William Hart

At the Everett School Committee meeting on Monday, June 1, 2026, Superintendent William Hart opened with remarks at the annual scholarship awards celebration, calling it “one of our most important and meaningful annual celebrations.” He thanked Mayor Van Campen, Chairperson Hurley, committee members, faculty, staff, students, and donors, and said the evening connected “the past, the present, and the future.” Hart praised the scholarship donors for recognizing student achievement and said the gifts reflected “loyalty and a pride in being from Everett.” He congratulated the 2026 scholarship recipients and noted that many of the people named in the program were personally significant to him, including some he had known “all my whole life here in Everett.”

Hart then moved into his superintendent report and asked to take item 2, the school spotlight, out of order. He said it was the “10th and final spotlight of the year,” from Everett High School, and noted that some of the information he was discussing was also available in district highlights documents and on the district website.

On Item 3, Hart presented the revised Everett Public Schools District Wellness Policy and requested favorable action. He described the policy as still evolving and said there was “an aggressive agenda planned for our next school year.” He credited Assistant Superintendent Dennis Lynch for helping finalize details and acknowledged the work of Miss Whitson, saying her role had been downplayed and that her efforts were “no small feat.” Hart also noted involvement from the broader community, including Cambridge Health Alliance’s social emotional department, and said the cafeteria committee had reviewed ways to improve service flow, including possible remote food service sites and options such as a salad bar within existing space constraints.

Hart also presented Item 4, requesting approval for late entry on June 2 and June 3 for grades 10 and 11 students to accommodate MCAS testing. He presented Item 5, the acceptance of a Title III Part A immigrant children and youth grant in the amount of $65,831, and offered “a quick shout out” to staff for securing grant funding.

Votes recorded during the meeting were all affirmative: the revised wellness policy, the late entry approval for grades 10 and 11 on June 2 and June 3, and acceptance of the $65,831 Title III Part A grant all passed unanimously. Hart also reported no unfinished business, no new business, and no hearings scheduled. At the end, he presented Emma with a graduation cord and praised her as “a wonderful student” and an admirable board member.

At the Everett School Committee meeting on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, Superintendent William Hart handled the transition into the public hearing portion of the agenda and provided procedural guidance on the meeting’s order of business. He announced, “Roman numeral 3 is public hearings,” and then read the first public hearing notice for the proposed fiscal year 2027 school department budget. Hart stated that, “in accordance with Massachusetts General Law Chapter 71 Section 38n, [the Committee] will hold a public hearing on the subject of the proposed fiscal year 2027 school department budget on Tuesday, 04/28/2026.”

He also identified the public availability of the budget materials, noting that “the proposed budget is posted on and has been posted on the Everett Public Schools website,” and that “hard copies have been available in the Vine Street offices of the Everett Public School and Everett High School.” His remarks reflected the procedural requirements for the hearing and the public notice process.

During the meeting, Hart was referenced positively by a speaker in connection with the full day preschool program. The speaker said, “It’s a wonderful concept and I’m glad it’s finally coming to fruition.” That comment was directed at the broader educational program context rather than at a formal motion or vote.

Hart then introduced the next public hearing item, stating that “also under Roman numeral 3 for public hearings, the Everett School Committee, in accordance with Massachusetts General Law chapter 76 section 12b, shall hold a public hearing on the subject of school choice on Tuesday, 04/28/2026, immediately following the public hearing on our proposed budget, which we have just concluded.” He also marked the close of the agenda sequence by noting, “Roman numeral 4, adjournment.”

No votes by Hart were recorded in the extracted meeting activity, and no motions attributable to him were listed. His role in the meeting, as reflected in the record, was primarily procedural: reading the notices, identifying legal authority for the hearings, and moving the committee through the agenda.

William Hart, Superintendent of Schools, presented the Everett Public Schools proposed fiscal year 2027 budget at the Everett School Committee-Budget Committee of the Whole on April 16, 2026. He began by thanking and welcoming the executive staff, assistant superintendents, and building leaders, and noted the meeting was held in the Everett High School library. He also highlighted student artwork and said, “No budget is perfect, but any budget that fosters work like the ones that you see all around you… is a successful budget.”

Hart framed the district’s work as a broader improvement effort, saying, “We are creating an urban model of excellence and success.” He reported that progress toward Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education improvement targets rose from 37% in 2023 to 61% in the most recent reporting, and said daily attendance improved to “92+%” from 88.4%. He also referenced a Barr Foundation grant supporting rethinking high school education and said the district must continue to explore expanded career and technical education. He described full-day pre-kindergarten and dual immersion in Spanish and Portuguese as committee-endorsed initiatives that “will certainly” produce good results.

A substantial portion of his remarks addressed staffing and enrollment. Hart explained the district’s shift from permanent substitutes in buildings to a daily substitute pool, saying the new model pays daily substitutes better, recruits qualified retired teachers, and still covers classrooms as needed. He said the change was also cost-driven and that the system is more robust and flexible. In response to questions about enrollment declines, he said the drop was unusual, cyclical, and not attributable to births alone, adding that the district’s prior enrollment analysis methods were “antiquated and very one-sided.” He emphasized that even with fewer students, the district must continue providing services.

