Pittsfield School Committee to Vote on Administrators' Contract
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Committee will vote on an administrators' contract next week. Educators hope their contract isn't far behind.
A special meeting will be held at City Hall to vote on a new contract for the Pittsfield Educational Administrators Association representing deans, principals, assistant superintendents, school psychologists, and adjustment counselors.
The PEAA's last contract ran from 2021-2024. Approval was tabled at the committee's Jan. 22 meeting.
Chair William Cameron explained that changes in the collective bargaining agreement the committee was asked to ratify were not made available to all members until earlier that day.
"A member of the committee reached out to me and said that that was simply not enough time, given everything else that people have to do to review the changes in the collective bargaining agreement that are being proposed," he said.
"And I think that's a fair criticism or a fair judgment that more time is needed. This is a substantial move that the committee would be taking here in approving this."
During the meeting, United Educators of Pittsfield President Jeanne Lemmond said she hoped that the School Committee would have their last negotiation session on Jan. 29 and come to an agreement.
"I stand here tonight to remind the School Committee that the United Educators of Pittsfield have been negotiating for a fair contract since January 2024. Our last negotiating meeting was early November of 2024," she said during open microphone.
"Most issues have been discussed and I feel have been resolved by both parties. There are instances, though, of other topics that will only hold up finalizing this contract."
Specifically, Lemmond said the items are "School Committee proposals that micromanage each teacher's day-to-day teachings that add to their already enormous workload and that do not and will not improve the education of our students."
"As you may recall, we thought we had these issues worked out by a subcommittee who wrangled with these issues but we are now hearing that the committee are not satisfied with the subcommittee solution," she said.
Also during the meeting, two Pittsfield High students spoke in support of their school amid the staff scandal that has generated negative feedback from the public.
Student Council President Caroline Sherman made it clear that "No one is defending the actions of certain individuals. However, that does not validate the connections that students have made with them."
"They were role models, supporters, and much more to so many students so please think about what you are saying before you say it," she said.
She thanked members of the School Committee for meeting with the student government but is unsure if it was done just to check a box or if the officials really wanted to hear students.
"Because it seems like PHS as a community is still going unheard. We are simply asking for your support in our efforts to prove that we at Pittsfield High School are still an incredibly positive, happy, and loving community that has been built on an unwavering foundation," Sherman said.
"I also ask for better communication to the students of PHS. I understand that there is a professional way to go about this however, all we want is a rough outline of a plan, a plan for the bright future ahead that we are all looking to because the rumors just aren't cutting it anymore."
She added that the community's negative comments and assumptions won't change or help the situation, referencing negative Facebook comments and generalized negative assumptions. She is proud to be a part of the community PHS has fostered.
"What happened to picking each other up? What happened to the value of community?" she said.
"This is not the way it should be. So I beg you, as my community, please think about others first and yourself second."
Vice President Mia McCluskey said that throughout the last four years, being a part of the PHS community has changed her life for the better.
"There has always been a competition of which school is better: Taconic or PHS. Recently, with Taconic becoming a full vocational school, this idea of who has the better school has gone down. Instead of the us versus them mindset, Pittsfield students have become a more unified unit. Unfortunately, with the negative comments about PHS and our staff, it is yet again putting the schools against each other and continuing to name Taconic the better school," she said.
"This is not fair to the students and teachers who work extremely hard to make PHS an amazing community and experience for others nor is it productive to pin two schools against each other who collectively produce hard-working students in our community. Due to social media and other news sources, the situations that are happening within the PHS staff have been turned into a citywide issue."
While the concern is appreciated, she discouraged people from commenting in ways that disparage the PHS community.
"We students are reading your comments, just as every other community member is and what you say could be hurtful to the positive community that I have personally tried to create," McCluskey said.
