‘A Difficult Time’: Melrose Officials Eye Road Ahead Amid School Challenges

MELROSE, MA — Tuesday began with news that Melrose Public Schools Superintendent Julie Kukenberger would leave her position with the school district at the end of the 2022-2023 school year.

The day ended with a School Committee meeting where city and school officials, in part, took stock of a still swirling series of challenges and controversies facing Melrose schools.

“This has been a difficult time for our district and our community,” Melrose Mayor Paul Brodeur said in a statement to Patch shortly before the meeting.

He went on to address a now pending superintendent search process, saying he is confident that district stakeholders will “come together to do the important work of selecting our next educational leader.”

School Committee Chair Jen McAndrew addressed multiple topics, among other things, calling for an end to threats and other “concerning comments and interactions” aimed at School Committee members and their families over issues including educator contracts and school budget problems.

Melrose Education Association President Lisa Donovan also spoke, addressing ongoing contract talks with the Melrose Schools that have yet to produce a new deal to follow previous contracts that expired earlier this year. The lingering unsettled contracts, Donovan said, are “a distraction” for educators trying to do their jobs.

McAndrew announced early Tuesday morning that Kukenberger had told the School Committee she would not seek a new contract beyond the end of the current school year.

The announcement did not state a reason for the departure.

Patch has reached out to Kukenberger for comment but did not hear back as of Tuesday night.

In his statement, Brodeur said Kukenberger “did not discuss” her decision with him before Tuesday morning’s announcement.

READ: Melrose Schools Superintendent Set To Leave District

Gearing up for a superintendent search, Melrose is also still grappling with the aftermath of a $2.2 million school budget shortfall earlier this year as well as its ongoing union negotiations.

McAndrew spoke to union members saying the district wants to work with union counterparts in a non-adversarial way “to get a deal that meets your needs, our students' needs, and the needs of the community.”

Those needs, she said, include “the fiscal needs and realities of the City of Melrose.”

McAndrew said the district put forward a proposal in June that it hoped would settle contract negotiations. That proposal, she said, was rejected. The Melrose Education Association then opted against continuing negotiations through the summer, McAndrew said.

McAndrew noted that current terms of employment under the previous contract between the Melrose Schools and its educators remain in effect.

"Therefore, both the educators and the Committee do have the protections and rights of a contract at this time," she said.

McAndrew said negotiators have additionally signed several "side letter" agreements on key issues during discussions to date.

As negotiations drag onward, Melrose Education Association members were at City Hall alongside supporters last week to protest the state of current contract talks.

Donovan brought the union’s message back into public comment before the School Committee on Tuesday.

“Educators want to be able to focus on the job they were hired to do — working with students,” she said.

She reiterated union calls for lower caseloads, increased prep time, increased wages for paraprofessionals and salary increases for teachers, who saw average pay fall more than $15,500 below the state average in 2020, according to state data last updated in April.

“Our working conditions are our students’ learning conditions,” she said.

Donovan was later joined by other Melrose Education Association members including Joellen Beaudet, Jen O'Brien and Nicole Goodhue who, in part, responded to McAndrew’s comments about a summer pause on negotiations.

The union chose not to negotiate over the summer, members said, in hopes that time off would allow parties to come back to the table with new full proposals. The district, members continued, did not bring such a proposal for at least one of the Melrose Education Association's bargaining units when talks resumed this fall.

McAndrew said School Committee members share a sense of unhappiness about issues that others in the community may also feel.

The frustration, she said however, has coupled with recent threats.

“This needs to end,” she said.

McAndrew did not go into detail on threats in question.

She sperately acknowledged criticism recently leveled against her over communication regarding school district issues, though.

She said she “could have done more” to communicate with the community during recent months.

“I am sorry for my shortcomings and mistakes and especially if they, in any way, left people feeling upset or reflected badly on the Committee,” McAndrew continued. “That was not my intention, I hope you know.”

McAndrew announced that she will leave her role as the chair of the Melrose School Committee at the end of the calendar year.

Next steps for Melrose now include shuffling on the School Committee, as McAndrew invited colleagues this week who are interested in leadership roles on the committee to voice their interest in the month of November ahead of a possible vote to elect a new chair in December.

In the meantime, McAndrew has looked to the superintendent search process, saying more information will be forthcoming along with opportunities for public engagement as the process gets underway.

Melrose educators, likewise, continue to work on their expired contract, with plans to hold a walk out and rally on Thursday as part of continued demonstrations.

Back at the bargaining table, both union and district officials said this week that they plan to meet for more negotiations in the coming days and weeks.