School Committeewoman Lambert resigns seat, moves out of city

Supt. Hart to address absenteeism with attendance committee

By Neil Zolot

EVERETT – Member At-Large and Vice Chairperson Samantha Lambert has resigned from the School Committee. “Due to reasons beyond my control, I will be moving out of the city,” she said at the end of the School Committee meeting on Monday, June 17. “I don’t know how not to be from Everett, but I’m going to find out. Housing in Everett is very difficult, even predatory.”

She added that her resignation “will make some people happy but many more unhappy. I don’t regret anything I’ve said but do regret things I didn’t. For those who tried to harm me, you weren’t hurting me, you were hurting my children.”

Lambert reportedly rents from former School Committee Member Thomas Abruzzese, who reportedly sold the house on Pierce Avenue.

Any number of methods could be used to fill the seat. The next highest vote getter in the 2023 At-Large race outside the three winners Lambert, Samantha Hurley and Joseph LaMonica could get the seat, if they received 20% of the total vote. That could be Cynthia Sarnie, who was an incumbent in 2023 and trailed LaMonica by only 16 votes with 1,527 total votes, if she’s still living in the city or even interested after getting married. Kristin Bairos finished 5th with 1,450 votes, 77 behind Sarnie. In some communities the existing School Committee appoints a replacement until the term for that seat ends.

The major issue discussed was that of chronic absenteeism, about which Schools Supt. William Hart formed a study committee to respond to concerns voiced by Ward 4 Member Robin Babcock. She feels one example of students not being engaged in school is absenteeism, along with rampant cell phone use. It seems to be more prevalent among students for whom English is not their first language, 41% in Everett, and low-income students, over 70% in Everett. “I’ve had parents tell me their student is distracted in class and doesn’t feel a sense of belonging,” she said. “Students who are here and engaged have better post-graduate outcomes, lower rates of depression and substance abuse and higher rates of contentedness.”

The Mass. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) defines a chronically absent student as one that missed 10% of school, usually 18 days in a 180-day school year. Hart appointed Whittier School Principal Michael McLucas as head of a School Department Attendance Committee of teachers, paraprofessionals and administrators to study the issue. Input was gleaned from parents at community meetings at local schools. “Absenteeism affects students’ abilities to access academic support a school provides,” McLucas noted.

Everett’s 2023-24 school year chronic absenteeism rate, calculated though March 1, was 34.6%. That’s higher than Chelsea’s 33%, Revere’s 29.3% and Malden’s 24.5%. The National Center for Education Statistics calculates the national rate at 18%.

The Everett rate is a drop from a 37.6% in 2022-23 and a high of 42.7% in 2021-22, but still higher than the lowest recent rate, 19% in 2019-20. Between 2016-17 and 2018-19 it was between 20 and 21%. “Numbers are still higher than the pre-pandemic rates,” McLucas acknowledged.

Parent surveys have thus far indicated illness as the prime reason for absences. When asked what the first reason for a child’s absence was, illness was the prime reason for 87.9%. Asked for the second reason, 51.5% answered illness, 27.3%, injuries and 7.6%, safety concerns. Asked for the third reason, 50% was illness, and learning challenges and personal relations rated 10.6% each. Asked what would help, 57.6% answered there was a need for social and emotional support and 56.1% answered that participation in afterschool enrichment programs and clubs would help.

Parents were asked what the consequences of absenteeism should be and were allowed to pick more than one selection. Out of approximately 75 parents, half answered morning or afternoon detention; 43.9% answered mandatory enrollment in academic support programs; 33.3%, enrollment in programs specifically linked to attendance; 25.8%, enrollment in summer programs; and 13.6%, referral to the School Department’s Family Resource Center in City Hall.

The Family Resource Center has proven to be a valuable asset. “It’s showing impact because they’re intervening at the right time and help identify resources,” Hart said.

Other steps that can and are being taken are phone calls and meetings with parents, a mentoring program with teachers and recognition of good attendance, including having banners in classes with good attendance.

In other items, Hart told the members he would be appearing before the City Council on Monday, June 24, to unveil plans to use the old High School (548 Broadway) for 7th and 8th grade classes. “I wanted to keep you abreast before I go, so no one will be caught off guard,” he told them. He also said the City administration asked him to do so.

Current plans would have 43 classrooms, plus a library, gym, cafeteria and administrative offices there. “It will allow us to program for that age group and free up space in the rest of the buildings,” he said in reference to K-8 neighborhood schools.

The building currently houses a preschool, boxing club and the independent Eliot Family Resource Center and needs a new roof, among other things.