[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6583212,"mediaKeyId","3045292-01170d6406154756d9b5357dce03b0b6","parentId",3045292,"title","Committee tables final vote on student discipline policy after debate over recess language","audioSeconds",903,"startMs",3513000,"endMs",4416000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3045292-01170d6406154756d9b5357dce03b0b6&start=3513&end=4416","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3045292-01170d6406154756d9b5357dce03b0b6/thumbnail_3513000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6583212/Town-of-Acton/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Committee-tables-final-vote-on-student-discipline-policy-after-debate-over-recess-language","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6583212-5d40d5bd555bf2dc834a037134fe1b63/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445658&Signature=OIuMVA5yJEUbjGzCFAuQUiehL4JacfNADcBN23-i9oE9d3s0-wDVNeoT-ePdUi5u0j3jFullj~J2OlpfadUYlyy9jRDKqvwMalGSR26bx~PLND06SF7cSNml3cOOi8O99er1DizYi1nYc03TO7XNHrN5jACSdtvhfhtIkPm2BKGxjGzb-7cTPg5zZLVSJYqO4KfVDlk9ztcsaVd0QWEpUlGsH-YBi04z0W8BVHbjTlgZHKAb~lJ7xC3j-8SoG5~~UJHAj1LxHgGCu2b0rq~jIw39AABmj1cOKIQol5DQToIt8IW05k3oDoRYLbIAHOY3y8Iw57NUQfts0QZrIViLCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Acton","date","2025-04-18T02:09:59.387Z","article","Acton \u000e2\u000080\u000094 The Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee on April 17 did not adopt revised student-discipline language after members and several speakers raised questions about a provision that would allow administrators to limit recess in some circumstances, including for restorative exercises.

What happened: The committee had before it a second read of a revised student behavior and discipline policy (policy JK) that included language intended to protect recess while allowing limited flexibility for safety or restorative purposes. Several public commenters and committee members urged stronger protection for recess, arguing recess is essential for students' regulation and well-being. Others, including elementary principals and the committee's policy subcommittee, described scenarios where brief teacher- or administrator-directed conversations or restorative work might reasonably occur during a scheduled recess.

Committee concerns: Members expressed different interpretations of \"restorative exercise\" and worried the current wording could be read to permit longer removals from recess. Principals and staff emphasized practicality: sometimes an adult needs a brief private conversation with a student, or a short restorative interaction is the most appropriate response. Several committee members said the policy language should make clearer that any limitation on recess be narrowly tailored, require administrator involvement, and provide an alternative opportunity for physical activity.

Outcome: The committee decided to table final action and asked policy subcommittee to continue work, seek additional input from teachers and administrators, and return a refined draft. Several members specifically asked for clearer guardrails on when and how recess may be limited and for examples of appropriate restorative practices.

Why it matters: Recess policy affects daily time for movement and play for elementary students and touches on discipline, equity and staff practice. The debate also highlights trade-offs between protecting student break time and allowing responsive, restorative interactions that staff say may sometimes be necessary.

Next steps: Policy subcommittee will revise the language, incorporate feedback from principals and CPAC (the Special Education Parent Advisory Council was among commenters), and bring the item back to the full committee before the end of the school year.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Acton-Boxborough School Committee Meeting - April 17th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Committee members asked for more work on proposed student discipline language concerning recess and restorative practices; the policy subcommittee will refine wording and the full committee will revisit the item at a later meeting.","taxTitle","Town of Acton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts","taxId",56888,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6583217,"RJ Grey junior high reports attendance worries, small-group wins and anti-bias training",208,2468000,2676000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3045292-01170d6406154756d9b5357dce03b0b6&start=2468&end=2676","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3045292-01170d6406154756d9b5357dce03b0b6/thumbnail_2468000.jpg","/articles/6583217/Town-of-Acton/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/RJ-Grey-junior-high-reports-attendance-worries-small-group-wins-and-anti-bias-training","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6583217-f84228bb8a079b79d9b837a4c27c3714/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445658&Signature=B53ncxPd0tJkggdylNm77ZH-PEU-gxY3OQ5gqj7Ab3M6cy1KBlV0xwk4QFPjzZq--0X27t3LkSbsOkG0GRY~XL10P1XxCt2QMrXtrZ7bSI22zNmkwxwECDzPHAuHeOPj85TuPG52A6EV5vsLBJ~oV3RnxhgqazErhqC69ArrjQkk4nQxxN1c906~o~ldU32YCi9raQDMS4V6YAYs5SE1LqoP7YrBgMtBnZwQ1iPnaTbpqJJo4ypfOiuUMOXQULI7WsZ3857V3T35tuPQqRJ69qojWj2I03aRrTkHBK~atPL89ZLV6-RSIcEy14XrBql8whGCmqY9yUijs7rQk6sLWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Acton \u000e2\u000080\u000094 RJ Grey junior high Principal Jim Marcotte presented learning and climate work to the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee on April 17, reporting measured academic gains from short-term small-group interventions, continuing concerns about chronic absenteeism, and a new student training on interrupting hate and bias.

