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Meeting Agendas

SHUTESBURY SCHOOL COMMITTEE

www.shutesburyschool.org

PLEASE ATTEND FRAGRANCE-FREE                                MEETING MAY BE RECORDED

Remote Zoom Meeting

See the Shutesbury Town Website www.mytowngovernment.org/01072 for meeting access

 

THURSDAY, September 21, 2023 - 7:00 p.m.

AGENDA

  1. Call Meeting to Order
  2. Public Hearings
  3. Review of Agenda and Perpetual Calendar
  4. Warrants (record in minutes with number)
    • Gifts: Acceptance Vote
    • Grants: Acceptance Vote:
  5. Approval of Minutes
    • June 15, 2023 *
  6. Unfinished Business/Updates
    • Capital Projects/Building Process – Discussion (Roof, Boilers, Kitchen Floor)
  7. New Business/Discussion
    • Amend FY24 Academic Calendar (adding PD ½ day/early release for students on November 8) – Discussion and Possible Vote
    • Family Handbook – Review and Possible Vote
    • Comfort Dogs at School – Discussion with Jessica Carlson-Belanger
  8. Reports
    • Superintendent’s Report
    • Director of Finance and Operations*
      • OOD Placement Cost update
    • Principal’s Report
    • Amherst-Pelham Representative’s Report
    • Union #28 Report - including Budget and Personnel
    • CES Report
  9. Policy Review
  10. Future Business
    • Shutesbury Policy Committee – Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.
    • Shutesbury School Committee – Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.
    • Union #28 Joint Supervisory – November 20, 2023
    • Future agenda items –
  11. Adjournment

 

*   Enclosures

File:  BEDH

SHUTESBURY SCHOOL COMMITTEE

PUBLIC COMMENT AT SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETINGS

All regular and special meetings of the School Committee shall be open to the public. Executive sessions will be held only as prescribed by the Statutes of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The School Committee desires members of the public in the District to attend its meetings so that they may become better acquainted with the operations and the programs of our local public schools.  In addition, the Committee would like the opportunity to hear the wishes and ideas of the public.

Public comment is not a discussion, debate, or dialogue between individuals and the School Committee. It is an individual's opportunity to express an opinion on issues within the School Committee's authority.

In order that all members of the public who wish to be heard before the Committee have a chance and to ensure the ability of the Committee to conduct the District's business in an orderly manner, the following rules and procedures are adopted:

1.  At the start of each regularly scheduled School Committee meeting, individuals or group representatives will be invited to address the Committee.  The Chair shall determine the length of the public participation segment.

2.  Speakers will be allowed three (3) minutes to present their material.  The presiding Chair may permit extension of this time limit.

3.  Topics for discussion should be limited to those items within the School Committee's scope of authority. The authority of the School Committee primarily concerns the review and approval of the budget of the district's public schools, the performance of the Superintendent, and the educational goals and policies of the district's public schools. Comments and complaints regarding school personnel (apart from the Superintendent) or students are generally prohibited unless those comments and complaints concern matters within the scope of School Committee authority. 4.  Improper conduct and remarks will not be allowed.  Defamatory or abusive remarks are always out of order.  If a speaker persists in improper conduct or remarks, the Chair may terminate that individual's privilege of address.  The Chair of the meeting, after a warning, reserves the right to terminate speech which is not constitutionally protected because it constitutes true threats that are likely to provoke a violent reaction and cause a breach of the peace, or incitement to imminent lawless conduct, or contains obscenities.

5.  All remarks will be addressed through the Chair of the meeting.

6.  Speakers may offer such objective criticisms of the school operations and programs as concern them, but in public session the Committee will not hear personal complaints of school personnel nor against any member of the school community.  Under most circumstances, administrative channels are the proper means for disposition of legitimate complaints involving staff members.

7.  Written comments longer than three (3) minutes may be presented to the Committee before or after the meeting for the Committee members' review and consideration at an appropriate time.

SOURCE:  MASC July 2016

Reviewed and Edited by Shutesbury Policy Committee:  12/17/20
First Reading by Shutesbury School Committee:  1/21/21
Second Reading, First Vote by Shutesbury School Committee:  02-25-21
Final Vote by Shutesbury School Committee:  03-18-21