School Committee Members Marcony Almeida-Barros (left) and Frank Parker (right) and Lafayette School Principal John Obremski attended the Second Annual Summit on Poverty held at Clark University in Worcester. Students in Everett are effected daily by the impact of poverty within the community. Currently, under the state’s new funding formula, more than fifty percent of the children in Everett are considered economically disadvantaged — significantly higher than the state average of 32 percent. Discussions throughout the day of the conference revolved around fees within public schools, accessibility to programming, and the availability of food. Guest speakers at the conference included Dr. William Parrett, Director, Center for School Improvement and Policy Studies, Boise State University; Jeff Riley of the Massachusetts Department of Education Commissioner-Elect; and Rep. James McGovern, Congressman, 2nd District of Massachusetts.
