3.11.2026 Fall River School Committee

[snorts] I'd like to call to order this special meeting of the Fargo School Committee for March 11th, 2026.

Deb, would you call the role, please?

Mr. A here.

Mr. Das here.

Mr. Corey, here.

Mr. Monus, here. Miss Riley here.

Miss Stewart here.

Mayor Kogan here. Salute to the flag to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.

Attendees are therefore advised um that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible.

Citizens input. Um we have four letters tonight. Uh those will be three minutes each. Uh Deb, I'll time them ahead. The first one is from Jeffrey Gudro, Palmer Street.

Good afternoon, members of the school committee. I am writing on a recent issue that's been going on whether or not the school committee can remove the superintendent Dr. Tracy Curley. While I am while I may not have children in the school, however, there's been lots of complaints from parents, guardians who aren't happy when it comes to getting information from issues from certain

schools in the city that has not getting any feedbacks from her, especially when certain topics that the board are asking and they don't get back. I'm not saying that she's a bad person or she's not doing her job. However, I feel that she got this job because of the mayor and certain people that are no longer on the school committee. Now, does she have the qualifications to appoint? But we all

knew that when he wanted her to begin with, with that being said, the board is now have the full body of removing anyone from their contract whether you like it or not. [cough] And if I and I find it ridiculous that the unions are backing on the subject, but yet they're the ones who always like to complain about contracts and her and the board.

Also, I am also asking why the chairman of the school committee censored certain citizens input at last meeting. No matter what, if the city council or school committee, all citizen input must be read or say in person, no matter what the mayor completely violated the school committee, citizens input policy, and there is state and federal law case, which I have attached, which questions

the mayor's position. Shame on the school committee for allowing and allowing Bruce Assad to make any opinion he wants on the fly to back Poly Boy.

hold the mayor accountable when he violates school committee policy. The fact he likes to find a law aka the open meeting law and use a provision at this time to aid his argument because he wants to control the narrative does not show leadership. It shows the mayor is making decisions to help his politics and and shows this is why I voted for new change and better leadership within

the school board and city council. Thank you for your time.

Thanks. Next up, James Nassa, Florence Street.

Shame, shame, come on, man. The most current example of good old F4 River, what can I do for myself politics is now on full display with the recent action taken by the city's school committee to review the superintendent's performance for termination without cause. A key responsibility to the local committee is to aid in the support of the superintendent in helping to define the vision of the district through policy

and decision-making. A responsibility is not to work overtime to bring about the superintendent's termination as it was embarrassing embarrassingly obvious that the actions of the last school committee pushed former superintendent Maria Pon out of her role. It was it has become clear equally as clear a similar intent now exists with our current district leader Dr. Tracy Curley. What we are

being subject subjected to now are the same hostile and bullying tactics that were evident when Mrs. Pon was raolled out of the position. I have witnessed firsthand a hardworking and dedicated atmosphere being long employed and having a loved one attending school here. The positive results that I have witnessed come about only through intelligent, dedicated, and experienced leadership. Parents, teachers, staff,

administrators, and most of all, students have put up with this type of horseplay for far too long while being led to believe the problem stems from the one at the top. It is very easy for elected official officials to point fingers when their main objectives are securing votes and doing favors through backroom politics at the expense of the most dedicated.

It needs to stop. What has become clear is that one particular school committee member has made it his goal to stir trouble through intimidation, induendo, politics, grandstand, and false dedication to hijack the current school committee. His actions have taken place over several years. They do not surprise me. I observe Mr. Agat to be a bully, a troublemaker, and quite frankly, a boar.

as he pontificates through meetings. He has proven himself to be all too often more interested in hindrance than assistance through true leadership. His limited tenure working in the Westport school department speaks volumes. And yet he has succeeded to bring in bringing others less versed and unaware to the possible [clears throat] hidden agendas lurking underneath along with him. While again I am not surprised by

his spiteful behavior, one I am taken back by another member. Recently elected with less than two months on the job, an individual, an honored school superintendent herself has become party to 10 seconds.

