Shawsheen Tech ratifies business manager contract 7-1 at Jackson's final meeting

BILLERICA -- June 21, 2022, Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical School District School Committee ratified its new business manager contract 7-1 and approved fiscal year 2023 budget line item transfers 6-1-1 Tuesday, June 21, wrapping a meeting dominated by the farewell of outgoing Superintendent Brad Jackson. In his final report, Jackson warned the committee to expect new English Language Learner budget requests in FY24 and beyond, saying the district's decision to eliminate a cut score from its admissions policy had directly produced its first cohort of students requiring mandatory one-on-one ELL instruction, three students whose needs will consume the entire ELL half of the new dual-certified SPED-ELL teacher's schedule. The committee also voted unanimously to move its regular meeting start time from 7:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. beginning September 27. Jackson credited the committee with expanding co-teaching, achieving a clean DESE ELL compliance review with no findings, and transitioning the district to one-to-one student technology at no direct taxpayer cost using federal COVID relief funds, noting that seven of the ten committee members who hired him in 2020 are no longer on the board.