[{"_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":44,"_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,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6171362,"mediaKeyId","5394418-5da9f64081f7dd858aebf91e4703db93","parentId",5394418,"title","Votes at a glance: consent agenda approved; committee moves to executive session","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",983000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5394418-5da9f64081f7dd858aebf91e4703db93&start=983&end=983","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5394418-5da9f64081f7dd858aebf91e4703db93/thumbnail_983000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6171362/Massachusetts/Votes-at-a-glance-consent-agenda-approved-committee-moves-to-executive-session","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6171362-c8ba1c34136b5f126ca5164555ec8dfb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770610882&Signature=lpazHqtSyVI1W0q2F66oa6ZFB-~4wBsS5medj~tQSP0oGLXRE1oVA0cGOI2Or0CtxCs-a6eFsVBMJ33484~BGh3Msbd6jJFBqiYQ3Nh50KnlRkPuRFMYHpACwMhzPeZ0I6IvknTMpA6pTN0z6XrYNTgakvTGRYS3V3ahzdKuMUL0u48KA0iGaiMa4Iy6rYHMU3cDUVXrhdPeoJMRfS0RryrPjvNMLvSYrbi1S0TonyBqeHB75ucwP8xgZfBLjA2qALarbmeDg0DsKSap-AX3bmMblggP5A5qjGdLV5oWvxWT8r0pbsCxmWvu62oL6pUYFrp4g3Y0XW8B9a7Su5Ag~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Winchester Public Schools, MA","date","2025-07-14T17:51:04Z","article","The Winchester School Committee took three formal actions at the July 24 meeting.

• Consent agenda: The committee approved a consent agenda that included acceptance of an American Red Cross scholarship award, four donations (the Jang family, cafeteria waste recycling committee, Daktronics scoring table donation and a donation from national special districts) and the disposal of surplus textbooks. The motion carried on a roll-call vote recorded in the minutes.

• Initial approval of Galápagos trip: The committee granted initial approval for a Winchester High School Galápagos trip and authorized the superintendent to evaluate world conditions and finalize the travel plans (see separate article for details).

• Executive session: Committee members voted to enter executive session under purpose 3 to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining. The chair stated that an open meeting could have a detrimental impact on the committee’s negotiating position and the motion carried on a roll-call vote.

Roll-call votes were recorded on the transcript with the following named responses: Miss Bolognese (aye), Mister Hopcroft (aye), Miss Munyarji (aye), Miss Bergstrom (aye) and the presiding officer/vice chair voting aye for the items when roll calls were conducted.

No additional substantive motions were taken in public after the executive session motion; the committee adjourned from executive session without returning to public session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Winchester School Committee Meeting 7-10-25","oneSentenceSummary","The School Committee approved the consent agenda (scholarship acceptance, four donations, surplus textbook disposal), gave initial approval to the Galápagos trip and voted to enter executive session on collective bargaining.","taxTitle","Winchester Public Schools, School Boards, Massachusetts","taxId",71055,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6171370,"School committee gives initial approval to Winchester High Galápagos trip; parents ask about cost and scholarships",430,1095000,1525000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5394418-5da9f64081f7dd858aebf91e4703db93&start=1095&end=1525","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5394418-5da9f64081f7dd858aebf91e4703db93/thumbnail_1095000.jpg","/articles/6171370/Massachusetts/School-committee-gives-initial-approval-to-Winchester-High-Galápagos-trip-parents-ask-about-cost-and-scholarships","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6171370-b7ffd130e2ad17620999e246734834f8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770625527&Signature=ZFFPZPwKrC9J3GwasQkpeEN9fcEsHvq9--OwPpa26rJkGa6Wgqgyg-EShMo4V99Mg1FWi0KiesAc2QGBTg2zNAmr5idHVkGs0mHK7l0UPDS8~nQImKLFHttJKxGwOicKLudMDixtWDYuJ4Mw9hDQOvfhKoOu9qpbsgbFSVhRUcVzvByHZqX-2hJQJMFBJD2jc7fUpmbdhSgTT0kE9ZlhbdS6sFPCR4S8lOwUhQw3o7gsMGmJfAW8JbYNV-4lhtUYY1yxXX4xG-KaKki-cN6eRnrYlj~jnxB5xfCxakB8WoHuVGIuZ0tx-a66SA4~2i0iKHusqwF4M~oOO973dyL8CA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Winchester School Committee granted initial approval July 24 for a proposed Winchester High School student trip to the Galápagos Islands, authorizing the superintendent to assess global conditions and finalize travel arrangements.

Teacher Ian Ritchie outlined educational goals for the February-break trip, saying the itinerary would connect students with active research projects in conservation biology and provide sustained curriculum links to AP biology and environmental science. Ritchie said the plan seeks to build working relationships with field researchers so students can analyze real data and, when feasible, meet scientists at research stations.

The per-student cost cited at the meeting was $5,179 (not including gratuities). Ritchie and Principal Mahoney said families can request partial financial support from school-held student support funds but that full scholarships are not available from the school; the committee discussed fundraising and a \"pay-it-forward\" scholarship concept to help future participating students.

\"We recommend parents reach out if they need support,\" Ritchie said, describing student fundraising and district support options. He and staff said EF Tours will supply formal medical and vaccination guidance after enrollment, and that EF has offered pathways for follow-up academic credit; representatives said some trips can be eligible for three college credits from Southern New Hampshire University if students complete pre- and post-trip work.

