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An area that needs improvement for next year is the ability to market our schools. I would
suggest that a committee be formed during the summer months to address this issue. We need
to consider the making of a video to highlight our schools, meeting with real estate brokers and
having a point person for the system should be part of the committee’s task.
Goal Four – Fiscal and Operations Management…
High marks are given to administration for their capital improvement plan as they work
collaboratively with the City Council and the City Manager. In addition we recently heard to
good news from the MSBA about the replacement of Nelson Place School and the five
accelerated repair projects in our school system.
Dealing with a zero base budget, Dr. Boone along with her Chief Financial Officer Brian Allen
have been forward thinking in dealing with the priorities of our system and have kept our
school solvent.
The monitoring of the cleanliness of schools has continued and we now find that our schools
are in much better shape. This year a greater focus on expectations for building cleanliness,
general maintenance, and quality controls has been initiated with success.
A good deal of credit goes to Dr. Boone for pushing the envelope in an attempt to secure
additional funding from the city. Now that we have the communication door open let us
continue with the conversation for our city cannot continue to be in the bottom one percent in
giving above the foundation budget. We need to make sure that education is a priority in this
community.
I would suggest that we begin to address the issue of funding early on and deal with the issue of
Medicaid reimbursement and a 50-­‐50 split on new moneys.
Another funding source to consider for next year would be the expansion of school choice.
In summary, Dr. Boone and her staff continue to move our school system forward and our
school district continues to have the reputation as one of the best urban systems in
Massachusetts. However, the schools cannot do the job alone. We need additional support
from our elected officials and our community partners. It has to be a team approach with
everyone in collaboration. We need to share ideas, think out of the box, and continue to focus
on the needs of our children and their families. I commend Dr. Boone for her perseverance and
diligence as she continues to do an exceptional job as the educational leader in Worcester.
Quoting Helen Keller, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”