What he reported: Marcotte said the school ran two six- to seven-week cycles of directed-study small-group workshops this year, reaching more than 170 students with targeted instruction on topics such as math fact fluency and reading confidence. He said students reported improved confidence in math and English after the workshops.

Why the workshops paused: Teachers ultimately asked the administration to pause the pull-out workshop model because it required work outside of contractual expectations and added an effective \"sixth class\" for some instructors. Marcotte said the vision remains to provide additional targeted instruction but the delivery must fit teacher contracts and workload.

Attendance and chronic absenteeism: Using DESE-aligned measures, Marcotte showed the committee the junior high has clusters of lower attendance on Mondays and Fridays and that, at day 130 of the school year, about 60 students had met the 10% missed-days threshold (about 13 days missed at that point). He cited varied causes including acute illness, chronic illness, family travel, housing instability and school-avoidant behavior.

Anti-bias training: The junior high piloted a student training on four steps to interrupt hate and bias: interrupt, question, educate, echo. Marcotte said the percentage of students reporting they had seen an adult interrupt rose from about 83% last spring to 88% in the fall; student reports of peer interruption also rose from about 56% to 63% in that period. He said the school will survey students again in May to track progress.

Why it matters: The presentation links instructional strategies, student supports and school climate. Committee members praised teachers for outreach and asked how to scale targeted interventions within contractual and budget constraints.

Next steps: Marcotte said the school will refine how data teams and targeted supports are delivered, continue to monitor attendance, and plan professional learning for teachers focused on instruction for multilingual learners and other priority instructional areas.

Committee reaction: Members recognized the instructional gains and raised questions about staffing, funding for tier 2 and tier 3 interventions, and strategies to address the non-instructional causes of absenteeism such as housing instability. \"It's more than just the tally of whether they're in their seats,\" one member said, thanking Marcotte for looking beyond raw counts.","Principal Jim Marcotte told the committee the junior high ran interim small-group academic workshops with positive results but paused them because of staff workload; chronic absenteeism remains a challenge and the school is training students in four anti-bias strategies.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6583220,"District hires consultant to develop strategic plan and reorganization options",87,3688000,3775000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3045292-01170d6406154756d9b5357dce03b0b6&start=3688&end=3775","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3045292-01170d6406154756d9b5357dce03b0b6/thumbnail_3688000.jpg","/articles/6583220/Town-of-Acton/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/District-hires-consultant-to-develop-strategic-plan-and-reorganization-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6583220-ca8f6162a8f6fa8e8471018583fc6801/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445658&Signature=bHa8w694Pu3itfT8e6ScMWwYLzIL~QeCQlkDxTTfDvL4bXL9gfY3ScZqkPPodOrDbiD6BXg2bR92RxgVHbeAHcdaF-JDq0xiJ9Oa1KZH2fULDlmX0O2roaAaBLAIBexrVp72EKIB9tfqSAtxRdx3mNvLsyp2ZRSNZbhZVGDmy4PusENltwSg0g5YqX5-uswoQwYmgS-zuSZMbYla157Haq~Clv2X0bh6R2TV4pXHmQ1NNwQpjwQnKRIvQEWdxIMXzkWa~nqO9dDe1vMs~~svepYWXHqWXvAKlnPw2WAA-wHvxvyOznpgzJkp---QwKvnB6dVlFWuK3yxqoX-ZN6~7w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Acton \u000e2\u000080\u000094 The Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee voted to engage District Management Group (DMG) to lead a strategic planning and district reorganization process aimed at aligning the district's structure with current enrollment, fiscal pressures and student needs.

Why it matters: School and district leaders said the district faces fiscal strain and shifting enrollment patterns and needs an outside analysis to generate options that preserve services while using resources more efficiently.

What the consultant will do: Joe Costello, a DMG director, told the committee the firm will run a five-phase engagement: form a steering committee; perform a quantitative and qualitative diagnostic; conduct broad stakeholder engagement; draft a strategic plan and several reorganization scenarios; and return for community feedback before finalizing recommendations and an implementation path. DMG described the deliverables as a written strategic plan and two to three reorganization options, plus an implementation roadmap.

Committee members asked for examples and assurances that the consultant would prioritize student outcomes and community input. Costello said DMG's work across hundreds of districts uses student-outcome-centered frameworks and that the firm will plan outreach to groups that do not typically participate, using translated materials and community liaisons where needed.

District context provided to the committee included declining enrollment in some grades, emergent student needs that require programmatic changes, and fiscal constraints that limit how the district can staff interventions. The superintendent said the consultant was selected after a competitive request-for-proposals process and that the district had previous positive experience with DMG tools and reviews.

Next steps: DMG and the superintendent's office will assemble a steering committee and begin stakeholder engagement in the coming weeks. The consultant expects to return draft scenarios for committee and community review later in the process.