So I ask why, Mrs. Riley, why you consummate education professional? You know full well what it takes not only to run a district but again three minutes.

at this time.

Um, next up, Jeff Griffin, East Main Street.

Dear members of the school committee, I am writing to respectfully express my support for Superintendent Tracy Curley and to encourage the committee to carefully consider maintaining her leadership in the fall of our public schools. As someone who grew up as a student in the Farra public schools and later made the intentional decision to return to teach in this district, I feel deeply invested in the success and

future of our school system. I chose to come back because I understand the unique challenges our community faces and wanted to contribute to improving our schools from within. That perspective makes me especially attentive to the progress our district has made in recent years. While no district transformation happens overnight, the direction of the district has been positive and many educators

like myself have seen the efforts being made to support students, staff, and the broader community. I want to be clear that my support for Superintendent Curley is not intended as a criticism of any individuals who participated in the interview process for the superintendent position. I have great respect for the professionals who were considered.

However, in a district that faces complex and long-standing challenges, stability and continuity in leadership are extremely important. Given the relative short amount of time Superintendent Curley has had to lead the district, I believe that removing her from the position at this stage may be premature. Educational change and district improvement require time, consistency, and sustained effort.

allowing leadership initiatives the opportunity to continue developing can provide the district with the stability necessary for long-term success. As an educator who cares deeply about Fall River and its students, I hope the committee will consider the importance of maintaining forward momentum and supporting leadership that that has begun has already begun working toward meaningful progress. Thank you again for

your time, consideration, and continued commitment to the students and families of Fall River.

Thank you. And and finally, uh David Alivera, Robersonson Street, Fall River.

Good evening, members of the school committee. Since the mayor tried to violate my rights last meaning for my input being read, here we go. Tonight, we have a vote to remove Superintendent Curley. as the superintendent has her rights to bring it into executive session. I do believe she should do the [clears throat] right thing and keep this open to the public. It's clear it's clearly we all know it's about her

termination. So why not keep it transparent? As much as I do believe she should be let go, but I believe if she is willing to just finish the school year, makes no sense to bring someone in for only four months left of the school year. And if not something she will something she is willing to do, she she should just leave the stage now and resign. I am glad we finally have a

accountable school committee and not members like Mimi, Tom, and Shelley to bow down to the mayor's demands, which we all know why the superintendent got the job was because of the mayor. Thank you.

Okay. Okay. And I do want I do want to make clear since this is a special meeting, the only topics that could be read at citizens input have to rel relate directly to what's on the agenda.

Next item on the agenda is new business.

Mr. Chair, Mr. D, like to make a motion we move new business um after executive session.

Um I I don't know. Um second.

I have a motion, a second to move new business to after executive session.

Um, Deb Calder, Mr. A, yes.

Mr. Das, yes.

Mr. Corey, no.

Mr. Monus, yes.

Miss Riley, yes.

Miss Stewart, no.

Mayor Kouan, no.

Um, I do have uh some new business that I guess uh Kevin and I were talking about it briefly before. Uh, Rob Curtain, a deputy commissioner for DEES, he joined us tonight. He was here also at the meeting um last week. I do have a letter I'd like to read to everybody from the commissioner of education. Um and um Rob Curtain said he'd be nice enough to come down and address anybody's concerns related to the

letter. So we could do that if you'd like. Um under new business. Dear Mayor Coogan, I am writing a response to your February 17th letter requesting that the EES launch a formal investigation into the forest school committee. The department's last review report of the far public schools was completed on May of 25 identified areas of concern with the role of the far school committee and

its impact on the superintendent's ability to manage priorities. It does not appear that those concerns are being addressed. As a result, I have asked Deputy Commissioner Rob Curtain to lead a targeted follow-up district review of the Florida public schools with the focus on governance structures within the district and the committee specifically. I anticipate this review will be completed expeditiously.

Pedro Martinez, Commissioner of uh Elementary and Secondary Education.

Mr. Chair, Mr. Das, if correct me if I heard you wrong, you requested an investigation to the school committee.

