session consultation prior to any public vote.

10) Immediate staffing and one-time fund request (amended)
- Motion (as amended and approved): Authorize the superintendent to post and restore two prioritized NHS positions immediately, fund the school garden program, and request one-time funds for other prioritized items (including superintendent search and identified cut-list items); administration to report a detailed accounting at the June 25 special meeting.
- Outcome: Approved (roll-call). Immediate hiring and June 25 reporting directed.

Notes and next steps: where the committee approved transfers or grant acceptances, the administration was directed to implement the financial changes and report back as required by district policy. For the multi-item one-time funding request and the LEADS referral, the committee set a June 25 special meeting and Budget & Property review, respectively, for detailed follow-up. The committee also required executive-session consultation prior to any final contract vote for the business administrator.","Summary of formal motions, roll-call outcomes and next steps from the June 12 School Committee meeting, including transfers, grant acceptances, contract renewals and authorizations for immediate hires at NHS.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6193542,"School committee weighs cellphone limits; members favor student input and phased approach",1502,4997000,6499000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3866855-1c2cd5f7e44ce220f29263f1ac02be97&start=4997&end=6499","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3866855-1c2cd5f7e44ce220f29263f1ac02be97/thumbnail_4997000.jpg","/articles/6193542/Massachusetts/School-committee-weighs-cellphone-limits-members-favor-student-input-and-phased-approach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193542-8731fbb89264d9e9a3f44f01d190449e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770457076&Signature=NtVijUeKS~-HyqKR6Koqm~wipmHVcqPJ~M0c8rLL5QVfH1IfxE56mxp6geD1mBNdUgHJ3dYejZZoHdE~mtSLHgJCW~ikr9aJ1WlMIc5tVY-VtTE~Z0hab-Yqr1xKYHsX0zzgYuLOTv84XLf6JXps8Ru8fn5x6cVZTOumdh1d9m2gzWeQ4qXP8dbajp0NInAyyUluT5E54yM4AIkBQKAjpHWNEde27mJf9bL1G38bvmnB8XVHCG1kcxWnvjK67ZoS0ZpUtX93b7yDwh-9Vd-Qj7z4gQB-Qy4G5Vg9LtvQMn2We3O28PIkxAA9~raAZo1as1hwSmvfp~MnbuwSZ0mOPw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Northampton School Committee spent extensive time on June 12 reviewing two draft cellphone policies and seeking direction on whether to adopt a prescriptive ban, or a shorter policy that gives administrators and the superintendent latitude to set school-specific procedures in consultation with students and staff.

At the start of the conversation the committee heard a presentation of national and local statistics characterizing the scale of student cellphone use and potential harms. One speaker summarized the research: \"97 percent of students use cell phones during the school day. 72 percent of high school teachers report that it’s a major distraction in classes,\" and noted concerns about cyberbullying and adolescent mental health.

Committee members broadly agreed that the issue should be approached differently across grade levels. Several members said elementary and middle school students should have phones stored out of sight during the school day; many favored a shorter, framework-style policy that charges the superintendent and building administrators to design operational details rather than adopting a long, prescriptive rule at the committee level.

Student participation: multiple committee members and students asked that Northampton High School students be engaged directly in drafting high-school-specific rules. Member Pfizer Freund said she “feel[s] strongly that we need to not think the same way about elementary school students as we think about high school students” and urged involvement of juniors and seniors in policy development. Student union representatives present asked to be formally included; the committee acknowledged that and several members pointed to existing outreach and a parents’ forum held earlier in April.

Exceptions and implementation: the committee discussed how medical or IEP-based exceptions would be handled, whether exceptions would be accommodated through a guidance or nurse’s office, and how to avoid teacher-to-teacher inconsistency. Members asked administrators to provide clearer protocols for documented exceptions (medical/IEP) and to design enforcement that minimizes punitive contact between teachers and students.

Direction to staff: the committee asked administration to draft a two-track approach: a shorter, all-district policy framework that requires phones to be secured out of sight for elementary and middle schools and a development process for a high-school policy co-drafted with NHS students, staff and families. Members suggested a phased rollout (start elementary/middle first), with the administration returning to the committee with a recommended implementation plan and timelines in August. The committee did not adopt final policy language on June 12.

Quotable: “I would not support any policy that is a blanket policy for all ages,” said Member Pfizer Freund, calling for separate processes for older students. Member Hennessy said she supported a short policy for the lower grades and charging high school administration and students with designing an NHS-specific plan.

Next steps: administration was asked to (1) draft implementation guidance for a short districtwide policy for elementary and middle grades, (2) convene a student-inclusive working group at NHS to craft high-school rules, and (3) bring a recommendation and draft language back to the committee in August for further action.","The School Committee discussed two draft cellphone policies for Northampton schools and directed administration to develop a plan that differentiates between elementary/middle and high school, includes student participation, and returns recommendations in August.","actionData","errors"]

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Students and parents press Northampton School Committee over ‘third-period’ scheduling gap at NHS

Votes at a glance: Northampton School Committee, June 12, 2025

School committee weighs cellphone limits; members favor student input and phased approach