In public comments, union demands full-time Kindergarten aides.
The October 21 School Committee meeting began with an unusually long (45-minute) public comment period with 14 speakers — the majority of whom were Newton Public Schools (NPS) educators who spoke in favor of the restoration of full-time Kindergarten aides in Newton’s elementary schools. Full time Kindergarten aides were agreed to in 2019 following the restoration of full-day Kindergarten in Newton Public Schools, but they were eliminated during budget-related cuts under Interim Superintendent Kathy Smith and then-School Committee Chair Tamika Olzsewski (Ward 4) in 2023. While full-time Kindergarten aides were not among the items negotiated in the contentious February 2024 NTA collective bargaining agreement following the teacher’s strike, an arbitrator sided with the NTA’s position later that spring that such aides were required. NPS is awaiting its appeal of the arbitrator’s decision.
Bus Transportation
Additional public commenters advocated for no changes to the current NPS practice of providing bus transportation for Newton residents who attend private schools, as well as a woman who identified herself as the attorney representing one of the families whose child was affected by potential abuse while riding on an NPS school bus to attend the Newton Early Childhood Program (NECP). The attorney questioned why the district had not contacted families whose children may have previously come into contact with the accused bus driver.
Following the regular Superintendent’s update, some School Committee members made comments addressing the allegations against the the bus driver, but they did not provide any new information to the public beyond what was shared in a district-wide email on Friday October 18. Superintendent Nolin expressed dismay at the situation but cautioned that the matter was currently under the jurisdiction of the Newton Police Department and that NPS had little non-public information about that investigation.
The lengthiest agenda item was regarding possible changes to NPS-provided transportation for students who attend private schools. A memo from the NPS Finance and Operations Department summarized the district’s legal obligation to provide transportation to private school students “within the City of Newton boundaries and said private school is the same distance or closer to the student’s residence than the public school they are entitled to attend, e.g., their zoned NPS school.” However, NPS presently exceeds this obligation and provides transportation for private school students regardless of the distance from their residence to their school. Committee members, notably Chris Brezski (Chair, Ward 2) have questioned the fairness of providing private school students a service (long-distance transportation) that is not available to public school students. A vote on the matter is expected later this school year.
2025-2026 School Calendar
The final item discussed, but not voted on, was the proposed academic year 2025-2026 school calendar. If the proposal is adopted, the school year would begin on Tuesday September 2, the day after Labor Day, and end on Monday June 22 if there are no snow days.
The meeting replay is available on NewTV.