No. Yes. Of the school committee on February 17th.

It was you personally.

Interesting. Okay.

Okay.

I yield.

I'm sorry. Do we have the report from May of 25? Could we get a I don't I didn't even know what they did one on May of 25. Um, so that was before the new members. So if we could see I agree. Be helpful.

I didn't know we were being investigated in May 25. With that, is there a request to go into Mr. Chair?

Mr. D, actually have um new business that I wish to bring up. You just moved it to the end.

Oh, we didn't move it. The vote. The vote carried.

Oh, oh, I'm sorry. The vote did carry.

Four to three. Yep.

So if we have questions for Mr. Curtain, we take those up on the new business as well.

Well, you can take them up now because his section moves to new business.

We moved all the new business, but you just said we were going to wait. So, I'm just trying to get clarity. That's all.

Well, he might not want to stay the calm down, Mr. Curtain, if you want to answer a couple questions. I don't know what's going to change between now and after executive session.

Okay.

And uh thank you for joining us. Uh associate commissioner or deputy commissioner, I'm sorry, Mr.

That's all right. Uh good evening, Mr.

Chairman. Uh just for the record, I am here in my professional capacity as deputy commissioner at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Um and uh uh happy to uh address any questions that the committee might have as it pertains to the letter that was sent from the commissioner to the mayor this evening.

Anybody have any questions?

Please.

I guess the same question. May we have a copy of the report that was done in May?

Yeah. So that may that uh uh that report is identified and available on our on our website. Um and if you I think if you searched uh district review reports and then there's an alphabetical listing under Fall River, you'd see the the most recent report.

Member Riley.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Das and Mr.

Thank you. Um so this is pretty much the first that we're hearing about this. We don't often receive communication from the chair of the school committee.

So just to start off with this investigation that I guess take or inquiry or whatever is taking place. So this was requested by the mayor of the city of Fall River.

Yeah. I I believe the uh initial outreach uh came from uh the mayor uh and the mayor mayor and the chairman. Uh so um and then certainly the uh events as we have been following them uh led us to the conclusion that uh this is something we need to do. Um we the previous report did identify some concerns as it relates to the governance structure between the the school committee and the superintendent. Um and

certainly the idea of a newly constituted school committee after three meetings um uh moving to terminate the superintendent by definition without cause as stated in the in in in the agendas that for the last couple of meetings uh gave the commissioner uh concern. um and it's not something that we see as a functional sort of governance structure that's in the best interest of students in a normal

capacity after just three meetings. Uh so it's something we'd like to look more into for sure.

Um I just one followup question, I'll make a brief comment and um so where is the Desty office located? Like where do you come from when you drive down here?

Uh our office is in Everett, Massachusetts. And do you to get down here to um wash these school committee meetings? How do you have a do you bring your personal vehicle? Do you have a company car?

Ask is there is there a public do you use a public vehicle?

No, I drive my personal vehicle.

And do you get reimbursed for gas mileage?

Um I you know I'm I'm not sure this is how this is gerine to the letter. I mean this is what we go through. This is what we go through. I want to thank Mr. guys for this line of question. Thank you.

It's a very fair question. You're coming down here in my opinion for political purposes to m uh Mr. Mayor, point of order. We have former members of the school committee making um remarks in the audience. Could you please control the crowd, please?

I I didn't I didn't hear anybody. Let's all be respectful.

Thank you. Um [clears throat] again, my opinion for political purposes. Again, if taxpayers monies are going to be used for an investigation for frivolous purposes, we deserve to know where those monies are going from, especially if you're going to be coming down here for to look into us. I think it's just fair to see where the money's going towards.

So, I think it's more than a fair line of questioning.

Mr. Chairman, I yield for now.

You yield. Okay, Mr. Thank you for coming. Just a just a few quick questions. So the the district review the May of 2025 what was the actual uh technical um name of that report was it just an ann uh periodic annual it's not annual is a district review of the fall river public schools we annually review um somewhere around 20 districts a year and and in in Fall River was reviewed in the 2025 school year.

