[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6267931,"mediaKeyId","3060943-25b014f43b2a91d195bf9bb76d4ae773","parentId",3060943,"title","Tewksbury School Committee: votes at a glance from the April meeting","audioSeconds",9676,"startMs",1919000,"endMs",11595000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3060943-25b014f43b2a91d195bf9bb76d4ae773&start=1919&end=11595","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3060943-25b014f43b2a91d195bf9bb76d4ae773/thumbnail_1919000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6267931/Tewksbury-Public-Schools/School-Boards/Massachusetts/Tewksbury-School-Committee-votes-at-a-glance-from-the-April-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6267931-eede969b59e71c5e787e9b98262ffb90/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173327&Signature=dH6GmH-Sr7g7mQNLSuE08ew4kg2h1SQX-NfTFIQLvgqKnc8TbEj4J1VpwaL0ZHrf-w99igsnTZ7dF1ik6~hmrBBCY6klG6015XE~od6XaDLo1mq-6xwEWQNNPncHYu5NJIHsGwRJuciIDBzaVTTUdR12A4MLxXmiKjxqzqGWYdVlQxNo7KBIgiZfjbPRwMlBFWALmSKlyvlNVsg2VurOEeONFEl5DA00btSf4Sb-48aWoYeOA7E4IBoPqo7qJtTyDVgGPZaoGm5dsMjxHVm9Bhs~vP0hCm0t7Jv2A5Be0z6IcNfk4DPaBbVHLZbV1TepqajBXxbS6wE~kqBUbyAkmw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tewksbury Public Schools, MA","date","2025-04-19T14:27:55.597Z","article","Tewksbury — At its April meeting the Tewksbury School Committee took a sequence of procedural and substantive votes. Below is a concise summary of those actions and immediate follow‑up steps the administration was asked to carry out.

Votes at a glance
- Chair election: Bridget Garabedian was nominated and elected chair by voice vote. (Outcome: approved; recorded as unanimous voice vote.)
- Vice chair election: Mrs. B. Ajani Smith was nominated and elected vice chair. (Outcome: approved; unanimous voice vote.)
- Clerk election: Jamie Cutlass was nominated and elected clerk. (Outcome: approved; unanimous voice vote.)
- Motion to enter executive session: Motion to enter executive session to approve executive session minutes and to discuss collective bargaining (TTA bargaining units) was approved by roll call; committee recessed and reconvened in open session at 6:30 p.m. (Outcome: approved.)
- Acceptance of donation (PowerAd scoreboard): Motion to accept the donated scoring table (PowerAd) — approved unanimously by voice vote. (Outcome: approved.)
- Approval of advertising on donated board (PowerAd): Motion to permit commercial advertising on the donated board under athletic‑director review of content — approved unanimously by voice vote. (Outcome: approved.)
- Payroll certifications: The committee approved and certified three payroll warrants: period ending 03/13/2025 ($1,737,138.43), 03/27/2025 ($1,679,342.20) and 04/10/2025 ($1,682,603.33). (Outcome: each approved by roll call; unanimous.)
- Approval of minutes: Motion to approve the 03/11/2025 regular business meeting minutes was approved; one member (Jamie Cutlass) recorded an abstention for that item. (Outcome: approved with one abstention.)
- Policy adoption — JLCA (Physical examinations of students): Second and final reading adopted by voice vote. (Outcome: approved unanimously.)
- FY26 budget: Motion to approve the FY26 budget in the amount of $78,897,922 was moved and approved by roll call vote; the vote forwarded the budget to the town meeting. (Outcome: approved unanimously.)
- Calendar and registers: Committee approved the last day of school for the 2024‑25 year as Tuesday, June 17 (early release). Committee also approved the 2025‑26 register periods (kindergarten, grades 1–4 trimesters and grades 5–12 terms). (Outcome: approved unanimously.)
- Inter‑district School Choice: The committee voted to follow the superintendent’s recommendation to not participate in the 2025‑26 School Choice program, citing Central Elementary enrollment pressures and facility reconfiguration work. (Outcome: approved unanimously.)
- Consent agenda: The committee approved the consent agenda, which included receipt of Valley Collaborative reports and acceptance of a $1,000 donation from Teradyne to the high school robotics team. (Outcome: approved unanimously.)
- Adjournment: Motion to adjourn passed at 8:24 p.m.

What the committee asked staff to do
- Document and return with clarifications on the PowerAd donation: post‑warranty repair responsibilities and a written advertising‑approval process.
- For the FY26 budget: staff to proceed with required submittals for town meeting and any related follow‑up memos requested by the committee.
- For fees and clubs: staff to return with additional data before any vote on proposed fee changes.

