Patty Norris Lubold for Holyoke Schools

06/10/2026

HI Ward 6 - here is an update for you from last night’s school committee meeting touching on the following items.
💡Budget forum recap
💡Policy review and how you can weigh in💡Fixing roadwork disruptions to student bus access

Last night’s School Committee meeting, followed a public forum held to discuss next year’s school budget—the culmination of a year-long process with multiple hearings and opportunities for questions and community input along the way. There was no public comment on the matter. The proposed budget continues to center HPS’s strategic priorities.

Later at the start of the regular meeting we honored retiring teachers for their dedication and service to the students and families. Thank you,
Peter McAndrew
Patrice Afflitto
Ana Suarez
Manny Rivera - SRO-
Mary McAndrew-
Jessica Giroux
James Hobert!

We heard public comment from both residents and non-residents who work in the district regarding paraeducators; because this is part of an active negotiation process, I will not comment further here, but I appreciate everyone who took the time to speak as we work together to support students.

Since the end of receivership, the Committee has been actively reviewing governance policies that were not updated during those years. As these policies come forward, it is important for you to know that there is a two-week public comment period during which community members can weigh in before any changes are finalized. A link on how to do that is below.

Additionally, I filed an order that has been referred to the joint City Council–School Committee subcommittee. It addresses a recurring issue I’ve observed during my time on the Committee: roadwork at or near bus stops disrupting students’ ability to get to school when bus transportation is their only option. This is the second instance I am aware of where families were unaware of changes, and students were unable to make it to school. This is especially concerning because many of these students live miles from their assigned schools, so simply walking is not a realistic or safe option.
This points to a breakdown in cross-city department communication and coordination. My goal is to better understand where those gaps exist and how we can fix them. In a community working hard to improve attendance, we need all problem-solvers on deck; this is not about assigning blame, but about fixing a process that is not working so that students can reliably get to school and parents are not left scrambling with unexpected work disruptions when buses cannot reach their usual stops.

Juntos Podemos | Together We Can

06/05/2026

One more amazing celebration of our awesome Holyoke students and families! Congratulations to HHS Class of 2026! In the words of principal McKenna “you are worthy and you are capable!”
And special shout out to my favorite teacher Finn Lubold who got to watch his first ever class of students walk across the stage and into their new adventures! (Once a mom fan always a mom fan!😘)

06/05/2026

What an amazing night celebrating our Dean graduates and families. Be proud of this significant accomplishment. I am excited for what is next for all you!

05/31/2026

👋Hello Ward 6 ,

A colleague recently joked that this season feels like “Maycember” … everything packed in at once, with every event double-booked. It certainly feels that way, and I am hoping, tomorrow’s turn to June brings a bit more breathing room.

Even in the midst of a very busy stretch, it has been an important month for our schools. I wanted to share a few updates that have been on my radar.
Our new superintendent, Jackie Glasheen, will officially begin on July 1. I am also glad that the School Committee and the Holyoke Teachers Association have reached agreement on a new teacher contract. In accordance with state ethics guidance, I did not participate in bargaining because my son is a teacher, but I am pleased to see a resolution that allows everyone to move forward.

The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) issued a strong accreditation report for Holyoke High School (North and Dean). The report highlights meaningful progress over this multi-year process and one key action item: developing a more detailed history curriculum map, which Principal Lori McKenna will lead next year. It also points to inclusion among other as an ongoing area of focus. Reviewers note we have improved how we track the use of inclusive practices in classrooms, but we are not yet consistently measuring which practices lead to better student outcomes. That is an important next step to understanding what is working, what is not, and where to focus our time and resources.
I believe findings like these are also connected more broadly to how we collect and share information as a district. Engagement and inclusion depend on both access and understanding, and both benefit from greater consistency across schools. Currently, key data related to things like the superintendent evaluation, strategic priorities, and program impact often exists across multiple reports and formats, making it difficult for families, staff, and even the School Committee to see the full picture. The same is true for district-funded travel and professional learning. These investments are intended to support students, and we need clearer, more consistent adherence to practices for reporting what was learned and how it is being applied. This is not about criticism; it is about continuous improvement. Strong systems make it easier to identify what is working, strengthen accountability, and invite broader participation in the work. When information is hard to find, engagement stays small. When it is clear and accessible, more voices show up.