So it's just cyclical. It's not necessarily Yeah. not on a it's it's not on every it's not on a cycle for every single school district. Um and we just sort of cycle through districts. There are some criteria as required and by the law as the number of districts that we select.

Um and we hadn't reviewed the forward public schools in some time and we reviewed them in in uh uh 2025 school year.

Yeah, I mean that makes sense. I was just trying to see if there was a chronology like every five years, every three years.

No, it's not there there there's no specified chronology to that. And um the only thing I would say is uh and you could probably hear some of the conversations from earlier with the mayor. We as a school committee never knew anything about the letter at all or that you were going to be coming to the meeting or that you were at the meeting from the mayor. So we knew as school

committee members, as all of us sitting here, we had no idea that you were even coming to the meeting, which you're it's a public meeting. You can come all the time.

Correct. the last meeting when the mayor announced as part of his speech that you were here like looking at us, it took all of us by surprise wondering why were you here. That's the reason why I was explaining to the mayor that I felt it was disrespectful that he didn't even acknowledge to the school committee that the deputy commissioner was going to be here to observe. I have no problem with

you being here, sir. I appreciate you being here. Just I wanted you to know the context of we didn't know anything about that the deesc was coming down or anything. So, I encourage you and I I welcome a conversation with you privately, publicly or anything like that. So, thank you for coming down.

Yeah.

Yeah. I do hope that uh uh deputy commissioner that uh you interview all of us at some point going forward and um look at all look at the emails we've sent to the uh superintendent. Yep.

I I I'd like to see a thorough review. I think it can help us going forward to build on a better foundation. Um and I really appreciate the help.

Yeah.

Anything further?

I just follow up. Um to echo my colleagues remarks if I remember that 2025 review I believe it was um is this some sort of review that was going to give findings and recommendations sort of that is that the goal of this whatever is happening now.

Yeah certainly uh you know as a follow-up review um with a particular focus on the governance structures or because we have concerns about the way uh the things that are happening within the within the city. Um there will be findings uh and recommendations that come from the follow-up review. Uh and again our our interest here is fairly simple. Um we look for governance structures that are be that are

occurring in the best interest of students. Um and uh we want to make sure that the events we have enough concern over the events over the past three months under a newly constituted school committee and the actions that have been taken uh to uh initiate this follow-up review. Again, um I I just um respectfully disagree with the premise of this and I still hold the concern that there are um

um premises and um Excuse me, Mr. Corey.

When he's done when he's done, I wasn't cutting you off. I was I was getting his attention.

Um but with that being said, I my opinion as well is I as chair of policy subcommittee, I do believe that there needs to be um functions in place. There is a policy that calls for a yearly review of the school committee functions which hasn't been reviewed in quite some time which I'd love to see getting back up and running. Um and of course we're going to be um looking at training for

all members as well. So hopefully there are things some things that we can work hand inand on but I still have to firmly just disagree with the premise of why this is happening. But thank you. I yield.

Uh Mr. Corey um I want to thank you for coming down today. uh especially in in light of the remarks that uh the events uh over the past couple of months have raised the eyebrows of the people at the Department of Education. It's very concerning to me and I'm very happy that uh you guys are taking much closer look at this. Thank you. I I yield.

Anything further?

Thank you. Uh uh thank you mayor. Thank you members of the Is there a request for executive session?

Yes. Yes, there would be. Uh Ben, um do you want to read the motion? Uh per uh the reasons first.

I'm sorry.

You want to read the reason first? Mass General Laws chapter 38 section 2183 to discuss strategy with respect to litigation claims asserted by Dr. Tracy Curley, superintendent of students against federal school committee and certain individual school committee members as the chair is determined open session may have a detrimental impact on the litigating position of the committee. National Laws Chapter 38

section 21A2 to this to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non-union personnel and to conduct contract negotiations ought to conduct contract negotiations with non-union personnel specifically Dr. Tracy Kurley superintendent of schools national law chapter 38 section 2181 to discuss the potential dismissal without cause of Dr. Tracy Curley, superintendent of schools. We would

reconvene. There may or may not be statements at that time.

