Education Board Elects Chair, Reorganizes Subcommittees

A tense start to the first meeting of the new Woonsocket School Committee changed tones Wednesday night as the appointed chair took the helm and emphasized the need to bring an end to divisive politics.  

The sole nomination for the head seat came from Committeewoman Vimala Phongsavanh, who recommended Anita McGuire-Forcier for the position. McGuire-Forcier was confirmed by four of the five board members, with Committeewoman Eleanor Nadeau abstaining from the vote.     

The group moved on to appointment of a vice chair, and Committee member Christopher Roberts nominated Phongsavanh. Four votes for confirmation were again countered by a pass from Nadeau.

As McGuire-Forcier took the gavel, a clear symbol of her new authority to lead meetings for the next two years, it looked as though the chair might face continued resistance from the veteran committeewoman Nadeau. McGuire-Forcier moved to reduce the number of subcommittees, the smaller boards that focus on specific facets of the city’s public education system, from 21 to ten, and assign positions for all of the School Committee members.  The decision amounts to a restructuring of how the department handles future challenges, from curriculum and literacy, to personnel and union contracts.

“First of all, the committee as a whole is supposed to decide on subcommittees,” said Nadeau. “You guessed,” she said of the assignments. “We submit to you the committees we want to work on and then you decide the final [outcome,] so you missed a step.”

“No,” responded McGuire-Forcier. “Maybe in the past, that’s how it’s been done but as far as it goes, the chair selects the people to be on the subcommittees.”

“OK, well I’ll tell you right now, I’m not doing Facilities and Planning Committee and I don’t know what else I’m not doing,” said Nadeau.

McGuire-Forcier asked Nadeau if she was sure she did not want work on the Facilities/Planning Committee.

 “Well, that just means… what does that mean exactly?” asked Nadeau.

“The definitions were put in your binder, if you want to take a look,” replied McGuire-Forcier.

When Nadeau said she wanted to remain on the building committee, the chair pointed out that the duty is now part of facilities.  

“If there’s any committees that you’re not happy with, you can talk to me and I’m sure we can find someone else that will be willing to take it on,” McGuire-Forcier said.

The instant compromise marks a departure from what has at times been a contentious relationship between the two committeewomen. Heated debates over procedures and priorities for WED dominated much of 2011. Linda Majewski, who often voted with Nadeau on various issues, retired this year. Former committee chair Marc Dubois, often the deciding vote between the Nadeau/Majewski and Phongsavanh/McGuire-Forcier factions, has moved on to a seat on the City Council.

Phongsavanh pointed out the need for subcommittee restructuring in September, after a controversy during the for a new superintendent to replace Dr. Robert Gerardi exposed what she described as a flawed system. 

“This should be more organized and more efficient,” said McGuire-Forcier of the changes. 

Roberts requested the addition of two members of the public to the Finance Subcommittee: former City Council candidate and Assistant Treasurer of Corporate Finance for Techron Jim Cournoyer, and Bank RI's Senior Vice President and Director of Commercial Banking Will Tsonos.

“Both of these individuals are residents of the city and I believe they’ll bring an important perspective,” said Roberts. The chair approved the requests.

To Nadeau’s assertion that she had not received the email from McGuire-Forcier warning of the restructuring because her computer crashed months ago, the chair responded that an office should be set up for all School Committee members to use at the building.

By Good and Welfare, the new chair's calm approach seemed to ease the tension. Nadeau explained that she had abstained from voting because no one approached her prior to the meeting.

"I don't want to see any of us fail, so I wish you well," she said.

“From now on, this entire committee works as a team, shows respect for one another and does what’s best for the students as a whole,” said McGuire-Forcier of her approach to her new position. “We all have to learn to play nice in the sandbox.”