What DMG emphasized: a theory-of-action approach linking mission, prioritized goals and concrete action steps; clear measures of success; explicit attention to change management to increase the odds the plan will be implemented.

The committee did not vote on any reorganization option at the April 17 meeting; the decision now moves to the planning and engagement phase.","The committee selected District Management Group to lead a strategic planning and reorganization effort; DMG will convene a steering committee, conduct diagnostics, gather stakeholder input, and deliver a strategic plan plus 2-3 reorganization scenarios.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6583222,"Acton-Boxborough committee votes to remain withdrawn from DESE School Choice; reverts Title IX policy language",203,109000,312000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3045292-01170d6406154756d9b5357dce03b0b6&start=109&end=312","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3045292-01170d6406154756d9b5357dce03b0b6/thumbnail_109000.jpg","/articles/6583222/Town-of-Acton/Middlesex-County/Massachusetts/Acton-Boxborough-committee-votes-to-remain-withdrawn-from-DESE-School-Choice-reverts-Title-IX-policy-language","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6583222-572cd42ad3d8ed5cd12d996f4bc418b4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770445658&Signature=HruEZG350yuF5TI9fwhKPYcnf656cSJiDWNDUmzZ2lz1M5Lc2ob3sxn~4XGWvz7N67CJPAtLbjpq2NnIwLgbUkTi4YbXtt4BQ-FmvkLzkVXAu74sf-WRGQWAj-hpDeKD6p6Rl-0lTZCjTd1UadvcjE82d-qb2EErc8-FTUaL3ts2Qf88pfoiSPixZne6HBkRDvwM0M09TotprD3k8hmOz-ih4tU~gW4GyjiBj9eHC3YqGewANW9Zl5TQYtANn0unisJnUJ342GnJ-XEkLopMuWJlpBPivbTGfLMFahSL1Ng5IY3ddIbOmPWAKI3unvdYYEocI0nE4iXx1I2YCIrCiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Acton — The Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee on April 17 voted to keep the district withdrawn from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education\u0000(DESE) School Choice program for fiscal year 2026 and separately approved reverting three district policies to pre-November 2024 Title IX language.

The committee voted unanimously to keep the district withdrawn from DESE\u0000School Choice after a short public hearing in which district staff explained the financial trade-offs. \"The funding you get is $5,000 but the average per-pupil expenditure that we have is well over three times that amount,\" Andrew Shen said during the hearing, arguing that the district's analysis supported remaining withdrawn.

Why it matters: accepting School Choice students can bring state revenue per student but also requires the district to educate additional students at local cost. The committee\u0000decided the current balance of revenue and expense does not favor opting in for FY26.

On a separate motion the committee approved reverting policy language in AC, ACAB and JIE to the versions in effect before the board-approved changes of November 2024. Superintendent and staff told the committee the change is necessary to reconcile district rules with the current federal Title IX regulatory framework. Committee members and some public speakers raised concerns about the policy change\u0000and whether other district policies provide protections for gender identity and related issues.

The Title IX motion passed after a roll-call-style process that produced multiple abstentions; the motion was approved by the majority of members voting. Committee members who spoke during the roll call expressed a mix of support and discomfort with the federal shift but said the district must comply with current federal rules while continuing to use other local policies and procedures to protect students.

What the motions were and how the committee voted

- School Choice (FY26): Motion to remain withdrawn from the DESE School Choice program, with existing school-choice students allowed to remain through graduation. Moved from the floor and seconded during the hearing; outcome: approved unanimously.

- Title IX policy language (AC, ACAB, JIE): Motion to revert the policy language to versions in effect prior to the committee\u0000changes voted on Nov. 24, 2024, in order to comply with current federal Title IX regulations. Moved and seconded; outcome: approved by a majority with multiple abstentions.

What committee members said: Several members stressed the district will continue to rely on other anti-bullying and harassment policies to address conduct related to gender identity and urged vigilance to protect students. \"There are other policies and procedures that have to do with bullying and harassment that do incorporate gender identity as a protected class,\" a district staff member told the committee when explaining practical safeguards.

Next steps: The School Choice decision stands for FY26; the reverted Title IX language will be implemented administratively. Committee members said they will continue to review related policies and procedures to ensure students are protected under applicable local and state rules.

Votes at a glance and official motions are recorded in the meeting minutes and in the actions array attached to this article.","At its April 17 meeting the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee voted to remain withdrawn from the Massachusetts DESE School Choice program for FY26 and voted to revert several district policies to earlier Title IX language following federal regulatory changes; the Title IX motion passed with multiple abstentions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee tables final vote on student discipline policy after debate over recess language

RJ Grey junior high reports attendance worries, small-group wins and anti-bias training

District hires consultant to develop strategic plan and reorganization options

Acton-Boxborough committee votes to remain withdrawn from DESE School Choice; reverts Title IX policy language