The School Committee convened on Monday January 9 for a busy agenda that began with a Consent Agenda vote on 5 items, including the Interim Superintendent Goals and an approval for NPS to seek a five-year contract for Special Education Transportation Services. The five items passed 7-0, with Ward 6 representative Paul Levy and Mayor Ruthanne Fuller absent.
Amy Mistrot, NPS Director of Business Operations, gave a presentation updating the school meal program’s participation rates and finances. Slide 5 of the presentation points out that 52% of the program’s $3.8 million annual budget is for staffing, rather than food or materials expense. Ms. Mistrot emphasized this point in her remarks and noted how Whitsons, the NPS food services vendor, has struggled to stay adequately staffed due to inflation and competition in labor markets.
Later in the meeting, NPS Director of Human Resources Martine Albama presented on NPS staff retention strategies and relative compensation compared with other nearby Massachusetts school districts. The presentation showed NPS as a top-paying school district within the state, with a particularly high teacher-retention rate of 90%, compared with Wellesley (82%), Weston (82.5%), Brookline (82.6%), and Needham (89.5%). Another notable data point from the presentation was the hourly rate paid to Unit C employees, who are classroom aides and behavioral specialists. The Unit C hourly rate in some cases is 30% or more higher than the second-highest paying district in the presentation’s comparative group.
Video of the meeting replay will be available on NewTV.