Ending
The meeting combined routine administrative approvals with several items requiring short administrative follow‑ups; the committee moved the district budget on to town meeting and scheduled additional information and public outreach on proposed fee changes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Committee - 04/16/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The committee took a series of administrative and budget votes including elections of chair, vice chair and clerk; approval of payrolls and minutes; adoption of a policy on physical exams; approval of the FY26 budget; acceptance of a scoreboard donation and related advertising; and an opt‑out from the inter‑district school choice program.","taxTitle","Tewksbury Public Schools, School Boards, Massachusetts","taxId",38819,"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},6267937,"School committee accepts donated LED scoring table, approves advertising with restrictions",475,6335000,6810000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3060943-25b014f43b2a91d195bf9bb76d4ae773&start=6335&end=6810","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3060943-25b014f43b2a91d195bf9bb76d4ae773/thumbnail_6335000.jpg","/articles/6267937/Tewksbury-Public-Schools/School-Boards/Massachusetts/School-committee-accepts-donated-LED-scoring-table-approves-advertising-with-restrictions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6267937-03c976d86abff982fd4e0cbc342dfe2f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173327&Signature=m3IAr7KsMUBytzaA3ueDoTswDgpF3RzNiFs2LmI2xkZOSHIX3W9crWTmBiQ1st9~rYyXKwjs3baQhuRHUnkBENg2DbD2gz42p~N0kFbv17SnmKyoIVsIr8-GdGRqVXHCv~z1DiO-Is6EensanUUZKaAHIBHDdv-Nye8-BsxL2G6ldo0j-nmlpm3DOl9J-t0SJgnoQM5M3~OE90v6yezar5Cwj6u~60834PbBITJMFbOP4zhVrqgZMT8yDuL1KaIsOcts1UhnceQaiKqmJhFebzV9Th4RVMsEwwPE7ZkX1aOYiSApwt8vb7TEtwMCBZgsGUjZmtb1cRc2LHOWGv-2AA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tewksbury — The Tewksbury School Committee voted unanimously April 30 to accept a donated LED scoring table for Tewksbury Memorial High School and to allow the vendor to solicit commercial advertising for the display under school‑reviewed content rules.

What the committee approved: The committee voted to accept a donation of an LED scoring table from PowerAd and separately voted to permit commercial advertising on the unit, both motions passing by unanimous voice vote.

Why it matters: The device is intended for indoor sporting events and will be installed at no cost to the district. Advertising revenue is part of the vendor’s business model; the committee approved the arrangement after discussion about content controls, revenue splits and equipment warranty.

Key details presented
- Product and installation: Company representatives described the unit as a roughly 10‑foot LED screen that will serve as the scoring table for indoor athletics. The vendor will provide the board and the supporting technology and warranty coverage initially.
- Advertising and review process: The company will solicit local business advertisements for display board slots. The athletic director will review proposed ads and the company agreed that “family friendly” standards will apply; items deemed not family friendly will be rejected from display, with the athletic director having final review authority.
- Revenue split and timeline: Under the arrangement described at the meeting, the company retains advertising revenue for the first two years; beginning in the third year any profits from advertising will be split 50/50 between the company and Tewksbury Memorial High School. The company also stated it will continue to solicit ads after the initial two‑year period.
- Warranty and maintenance: The company said it will send technology support and warranty service; committee members asked for clarification about responsibility for repairs after the initial warranty period.

Committee discussion and questions
Members asked who approves ad content, how potentially problematic business names or words would be handled, what warranty and repair costs would be after the initial covered period, and which revenue account would receive future ad income. Business Manager Dave Libby said ad revenue would be deposited in the athletic revolving fund, where gate receipts and athletics‑related donations are typically recorded. Members also asked whether the district would be responsible for soliciting ads; the company said it would handle solicitation and keep revenue for two years before the revenue‑sharing arrangement began.

Votes and outcome
- Motion to accept the donation: motion made and seconded; voice vote in favor; recorded as unanimous. The committee also accepted a separate motion to permit advertising on the board; that motion passed unanimously.

