Leominster School Committee reviews MASC resolutions, advances policy readings and approves routine actions

The Leominster School Committee on Oct. 20 reviewed Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) resolutions, advanced a slate of policy readings from the policy subcommittee, and approved routine actions including minutes and field trips.

Committee members discussed several MASC items during the meeting. The committee considered a resolution to remove Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements from routine school screening; a committee member stated support for removing BMI measurement from schools. Members also reviewed a resolution supporting personal financial literacy in schools and discussed a resolution described as protecting transgender students’ rights in schools (referred to in the meeting as sanctuary protections). The committee discussed a separate resolution that would amend the special-education funding formula by changing the referenced percentage in Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 40, §13E (the meeting record cited changing a factor from 2% to 5%). Members broadly voiced support for that adjustment.

On policy work, the committee heard a report from the policy subcommittee and moved forward first readings of several policies including school-community and business partnerships/volunteers (file K A), school councils and school improvement plans (KCBC and KCBD), acceptance of grants and gifts (KCD), public information and communications (KD), public’s right to know (KDB), public complaints about instructional practices and materials (KEC), community use of school facilities (KF, KFD), advertising (KHB), circulation of written materials (KHC), solicitations of students (KHD), visitors to the school (KI), and relations with fire, planning and community organizations (KLH, KLJ, KLK). The committee deferred a separate policy on noncustodial parent rights until legal review. Committee members also approved second readings of a CTE-related policy and a policy-determination item; the CTE discussion included a request to create a donation account so proceeds from student-led work would be reinvested in the program.

A committee speaker noted rules limiting gifts to school employees, saying, “you can't take anything of value more than $50,” and the committee directed staff to examine how proceeds from donated or restored items through CTE (CTEI) could be tracked and returned to the program for materials and supplies.

Routine approvals included a motion to approve the Oct. 6 minutes (motion moved and seconded; second by Ron was recorded), approval of listed field trips and finance items mentioned during the meeting. Several items were approved with motions and seconds recorded in the transcript; vote tallies were not specified on the record.

Committee members also raised operational items: the athletic director will retire at the end of the school year and the committee agreed to begin a search process; members discussed attendance at the upcoming MASC conference; and members received an update on the turf/field project behind the high school. A committee member described the field work as advanced by contractors and said the district has “300 and something thousand dollars” in a fund and that a full replacement could cost “probably 700” (these dollar figures were reported conversationally and not itemized in the meeting record).

The meeting record shows the committee advancing routine governance work and asking staff for follow-up on legal review for deferred policies, creation of a CTE donation account, and further information about community partner services and attendance data.

Votes at a glance: the transcript records approval of Oct. 6 minutes; approval of policy readings as described; approval of field trips; and approval of finance items; where recorded the minutes show motions, seconds and unanimous or majority approval but did not include a roll-call tally in the transcript excerpt.