Saugus Union School District parents expressed their frustrations about shorter transitional kindergarten and kindergarten days at Tuesday’s governing board meeting and urged board members to consider their decision carefully before approving the agreement.
Despite several Saugus parents speaking in opposition to the Saugus Teachers’ Association and the district’s signed memorandum of understanding about universal dismissal times and shorter TK and kindergarten school days, the board voted to approve the agreement 4-0. Board member Katherine Cooper was absent from the meeting.
Melissa Mugaro was the first Saugus parent to speak at the meeting over Zoom about how the district’s approach to making this change for next school year was concerning.
She said that the district initially sent out a survey asking how parents would feel about a universal dismissal time throughout the district.
“The post indicated that the district thought this would create equity for school staff and be an easier pickup process with families,” said Mugaro. “I appreciated that our input was being sought despite being well aware every family situation is different and some would be in favor while others would not. After the poll closed, we did not hear anything about proposed changes until a single sentence in a parent square post about paraeducators labor negotiations several weeks ago.”
She said that parents were never asked for their input on the shorter TK and kindergarten days. “The lack of transparency and apparent lack of interest in engaging parents in the process of addressing potential problems in considering possible solution is unacceptable.”
Parents should be made aware of the changes to the children’s educational day, Mugaro added.
STA President Linda Valdes said that, procedurally, that is how negotiations are done.
“When something is open in a vote, we don’t discuss it,” said Valdes at the meeting.
She said that during negotiations there is a lot of back-and-forth discussions being done to come up with something that members think is reasonable. She added that a few parents had even reached out STA to ask why they didn’t survey parents about the shorter dismissal time.
Valdes said, “The Saugus Teachers Association represents the working conditions of our members. We understand the importance of transparency and firmly believe all stakeholders should have the opportunity to provide feedback when decisions are being discussed that impact them. However, surveying parents on a district-wide change like potential universal dismissal models would have to be connected by the district, not by the teachers or the classified associations. We do, however, appreciate that you reached out to us and we are happy to answer questions to the best of our ability.”
Having three children who went through half-day programs, Valdes said, she believed it can be a very effective model. She said it hasn’t been done in a long time and it wasn’t an easy conversation to have but STA is hopeful that it will work out.
Board member Matt Watson said that he recognized this was going to impact the district’s parents immensely but from an educator’s standpoint he favored a half-day program.
Board member Anna Griese asked how many families took the survey that was sent out last year. Jennifer Stevenson, the district’s assistant superintendent of human resources, said 1,898 were in favor of universal dismissal and 1,358 were not in favor.
Board president Patti Garibay asked if the district was working on ways to help the working families who wouldn’t be able to immediately pick up their students.
Stevenson said the district was working on a plan to hire additional staff to help with an afterschool program for the TK and kindergarten to be in until the rest of school is dismissed.
Griese also asked if it was a concern of the district that parents were going to unenroll their students. Stevenson replied, saying parents may choose to do that.
Superintendent Colleen Hawkins said, “I think change is always difficult, but I do think it meets more boxes. It is not a financial savings piece, it is truly something that is in the best for some kids, in the best interest of teachers in their work day, making sure that they have planning, making sure that they can do the things that they need to do in order to make the time that we’re in the school the very best that it can be.”
Watson made a motion to approve the agreement, changing the schools’ dismissal times. The motion was seconded by board member Christopher Trunkey. The motion passed 4-0.
