The Holliston School Committee on Aug. 28 approved limited edits to this year’s student handbook that clarify makeup-work timelines and formalize procedures for the school’s directed study block, members said. The committee discussed, but did not adopt, a separate proposal to allow seniors to leave campus during periods staffed by a substitute teacher.
The handbook vote formalized two changes: students will have as many days to make up missed work as days absent for verified/excused absences, and the directed study block will allow students to choose a teacher location daily until 10 a.m., subject to teacher overrides for instructional reasons. Committee members said the edits were intended to align classroom expectations and make the directed study block a place for extra help.
The modifications were presented by David List, who said the makeup-work language “aligned things for students” and described the directed study change as a way to “make the directed study block a space where students are getting extra help.” List said students can change their directed-study assignment each morning through 10 a.m.; if they do not, they remain in their scheduled second-period class.
Committee members asked several clarifying questions about teacher overrides and grade thresholds that determine when a student must remain in a specific classroom. List acknowledged a typographical error in the draft (an unclear reference to teacher override) and said the administration would correct it before the handbook is published.
The committee also discussed a separate idea, raised by List, to allow seniors at Allison High to leave campus during a period when a substitute teacher is present. List said the practice already happens informally — teachers post assignments on Google Classroom and many seniors drive to campus — and proposed adding a formal policy to reduce office workload and mirror college autonomy. Sarah Fitzgerald, committee chair, said she supported the premise but asked that the administration ensure students swipe in/out to maintain an accurate attendance roster in case of emergencies. Dan McLeod and other administrators said they would explore ID-swipe procedures and produce proposed handbook language to return to the committee.
The committee voted to approve the current handbook changes presented that evening. The senior open-campus idea was discussed but no formal change was adopted; List said he would draft the proposed rules and bring them back for committee review and a potential vote.
Members of the committee emphasized that the directed study changes are an initial implementation and that broader handbook revisions connected to the new schedule for 2026–27 will be brought to the committee next year.
Administrators asked for the next, larger handbook draft to be provided to committee members a few days in advance to allow review before a meeting.