Can I get a motion in a second?

Motion made.

Second.

Um, Deb, can I call the role?

Mr. Ara, abstain.

Mr. Das, abstain.

Mr. Cory, yes.

Mr. Monus, no.

Miss Riley, yes.

Miss Stewart, yes.

Mayor Kouan, yes.

Recess to executive session.

We're back out of executive session.

Deb, please call the role.

Mr. Agu here.

Mr. Das here.

Mr. Corey here.

Mr. Monus here.

Miss Riley here. Miss Stewart here.

Mayor Kogan here. Anything further to come before the committee?

Motion to approve um the separation agreement as agreed. as agreed.

I have a motion to approve the separation agreement.

Second as written. I have a second. Any discussion?

Deb, please call the role.

This is with the superintendent.

Mr. Agu, abstain.

Mr. Das, abstain.

Mr. Corey, yes.

Mr. Monus, yes.

Mr. Riley, yes.

Miss Stewart, yes.

Mayor Coogan, yes. Anything further to come before the committee hearing? None. on. Mr. Chair, Mr. Chair, mayor, I have to read this.

Oh, I'm sorry. You got to read this. Go ahead.

[clears throat] Dear Fall River community, Fall River School community, after discussions between the school committee and superintendent, the parties have mutually agreed to move in different in new directions.

Superintendent Curley has submitted her resignation, which the committee has accepted. Her last day in the district will be March 13, 2026. The parties want to be clear that the separation is amicable and not based on any wrongdoing by the superintendent. Both the superintendent and the committee considered the best interests of our students, staff, and community, giving due weight to the consequences of

mid-year transitions in leadership. They also recognize, however, that the strained working relationship between certain committee members and Dr. Curley have become a distraction and an impediment to accomplishing more important goals. Dr. Curley has worked closely with central office leadership, principles directors administrators and teachers. She is confident that the talented and professional staff of the

Fall River public schools will be able to seamlessly continue the important work of educating our children.

Sincerely, thank you. Anything further before the committee Mr.

Das, does the committee have anything else they have to announce before? Okay.

Um, I would like to make a motion that we um Oh, I guess I'll ask the question. In two days from now, who will be the superintendent in an acting capacity?

Uh, we we will be talking to someone first thing in the morning.

It'll be just an interim. I mean, it will be temporary and then we will go out for an interim.

I yield for now, Mr. I.

So, we're going to have another meeting on Friday the 13th. Uh I don't think for an acting.

No contact for an acting. It's an acting.

So who appoints the acting?

I think it's the chain of command. Isn't that Anna? You would I think you said it would be chain of command. So well I would disagree. So the acting under this condition and I don't know what what happened because I wasn't in the room but if we have a situation where we we're going to need to appoint an acting person it has to be done by the full body of the school committee.

So therefore it would require us to meet again on Friday in order to deliberate what we're going to do with that as well as how we're going to proceed with the interim process to get that started right away. We cannot do that without a full meeting. So, I'd like it to be addressed tonight so that we can move forward and um in an expeditious fashion trying to get a proper interim. We can't

make decisions without the full body making it. So, I'm not sure why we're not doing it now when we're here and why we have to wait and how we can do anything without the full body. Mr.

Mr. A, we didn't commit to doing anything long term. We'll have to negotiation for the committee.

But I gave my example was if I got hit by a bus, there is someone who would be in charge tomorrow in my district just by the natural order of when the superintendent's not there. Someone's in charge. So that person will be in charge. We weren't able to speak to that person this evening, but that person will just be temporarily in charge as they hold the certification and can hold be the placeholder until we meet to

select someone and negotiate with them terms as acting. So we're not picking someone to take over. We're just talking about until we meet, somebody has to be in charge so we can set a meeting.

I would I would just respectfully disagree that that can even happen because it's not a situation that's not known by the committee.

So the committee by based on what I just heard from that uh letter states that on the 13th there will the superintendent will no longer be the superintendent.