Ending
Committee members approved the donation and the advertising proposal but asked administration to confirm post‑warranty responsibilities and to formalize the advertising‑review process before installation.","Tewksbury School Committee unanimously accepted a donated 10‑foot LED scoring table from PowerAd and approved an advertising arrangement that lets the company solicit ads, keeps ad revenue for two years, and splits profits 50/50 with the high school in year three; ads are subject to athletic director review for family‑friendliness.",{"_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},6267941,"Tewksbury officials review higher fees for athletics and clubs as costs outpace revenue",1549,6967000,8516000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3060943-25b014f43b2a91d195bf9bb76d4ae773&start=6967&end=8516","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3060943-25b014f43b2a91d195bf9bb76d4ae773/thumbnail_6967000.jpg","/articles/6267941/Tewksbury-Public-Schools/School-Boards/Massachusetts/Tewksbury-officials-review-higher-fees-for-athletics-and-clubs-as-costs-outpace-revenue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6267941-a8ab5fab5e06aef7094d2686f2ebbf2b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771173327&Signature=WkzM2Iw8J3f-4QYxlVouDsQWyYgrHsU4eTI4umvzSk9p01kHYNzB6GJu688xGag-BPQ6i8iEp9Io2DXeLn8fLGWosfG-H4CYCgPtV-FemUoZYCfZ2g~5gB9D0jkDsGPxoPAgUaprJ6wECI1w2376JjHncK6NlCmB6zfMqbbFi68V5LlKf~-IF6-jWjfN2gsI0f3TQpCEk9sBvB~wdDpIooL4PcfFTe2aIZlXhC0FKO-7l1M4kuj--GaffjQAcbT1tAY1c9dD74NQPa-RZWTAh~N9NuX7VrTcrxLtbzvHPz4wfjNlSM22DKZS~LeGWfRAzLhAWIT6qd0iaeezQ2a5bg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tewksbury — The Tewksbury School Committee heard a detailed presentation April 30 from Business Manager Dave Libby on proposed increases to extracurricular fees intended to help the district cover rising costs for transportation, stipends and supplies.

Libby said the district’s athletic and activity fees have not been meaningfully revised in many years and that rising transportation and operating costs left revenue trailing expenses. “Everything from the stipends, transportation, just supplies, materials, everything is costing more,” Libby said during the committee meeting.

Why it matters: The proposed changes would affect families who pay for multiple sports and clubs and could alter participation for students in lower‑income households. Committee members pressed for protections for families eligible for free or reduced‑price meals and for phased or tiered implementation to limit abrupt impacts.

Details of the review and recommendations
- Athletics: Libby described the current athletic fee as $150 per sport with a family cap of $600 and said that fee levels were set in the early 2000s. The presentation included scenarios showing how higher fees in prior years would have increased revenues; staff recommended a phased increase (examples discussed in the presentation included $225 and $250 scenarios) to help close the gap between revenues and transportation‑driven expenses. Libby said that transportation accounts for roughly 82% of what athletic fees fund. The district currently provides waivers for students qualifying for free or reduced meals; staff reported 99 waivers this year.
- Clubs and activities: The high school currently charges $15 per club with a $100 individual cap; the Wynn and Ryan elementary/middle settings have different, higher caps and fees. Staff proposed aligning the Wynn with the high school and recommended raising the typical club fee to $75 with an individual cap of $300 at the high school and Wynn, phased in over two years. Projected effects shown in the presentation suggested the proposed caps would reduce the percentage of unpaid registrations caused by caps from about 34% to about 15% under current participation numbers.
- Parking: High‑school parking fees were not recommended for change. The district currently charges $150 for the year and uses fee revenue to cover half of one security monitor position plus maintenance and small capital items.

Questions and concerns raised by committee members
Committee members asked whether higher fees could price students out of expensive sports such as hockey, whether certain high‑cost activities could be treated differently, and whether fees could be structured so that programs that use more transportation bear a larger share of those costs.
- Member Kayla B. Ajani Smith and others suggested implementing phased increases and continuing to re‑examine the structure annually. Several members asked for a list of clubs and the relative costs per club (for example, ski club versus yoga club) so the committee could consider a tiered or activity‑specific structure.
- Members proposed exploring payment plans or other supports for families that receive large combined bills when multiple children and multiple activities are involved and asked staff to better publicize eligibility for fee waivers tied to state free/reduced‑price meal certification.

Next steps
Libby and Superintendent Terry O’Regan said the presentation was intended to give the committee time to review before a proposed vote at a future meeting. The recommendation in the presentation calls for committee feedback, broader community input, and a scheduled vote at a subsequent meeting after the district posts additional details and financial scenarios. Libby said some contract and budget items (for example bus contracts) will influence how exact fee levels are set going forward.

Ending
Committee members generally favored a phased approach and asked staff to provide more granular data — club lists, transportation‑by‑activity cost breakdowns and the attendance/participation data the district now collects under new appendix B procedures — before taking a final vote.","School business manager presented recommended increases to athletic and club fees after a multi-year review, prompting questions from committee members about equity, impact on participation and alternatives such as payment plans and targeted transportation fees.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Tewksbury School Committee: votes at a glance from the April meeting

School committee accepts donated LED scoring table, approves advertising with restrictions

Tewksbury officials review higher fees for athletics and clubs as costs outpace revenue