Committee members praised the safety record and planning standards of EF Tours; members asked about capacity and selection. Ritchie said 23 students had expressed interest for 20 slots and that if there were open seats the program could be extended to rising sophomores.

A motion for initial approval — described at the meeting as \"initial approval of the Winchester High School Galápagos trip with authority to the superintendent to assess world conditions and finalize the trip\" — passed on a roll-call vote. Committee members recorded their votes as aye during the roll call.

Committee members asked administrators to return with final details on scholarships, final participant list, any in-trip academic credit and final safety/health documentation ahead of a final authorization.","The School Committee gave initial approval to a Winchester High School trip to the Galápagos Islands scheduled for February break; the trip cost is $5,179 per student, EF Tours will provide logistics and optional college credit was discussed. Committee approved initial authorization with superintendent authority to assess conditions.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6171375,"Winchester High committee recommends class-to-class device policy after yearlong review",3743,157000,3900000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5394418-5da9f64081f7dd858aebf91e4703db93&start=157&end=3900","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5394418-5da9f64081f7dd858aebf91e4703db93/thumbnail_157000.jpg","/articles/6171375/Massachusetts/Winchester-High-committee-recommends-class-to-class-device-policy-after-yearlong-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6171375-e3523ae076e6ccfcf66db3d4ea03dc5b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770610882&Signature=eO-a8V29jBUIsVwB0kOAWvDOuVx0CICQ52OiLvJ0Wz9BG6HQz~HrCcHXcH-nTrQmQcj7CXrfRmMOAWj2kKwOY1FV~oZknjXRLoAEBa7L-t5yRYBwuo9KZlvFsJFMoSEx9A95QbkFh62s9QfY2XuHO6mft1szZY1ERx9CeynAhcJ8FYzpDgI8D2eK6CZlYNAnR2m3KMaghtDT9w6rwXfX8UbJXsOwc8L9Zd2GHVvJkzSbrVl4g~iTE4bJ8FeRPmnOHaZSeBL3Pce4NU5a1jJ~cLWI1zmgEQjrMGaMsBnzx2Cte5F4GSudcOxe9fJ3hpOwjzjy0~4HP0RonNARVQ0KHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Winchester School Committee members heard a report July 24 from a committee convened to update Winchester High School’s cell phone expectations and recommended a class-to-class policy rather than a bell-to-bell ban.

The committee, led by Principal Mahoney, said it convened 13 members — four students, five staff, three parents and the principal — met eight times from April to June and reviewed data, practices in other districts and feedback from more than 500 students, roughly 500 families and a majority of staff respondents.

The recommendation was for a class-to-class approach: students would turn phones into secured boxes or pouches when they enter each classroom and would be allowed to use devices between periods and during lunch. The committee emphasized medical exemptions and exceptions for documented device-based instructional needs, and recommended purchasing classroom storage boxes so the change would be cost-neutral to the town.

\"Nobody's arguing that cell phones are a distraction in the classroom,\" Principal Mahoney said during the presentation, summarizing staff and student feedback. \"We want to be as strict and as clean and consistent as possible.\"

Public commenters at the start of the meeting urged a stronger bell-to-bell policy. Rebecca Sliz, who identified herself as a parent of students in Winchester Public Schools, said evidence from other districts shows removing phones improves academic performance and student well-being. \"All the evidence shows that removing phones improves all those metrics,\" Sliz said. Other parents, including Aurora DeLuca, Susie Briggs and Erica Walsh, described classroom and lunchroom disruptions and expressed support for limiting device use during the school day.

Committee members and administrators raised operational questions: handling early dismissals for athletics, how family members would contact students during the day, device storage logistics, loss/theft risk and teacher workload. Mahoney described two sizes of storage boxes (large boxes that hold up to 32 phones and smaller boxes for support spaces), said he had identified about $10,000 in one-time costs for classroom equipment and that two sample units had been ordered for testing.

The committee reported a close internal vote: the working group chose class-to-class by a 7–6 margin. Mahoney said the committee did not consult seniors in the survey (it collected responses from rising ninth, 10th and 11th graders) and that the student responses showed substantial resistance to losing phone access during the day.

No formal committee vote was taken at the meeting; staff said proposed changes would be incorporated into the student handbook and brought back to the School Committee for a first reading and a later vote so the district can plan implementation and custodial/capital timelines.

The committee also noted state-level activity: members said a state senate joint committee had issued recommendations on bell-to-bell device policies in recent days and that Winchester’s approach might align with or adapt to forthcoming state guidance. Principal Mahoney said the district wants to prepare in case the state adopts a bell-to-bell expectation but that class-to-class best fit Winchester High School’s open-campus culture.

The School Committee did not vote on the handbook changes at the meeting; members asked for additional details about logistics, exemptions, enforcement and how the school would build student buy-in before a final vote.

The committee plans to continue meeting during the summer and to return with handbook language and operational plans before the start of the school year.","A committee convened by Principal Mahoney recommended a class-to-class (not bell-to-bell) personal device policy for Winchester High School after surveys of staff, students and families and eight meetings; the school committee heard the report but did not vote, and implementation details remain under discussion.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: consent agenda approved; committee moves to executive session

School committee gives initial approval to Winchester High Galápagos trip; parents ask about cost and scholarships

Winchester High committee recommends class-to-class device policy after yearlong review