MassVoter.com← New Bedford School CommitteeNew Bedford School Committee · 2024–2025 term · Regular meeting · 6:02 p.m.
January 13, 2025
10 recorded votes, 0 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF)
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Note on these minutes: The first page of these minutes is dated January 13, 2025, but the heading inside reads “Monday, January 13, 2024”; the meeting was in 2025.
Present: Jon Mitchell, Christopher Cotter, Bruce Oliveira, Jack Livramento, Jr., Colleen Dawicki, Ross Grace, Jr., Melissa Costa
Absent: None
Every vote, in order
Accept the minutes from the regular meeting of December 9, 2024 as presented and place on file
To accept the minutes from the regular meeting of December 9, 2024 as presented and place on file
From the minutes
“The School Committee voted on a motion made by Mr. Christopher Cotter and seconded by Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. to accept the minutes from the regular meeting of December 9, 2024 as presented and place on file. The vote was as follows: Mr. Ross Grace, Jr. - Yes Ms. Colleen Dawicki - Yes Mr. Christopher Cotter - Yes Ms. Melissa Costa - Yes Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. - Yes Mayor Jon Mitchell - Yes Mr. Bruce Oliveira - Yes 7-Yeas, 0-Nays, 0-Absent.” (Motion: Cotter, second: Livramento)
Accept the Finance & Operations Transfer Report as presented and place on file
To accept the Finance & Operations Transfer Report as presented and place on file
From the minutes
“The School Committee voted on a motion made by Mr. Bruce Oliveira and seconded by Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. to accept the Finance & Operations Transfer Report as presented and place on file. The vote was as follows: Mr. Ross Grace, Jr. - Yes Ms. Colleen Dawicki - Yes Mr. Christopher Cotter - Yes Ms. Melissa Costa - Yes Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. - Yes Mayor Jon Mitchell - Yes Mr. Bruce Oliveira - Yes 7-Yeas, O-Nays, 0-Absent.” (Motion: Bruce Oliveira, second: Livramento)
Accept the Finance & Operations Reports as presented and placed on file
To accept the Finance & Operations Reports as presented and placed on file
From the minutes
“The School Committee voted on a motion made by Mr. Bruce Oliveira and seconded by Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr, to accept the Finance & Operations Reports as presented and placed on file. The vote was as follows: Mir. Ross Grace, Jr. - Yes Ms. Colleen Dawicki - Yes Mr. Christopher Cotter - Yes Ms. Melissa Costa - Yes Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. -- Yes Mayor Jon Mitchell - Yes Mr. Bruce Oliveira - Yes 7-Yeas, 0-Nays, 0-Absent.” (Motion: Bruce Oliveira, second: Livramento)
Accept the Personnel report as presented and place on file
To accept the Personnel report as presented and place on file
From the minutes
“The School Committee voted on a motion made by Mr. Christopher Cotter and seconded by Mr. Ross Grace Jr, to accept the Personnel report as presented and place on file. The vote was as follows: Mr. Ross Grace, Jr. - Yes Ms. Colleen Dawicki - Yes Mr. Christopher Cotter - Yes Ms. Melissa Costa - Yes Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. - Yes Mayor Jon Mitchell - Yes cc cee eens neem 5)Page Mr. Bruce Oliveira - Yes 7-Yeas, 0-Nays, 0-Absent.” (Motion: Cotter, second: Grace)
Approve the 2025-2026 Early Childhood Center plan for the John A
To approve the 2025-2026 Early Childhood Center plan for the John A
From the minutes
“The School Committee voted on a motion made by Mr. Bruce Oliveira and seconded by Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. to approve the 2025-2026 Early Childhood Center plan for the John A. Parker Elementary School as presented. The vote was as follows: Mr. Ross Grace, Jr. - Yes Ms. Colleen Dawicki - Yes Mr. Christopher Cotter - Yes Ms. Melissa Costa - Yes Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. - Yes Mayor Jon Mitchell - Yes Mr. Bruce Oliveira - Yes 7-Yeas, 0-Nays, 0-Absent.” (Motion: Bruce Oliveira, second: Livramento)
Approve the Out of State Travel for administrators/staff/students as presented
To approve the Out of State Travel for administrators/staff/students as presented
From the minutes
“The School Committee voted on a motion made by Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. and seconded by Mr. Christopher Cotter to approve the Out of State Travel for administrators/staff/students as presented. The vote was as follows: Mr. Ross Grace, Jr. - Yes Ms. Colleen Dawicki - Yes Mr. Christopher Cotter - Yes Ms. Melissa Costa -- Yes Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. - Yes Mayor Jon Mitchell - Yes Mr. Bruce Oliveira - Yes 7-Yeas, 0-Nays, 0-Absent.” (Motion: Livramento, second: Cotter)