We also had the opportunity to celebrate some outstanding students this week. Students from Lawrence Elementary School presented research projects on endangered animals with impressive confidence and clarity. Their work and their ability to present to a board of unfamiliar adults was truly commendable. Thank you to their teacher, Falecia Bagg, for her leadership. We also recognized Samantha Rodriguez and Daniel Garcia, recipients of Superintendent’s Awards for their academic achievement, community involvement, and school leadership. Their accomplishments are a powerful reminder of why this work matters.

I also want to recognize and honor former School Committee member Ronnie Collamore, the longest-serving representative of this ward who recently had a street dedicated to him at the back entrance to Holyoke High School. His decades of engagement and presence in our schools set a high standard for dedication and service. Congratulations and thank you, Mr. Collamore.
Looking ahead:
• On June 3, the School Committee’s ad hoc Family Engagement Committee will hold its first meeting. I will be chairing this effort alongside my colleagues Gladys Lebron Martinez and Rosalie Tensley Williams. This group will focus on strengthening how the School Committee supports district engagement efforts and expands two-way communication with families.
• On June 8, there will be a public hearing on the school budget for next year. I encourage community members to attend and participate.
• On June 17, the School Committee and City Council will meet jointly to select a new Ward 7 School Committee member following Ellie Wilson’s resignation. Ellie was an instrumental leader and incredibly generous in helping me navigate my early time on the committee. I am grateful for her service.
If you live in Ward 7 and are thinking about throwing your name in for consideration: The City of Holyoke invites you to apply for the interim appointment to the Ward 7 School Committee seat to complete Ms. Wilson’s term. Those interested are asked to send their letters of interest, accompanied by a resume to:
City of Holyoke Personnel Office
20 Korean Veterans Plaza
Holyoke, MA 01040
Letters of interest and resumes may also be submitted by email to [email protected]

05/30/2026

💜What an honor to visit again with our Sullivan Middle School volunteers, enjoy some pizza, and reinforce how their willingness to give back to their community by collaborating and picking up the environment made a difference. Each student walked away with a t-shirt from the South Holyoke Neighborhood Initiative represented by Ward 6 Neighborhood Watch Bill Courchesne, a certificate of appreciation, a key chain, sticker and a lot of applause! FACE coordinator Alex Saldaña reminded many of the 8th graders that these activities showcase engagement and commitment on a resume that help open doors as they get ready to go into high school.
So very proud of our young Holyokers!💜

05/22/2026

Muchas gracias Enlace! Yo estoy aprendiendo mucho y tengo nuevos amigos para practicar español.😊💜💡

📚💙 Amazing service providers coming together in our Spanish 101 class to learn, grow, and better connect with the communities they serve 🌎✨

We’re so grateful for each person in this room and the commitment they continue showing to our community 🙌 Thank you for sharing your time, energy, and heart with us, it truly means a lot.😊



📚💙 Increíbles proveedores de servicios reuniéndose en nuestra clase de Español 101 para aprender, crecer y conectar mejor con las comunidades que sirven 🌎✨

Estamos muy agradecidos con cada persona en este espacio y por el compromiso que continúan demostrando hacia nuestra comunidad 🙌 Gracias por compartir su tiempo, energía y corazón con nosotros, realmente significa mucho.😊

05/17/2026

This nationwide literacy gap in grades 3–12 is a treatable problem, which is why I and other members of the school committee have been advocating to make literacy in the upper grades an HPS strategic priority, in addition to K–2 where we have already made inroads. We owe our students who are already in our system every opportunity to focus on this issue and ensure they build the skills needed for success beyond high school

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18rMzECjYV/?mibextid=wwXIfr

At what point do we finally treat this like the national crisis it is?

Nearly 7 out of 10 fourth graders cannot read proficiently. That is not a minor educational issue. It is a long-term economic, civil rights, and human catastrophe unfolding in real time.

And dyslexia accounts for only about 15–20% of students. The overwhelming majority of these children could likely learn to read proficiently if they received appropriate instruction early enough.

05/07/2026

Hi Ward 6!

A few updates:
💜Last night the City Council unanimously voted to adopt the school bus stop-arm camera law! 👏🚌💡This allows the Superintendent, Mayor, Police Chief, and bus company to work together on the best approach for our city and help keep our kids safe during their school commute. More to come!

Tomorrow (Thursday) at 6:00 PM, the School Committee’s Finance and Operations Subcommittee meets at Holyoke High School’s Media Center. We’ll get a preview of next school year’s budget and hear about the district’s overall financial outlook. Stop by if you’re interested in this important topic.

