Minutes
Quincy School Committee
Health, Transportation & Safety Subcommittee Meeting
February 6, 2017
A meeting of the Health, Transportation & Safety Subcommittee was held on Monday, February 6,
2017 at 6:00 pm in the Coddington Building. Present were Mrs. Kathryn Hubley, Ms. Barbara Isola,
Mrs. Emily Lebo, Mrs. Anne Mahoney, and Mr. James DeAmicis, Chair. Also attending were
Superintendent DeCristofaro, Deputy Superintendent Kevin Mulvey, Mrs. Rita Bailey, Mr. Michael
Draicchio, Ms. Sara Dufour, Mrs. Elizabeth Manning, Mrs. Maura Papile, Ms. Madeline Roy, Mr. Keith
Segalla; Quincy Education Association President Allison Cox; and Ms. Laura Owens, Clerk.
Mr. DeAmicis called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm and Dr. DeCristofaro introduced new Food
Services Director Sara Dufour a registered dietician who previously worked with the Newton Public
Schools. Building on the many relationships maintained by retired Director Joanne Morrissey, Ms.
Dufour is networking through the Massachusetts Association of Food Services Directors, participating
in the purchasing collaborative and the Commodities Task Force team works with USDA to improve
food quality, streamlining purchasing and implementation. The Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education (DESE) is also a resource for professional staff development, provide training to
ensure all Food Services staff complete the required hours annually.
Ms. Dufour gave an overview of Direct Certification, the process by which students whose families
receive other types of transitional assistance are automatically provided with meals. This increased
efficiency means less paperwork and direct access to students in need. Three college interns have
been part of the Food Services team over the course of this school year through Simmons; these
students work alongside staff to learn the Food Services program from the ground up. Curbing food
waste and food tasting programs are initiatives the interns are working on.
New equipment has been funded through a DESE grant and includes salad bar for North Quincy High
School, a refrigerator for Parker, and an oven for Atlantic. Food Services has a new social media
presence, is increasing options at the elementary level, and has a new Food Services monthly
newsletter. Working with the Special Education department, students from the North Quincy High
School Learning Center have joined the Food Services staff at three schools.
Dr. DeCristofaro said that in her first six months with Quincy Public Schools, Ms. Dufour has worked
hard to establish relationships with principals and school-based food services staff.
Principal Planner Liz Manning and School Committee Clerk/Assistant to the Superintendent Laura
Owens presented an update on the Farm to School grant. In December 2016, Quincy Public Schools
and the City of Quincy’s Deparment of Planning & Community Development received the grant from the United States Department of Agriculture for just under $72,000. With planned matching of
salaries and other expenses, the total grant value is $100,000. Under the grant, raised garden beds
have been installed at the Lincoln Hancock Community School and the Clifford Marshall Elementary
School, supported by volunteers from Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Consultation services have been
provided by Holly Hill Farms in Cohasset and they have made visits to three elementary and two
middle schools to assist with garden installation, planting, and preparing gardens for winter.
Teachers from three elementary schools have attended full-day professional development at Holly
Hill and last spring, all 700 second grade students in Quincy Public Schools went on a field trip to Holly
Hill Farm.
Through a collaboration with the National Park Service Adams Historical Site a Picnic in the Park event
was held last April. Over 500 parents and children attended the event, toured the farm through a
scavenger hunt, sampled locally produced foods. Community outreach continued at the August
Moon event last summer. At Clifford Marshall Elementary School, the Bridge to Reading summer
program featured a Farm to School component where each class worked in the school garden once a
week throughout July. At Lincoln Hancock, the Quincy After School Childcare summer program
tended the gardens all summer.
Throughout Fall 2016, the Farm to School Planning Team has continued to meet and plan for
upcoming garden installations at Point Webster Middle School, completed a budget revision and
grant extension through 2017, is planning for another Picnic in the Park event on April 30, and
expanding food tasting efforts through Food Services interns. Food diversion at the high school level
is another event still to be planned.
Mrs. Mahoney left the meeting at 6:30 pm.
Senior Director of Student Support Services Maura Papile presented on the Calm Classroom. Based
on concept of mindfulness, the program helps students and teachers develop self-awareness, mental
focus, and inner calm. The program provides students and staff with the tools to more effectively
manage stress, regulate their emotions, and in turn, lead more productive, well-balanced lives.
The Calm Classroom program is composed of breathing, stretching, relaxation, and focusing
techniques. Each scripted technique takes three minutes to implement. Pre-Kindergarten team at
Snug Harbor are implementing as a group. Elementary schools are implementing grade wide and
moving to a full school wide implementation. Middle schools have implemented as part of
specialized programs, part of PBIS
Mrs. Lebo made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:45 pm. Mr. DeAmicis seconded the motion
and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.