The Chelsea School Committee closed out the year at its Thursday, Dec. 1 meeting with honors for several committee members, and updates on enrollment and attendance for the current school year.
“Every year, we like to say thank you to School Committee members for serving and for leading our School Committee,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Almi Abeyta.
The superintendent presented flowers and certificates to committee Chair Kelly Garcia, Vice Chair Ana Hernandez, and North Shore Collaborative representative Naomi Zabot. Committee member Shawn O’Regan was also honored, but he was unable to attend last Thursday’s meeting.
“I would like to thank this entire School Committee for the work each of you do as a body, and I would to thank you for supporting me, our amazing leadership team, and all our teachers and students because without a strong leadership team at the School Committee level, we could not make the strides and do the amazing work we do in the Chelsea Public Schools,” said Abeyta.
Garcia also had kind words for her vice chair.
“Ana, you know how special you are to me,” said Garcia. “You’ve been here as one of the longest-serving members, you and Jeanette (Velez), and I want to thank you for your continued commitment not only to our students, but to our staff and our schools.”
Dr. Tamara Blake-Canty, the interim assistant superintendent for teaching and learning, updated the committee on attendance and drop-out rates.
“For first grade all the way through eighth grade, we are over the 90th percentile (for attendance), and for grades 9, 10, and 11, we are in the high 80th percentile,” said Blake-Canty.
Blake-Canty added that the drop-out rate compared to last year is down from 2.3 percent to 1.8 percent.
Abeyta updated the committee on enrollment, which is above the pre-Covid levels.
“Our enrollment is actually very steady and we’re climbing just a little bit,” she said. “We are now at 6,288 (students), which is about 88 more students than 2019, so we are at almost 100 more students. Not only did we get caught up, we are surpassing our numbers, and that is actually showing mostly at our high school.”
In other business, the School Committee accepted several gifts and donations, including six $50 Market Basket gift certificates from the Zonta Club of Chelsea, a collection of older National Geographic magazines and maps from Danny Marcus, and 200 pairs of Puma sneakers and 40 cases of sanitary wipes from Provision Ministry.