Table policy ACA Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Sex and refer it to the Governance and Policy Sub-Committee
To table policy ACA Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Sex and refer it to the Governance and Policy Sub-Committee
From the minutes
“The School Committee voted on a motion made by Mr. Christopher Cotter and seconded by Mr. Bruce Oliveira to table policy ACA Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Sex and refer it to the Governance and Policy Sub-Committee. The vote was as follows: Mr. Ross Grace, Jr. - Yes Ms. Colleen Dawicki - Yes Mr. Christopher Cotter - Yes Ms. Melissa Costa - Yes Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. - Yes Mayor Jon Mitchell - Yes Mr. Bruce Oliveira - Yes 7-Yeas, 0-Nays, 0-Absent.” (Motion: Cotter, second: Bruce Oliveira)
Adjourn the meeting and enter into executive session pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws chapter 30A, section 21(a), for the following purposes and return to open session: 1
To adjourn the meeting and enter into executive session pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws chapter 30A, section 21(a), for the following purposes and return to open session: 1
From the minutes
“The School Committee voted on a motion made by Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. and seconded by Mr. Christopher Cotter to adjourn the meeting and enter into executive session pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws chapter 30A, section 21(a), for the following purposes and return to open session: 1. Purpose (3) to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining and negotiations with non-union personnel: a) Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations - Mr. David Flynn 2. Purpose (3) to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining and negotiations with union personnel: a. New Bedford Educator's Association (NBEA) - Unit B New Bedford High School b. NBEA-- Unit A John A. Parker Elementary School c. NBEA Unit A d. NBEA Unit B e. Federation of Paraprofessionals The roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Ross Grace, Jr. - Yes Ms. Colleen Dawicki - Yes Mr. Christopher Cotter - Yes Ms. Melissa Costa - Yes Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. - Yes Mayor Jon Mitchell - Yes Mr. Bruce Oliveira - Yes 7-Yeas, 0-Nays, 0-Absent.” (Motion: Livramento, second: Cotter)
Accept and ratify the New Bedford Educator's Association Unit B New Bedford High School contract dated December 2024 as presented
To accept and ratify the New Bedford Educator's Association Unit B New Bedford High School contract dated December 2024 as presented
From the minutes
“The School Committee voted on a motion made by Mr. Bruce Oliveira and seconded by Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. to accept and ratify the New Bedford Educator's Association Unit B New Bedford High School contract dated December 2024 as presented. The roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Ross Grace, Jr. - Yes Ms. Colleen Dawicki - Yes Mr. Christopher Cotter - Yes Ms. Melissa Costa - Yes Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. - Yes Mayor Jon Mitchell - Yes Mr. Bruce Oliveira - Yes 7-Yeas, 0-Nays, 0-Absent.” (Motion: Bruce Oliveira, second: Livramento)
Adjourn the meeting
To adjourn the meeting
From the minutes
“The School Committee voted on a motion made by Mr. Bruce Oliveira and seconded by Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. to adjourn the meeting. The roll call was as follows: Mr. Ross Grace, Jr. - Yes Ms. Coleen Dawicki - Yes Mr. Christopher Cotter - Yes Ms. Melissa Costa - Yes Mr. Jack Livramento, Jr. - Yes Mayor Jon Mitchell - Yes Mr. Bruce Oliveira - Yes 7-Yeas, 0-Nays, 0-Absent.” (Motion: Bruce Oliveira, second: Livramento)
From the New Bedford School Committee’s official minutes, posted on the New Bedford Public Schools website. The minutes are scanned documents, which we read with text recognition. Every vote is a roll call with each member named; we check every count against the names and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades officials; votes and attendance are shown exactly as the minutes record them. Member photos: Melissa Costa, Richard Porter and Von Marie Moniz from The New Bedford Light (Eleonora Bianchi, Nov. 2025); Christopher Cotter from WBSM; Mayor Jon Mitchell from the Council on Competitiveness. William “Brad” Markey from The Standard-Times (Oct. 2023 candidate forum). Jack Livramento, Jr. from The New Bedford Light (Colin Hogan, June 2022).
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