Hart also addressed role changes at the high school, explaining that dean positions were converted to assistant principal roles because the new classification is 12-month and allows broader management responsibilities, while remaining within a bargaining unit. On translation and interpretation services, he said the committee hired a contract service for $64,000, confirmed closed captioning is available in preferred languages, and said the district is evaluating value and considering other platforms. He praised the budget presentation and, when thanked by another official, responded briefly in kind.

No votes were taken by Hart in the materials provided.

At the April 6, 2026 Everett School Committee meeting, Superintendent William Hart asked to take the school spotlight item out of order and invited Principal Darlene Pugnali to come forward. He then returned to the regular order of business for his update.

Hart began with housekeeping items, including that the next regular School Committee meeting would be April 28, and that April vacation would run from April 20 through April 24. He noted that district offices would be closed on Monday, April 20, for Patriot’s Day, then reopen April 21 through 24.

He gave an attendance update, saying monthly attendance meetings are chaired by Whittier School Principal Mr. McLucas. Hart reported district attendance at 92.3 percent, calling it “a phenomenal percentage,” and said it was up more than one and a half percentage points from the same time last year. He also reported chronic absenteeism at 28.4 percent, down from 32.1 percent last year, and said the district would continue efforts including home visits after vacation to increase family engagement.

Hart congratulated Everett High School students Santiago Escotia and Nathalie Romero Velasco for winning the debate and “Espanol City championship,” and thanked Ruth Cardona Suarez, Randy Boudreau, and Dr. Braga for attending the event at the Museum of Science.

He then announced a strategic planning initiative, saying Everett had not done such work “in any meaningful way” over a number of years. He said the process would involve internal and external community members, including elected officials, parents, students, and business leaders, and would include surveys, three meetings for external participants, and six meetings for internal participants. Hart said the first meeting would be April 30 at Everett High School’s Crimson Cafe, with the goal of completing meetings by June and issuing a report shortly thereafter. He said the initiative would be promoted through press releases, social media, and the district website.

Hart also responded to a question about culinary education, confirming students learn both food preparation and front-of-house presentation and etiquette. He answered questions about enrollment trends, explaining a 339-student decline from the previous October 1 and describing normal fluctuations and space constraints.

He presented a MyCAP grant item, explaining it would develop a districtwide scope and sequence and expand MyCAP beginning in grade six, then asked for favorable action. He also introduced the fiscal year 2027 school department budget and asked that it be referred to the budget committee of the whole. No votes were recorded on his items in the extracted record.

At the Everett City Council Budget Hearing on Schools on May 19, 2026, Superintendent William Hart introduced himself as “superintendent of Everett Public Schools” and said he would present the fiscal 2027 school department budget. After brief technical problems with the PowerPoint, he said the hearing would proceed with a paper copy if needed. He thanked the council committee and the full council “for always being there for the Everett Public Schools” during his tenure, and he noted that the budget had been unanimously approved by the School Committee and endorsed by the Everett Teachers Association.

Hart used much of his opening to describe district progress. He said Everett’s test scores were “trending up across the board,” improvement-target performance had risen from 37% in 2023 to 61% in the most recent report, and average daily attendance now topped 92%, with some schools at 94%. He also highlighted new and expanding programs, including multimedia production and broadcast and public safety options at Everett High School, the city’s first full-day pre-kindergarten program, dual immersion programs in Spanish and Portuguese, and the district’s first strategic planning process.

In response to council questions, Hart explained that enrollment projections were based on the best estimates used by most districts and that declining enrollment and higher special education needs were affecting finances. He said transportation costs had also risen because of fuel prices. On special education space needs, he said the district lacks enough quiet rooms, sensory rooms, and other specialized spaces, and urged support for expanding the old Everett High School so 7th and 8th grade could be moved out of five buildings, creating 12 to 13 classrooms for specialty services, art, and music. He said, “I can’t build a building,” and asked the council to help secure appropriations.

Hart also addressed staffing and operations. He described an exhaustive budget process, said job fairs had produced qualified candidates but no offers had been made because of budget limits, and explained the annual June 15 non-renewal notices as a routine need-based process, not a layoff tied to money. He gave staffing figures of 1,280 employees and 605 teachers, said paraprofessionals received major pay increases, and confirmed full-day preschool would still include a half-day option and special education services. No votes were taken during his remarks.

William Hart, Superintendent of Schools, had a limited but clear record of participation in the Everett City Council meeting on Monday, April 13, 2026. His only recorded spoken contribution was a brief affirmative response: “Yes.”

Hart also participated in the council’s vote on the administrative code changes. On the roll call vote for the administrative code reorganization, he voted yes. The recorded motion was the “roll call vote on the administrative code changes,” and the outcome included Hart’s affirmative support.

Based on the available meeting record, Hart did not introduce motions, raise questions, or offer extended remarks during the meeting. His involvement centered on the substantive vote concerning the administrative code changes, where he aligned with approval of the measure.

In the official record, Hart’s actions were straightforward: he voted yes on the roll call and gave a brief “Yes” when called upon. No additional position statements, procedural objections, or follow-up exchanges are reflected in the extracted activity from the meeting.