Date and time: 2026-05-07 06:00 pmLocation: Holyoke High School – North CampusDepartment: Holyoke Public Schools Agenda Finance & Operations Subcommittee Agenda May 7, 2026 6:00 p.m. Media Center HOLYOKE HIGH NORTH CAMPUS, 500 BEECH ST, HOLYOKE, MA 01040 Today, March 29, 2025 Governor Maura Healey...

04/30/2026

Hi Ward 6!
🚌Update: If you’ve been following the school bus stop-arm program designed to help keep students safe during their commute, another important step in the process has been reached.
Since I filed the School Committee order in January, this has moved through a thoughtful joint process between the School Committee and City Council, and I’m grateful for everyone’s attention and focus.
Last night, at Tuesday’s City Council Ordinance Committee meeting, led by Councilor Meg McGrath, councilors voted unanimously to recommend adoption of MGL Chapter 40 to the full City Council.
The program would allow stop-arm cameras on school buses to document vehicles that illegally pass a stopped bus while students are boarding or exiting. This is about prevention, accountability, and making sure drivers take seriously the responsibility to stop when children are getting on or off the bus.
This means the full Council will now have the opportunity to vote on the measure. If approved, it would allow the Mayor, Superintendent, Police Department, and our bus company to design a program that best fits the needs of our city and our schoolchildren, at no cost to the city.
Thank you to Councilors McGrath, Rivera, Panitch, Thalheimer, and Vacon for moving this initiative forward. I would especially like to thank my Joint City Council subcommittee colleague and co-chair, Jenny Rivera, for leading the discussion on the subcommittee’s behalf.
Looking forward to the next steps!
🤖In other news… Our Leadership and Accountability Subcommittee, led by Chair Mildred Lefebvre, met tonight and took up one of my first orders from the beginning of the year: to understand the district’s progress in responding to DESE’s guidance on artificial intelligence. We learned that the district has begun this work led by Rebecca Thompson, executive director of academic services. by assembling a cross‑district team to develop recommendations. That team has already met three times and expects to conclude its work toward the end of the year.
In light of that ongoing work, I asked for my order to be tabled so that, when it returns, we can receive a more complete update based on the team’s recommendations. I’m looking forward to hearing more from the team as their work progresses.
As a School Committee member, my role is governance and oversight. AI has become a governance issue, not just an IT or instructional issue, and DESE’s guidance has clear implications for equity, privacy, and teaching practice so it’s important for us to ask what the district has done so far to engage with that guidance and what the plan is going forward.
📚We also heard from Marianne Currier, Director of Pupil Services, and Jen Albury, Director of Multilingual Education, on an order filed by my colleague, Member Ellie Wilson, regarding the impact of missed time and compensatory services. We learned that most missed special education services stem from staffing shortages, not only among teachers but also among related service providers such as speech therapists.
The processes for addressing missed time differ for English learner students and for students receiving special education services, but both areas have review protocols designed to identify gaps and respond in the interest of student learning. At the same time, the challenge of missed time is very real, and the district is working on how best to help families navigate unplanned changes in their student’s schedule and to ensure that making up missed hours does not feel punitive to students.
The subcommittee agreed to request a more in‑depth staffing report that breaks out key roles, including speech therapists and other specialists, so the Committee can better understand the staffing landscape and its impact on services

04/23/2026

Picking up trash was so much fun — yes, you read that right!
This Earth Day April 22, Ward 6 joined Holyoke’s community cleanup, and I had the privilege of fanning out through our neighborhoods alongside an incredible group of student volunteers and Family and Community Engagement Coordinator and Lead Coach Alex Saldaña from Sullivan Middle School. We were also joined by Justine Sabbs of Holyoke Housing Authority, Ward 6 City Councilor Juan Anderson Burgos, my husband and DPW Commissioner Mark Lubold, longtime community volunteer Mr. Shanahan — who has spent countless days cleaning up around the school on his own — and a wonderful mix of community members and visiting volunteers who all showed up ready to work.
We filled large bags and kept busy. The students came ready — spotting and flagging hazardous materials for adults to handle safely. As we walked one neighborhood, a resident leaned out their door to thank the kids for cleaning up around a nearby stream. Watching them burst with pride in that moment was the highlight of my day.
Some of the best lessons happen outside a classroom. Civic pride. Community partnership. Knowing when to ask for help. Our students showed all of it!
Thank you to all of the organizers for an amazing event! There will be more opportunities to participate in neighborhood cleanups coming soon so stay tuned!