That's something that we know. So we actively know what's happening, but we're choosing not to have a a discussion and a vote on that at a public meeting. That's where my problem go lies. So, we either need to, in my opinion, have the meeting scheduled now or on Monday so we can address it, but we can't do it without the body. And this is the second time now we've been here without having an end result of

what is going to be the next step. So I think we should either schedule a meeting now uh you know to address it um because we we need to have some time and time is of the essence when you look at the moving forward with what are we going to use for an interim how are we going to recruit an interim we should start recruiting an interim superintendent on an advertisement right

now as far as I'm concerned regardless of the other issue we should be out advertising immediately to try to recruit you were not in a meeting that was discussed it it was no I understand right So, you want to have a meeting on Friday is Well, I I don't know if I want to meet Friday. I I'm I don't mind if like he said, maybe Monday or even Saturday

morning. I could care less if we did a Saturday morning meeting.

Yep. That's fine.

I I make a motion that we authorize the chair of the evaluation subcommittee, Miss Riley, to handle the u advertising and recruitment for the job posting for the interim superintendent.

Second.

All in favor?

I unanimous.

Mr. Chair, Mr. Das and I understand I'm going a little bit on the fly here, but in the event that we do not the um Dr. Curley leaves Friday and we don't have a meeting schedule, I'd like to make a motion that um Brian we appoint Brian Reposo as acting superintendent until a special meeting.

We didn't we didn't have the opportunity to talk to him. He left when we went out to get him. So, we got to talk to him first.

We'll make the motion and we should reset the meeting and talk to him. I think it's important that we have someone in there in case we said that but he had left when we went out to talk to him. So we'll talk to him in the morning. We may have your thing resolved naturally.

Would that need a vote of the school committee?

No, as she said, it's just it's just an acting till we have our meeting in a couple days.

And you want to schedule a meeting for Monday? That's Monday's fine too. I just want to see what I got on my schedule. I don't have it in front of me.

Mr. Agia, last question. Attorney Assad, do you concur with that we can do this without a meeting?

Uh, we could uh and and basically uh Mr.

Posalo has been the individual that has been designated in the past by the superintendent when she is not available. Without going too much detail into the agreement, there is a statement in the agreement that uh uh Dr. Curley will be delegating to the assistant superintendent of schools, Brian Reposelo, authority that is necessary to manage the operation of the district until a interim superintendent is appointed

without the vote of the committee.

Well, do you want to there's a motion.

Do you want to vote on it? I mean, we just haven't had a chance to vote. We can vote on talk to you when you tried to talk.

Well, I think it's just I mean, it's it just puts everybody in a quagmire. I think the simplest thing is that we said uh basically we don't know what happened in there. that was all you. So we just come back out trying to figure out who's going to be in traditionally when the superintendent is still going to be the superintendent.

What Mr. Sajger said is not necessarily accurate in that Brian Reposo is not automatically the person because some days it's Miss Obenchain, other days it's somebody else. So it's not just an automatic that every time Dr. Curley's out we have the next person in. So we don't have that kind of org chart that does that. So at the end of the day, I think that it's the committee's role to

say who do we want to be acting until we get an interim. So I think we should vote on the issue because otherwise So here's another example that I believe we should look at and we should have probably looked at before we came back out here.

Mr. Reposo is going to be the acting superintendent for I don't know how long, a week, two weeks, a month. What is his contract look like and what is his compensation going to be? That's a negotiation that we have to have as a body, not just to say, "Oh, she's going to be out out sick for the week, so we do it." So, there's more issues I think that we we really should have had a

meeting in my opinion, but I think just making it clear. I think we should take a vote on it.

Motion still made.

Second.

Deb, call the role on Brian Reposa as acting.

So, can you clarify the motion?

Brian Reposa as acting.

Okay.

Deb M. A.

Yes.

Mr. Das.

Yes.

Mr. Cory.

Yes.

Mr. Monus.

Yes.

Miss Riley.

Yes.

Miss Stewart.

Yes.

Mayor Kouga.

Yes.

Motion to adjurnn. I have a motion to adjurnn. Second. All in favor? I inanimate.