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School committee approves leases, curriculum pilot and transportation contract; votes on several budget items
Summary
The Fall River School Committee on March 18 approved a series of operational items — including lease renewals, a grades 3–5 health curriculum pilot, an international teacher partnership and a three-year transportation contract — and later added a visual-arts position at Robert L. Medrís Resiliency Preparatory Academy.
The Fall River School Committee on March 18 approved a series of consent and operational items, including lease renewals, curriculum pilot programs and a multi-year transportation contract, and later approved a separate motion to add a visual-arts teacher for Robert L. Medrís Resiliency Preparatory Academy.
Committee members voted by roll call on multiple items early in the meeting. The committee approved the Fall River Youth Soccer Association lease renewal; a pilot of the grades 3–5 health curriculum; an international teacher partnership; a three-year contract covering yellow bus service, McKinney-Vento student transportation and athletic/activity trips; and the first amendment to a lease between the Catholic Bishop of Fall River and district schools. Each of those motions was made, seconded and carried by roll call recorded during the meeting.
Later in the meeting, members voted to add a visual-arts teacher position at Robert L. Medrís Resiliency Preparatory Academy using available “buffer” funding discussed in the FY26 budget hearing. The committee also passed several governance motions: referring a proposal on policy BDE to the policy subcommittee (consideration carried to the next meeting after an objection), directing the policy subcommittee to review CPR/first-aid training and AED certification for staff and students, and asking the City Council to file an unfunded-mandate petition with the state auditor’s office regarding student-transportation reimbursement.
Votes at a glance - Fall River Youth Soccer Association lease renewal — Motion approved (roll call recorded: Mister Agui — yes; Mister Bailey — yes; Mister Dias — yes; Mister Corey — yes; Miss Larabee — yes; Miss Pereira — yes). Motion and second recorded during committee of the whole. (Agenda item 3.1)
- Grades 3–5 health curriculum pilot — Motion approved (roll call recorded; motion moved and seconded). (Agenda item 3.2)
- International teacher partnership — Motion approved (roll call recorded; motion moved and seconded). (Agenda item 3.3)
- Three-year transportation contract (yellow bus, McKinney-Vento, athletics/trips) — Motion approved (roll call recorded; motion moved and seconded). (Agenda item 3.4)
- First amendment to lease agreement (Catholic Bishop of Fall River and district schools) — Motion approved (roll call recorded; motion moved and seconded). (Agenda item 3.5)
- Policy BDE (housekeeping referral) — Item referred to the policy subcommittee; an objection under rules was raised and the question was carried to the next meeting for further consideration. (Housekeeping discussion; evidence in meeting discussion.)
- Addition of a visual-arts teacher at Robert L. Medrís Resiliency Preparatory Academy — Motion made to add the position using available buffer funding; motion passed by roll call (members recorded yes). Principal Riley and several members discussed scheduling and conversions before the vote.
- CPR / AED / first-aid policy referral — Committee voted to refer questions about required CPR/first-aid/AED training and certification to the policy subcommittee for further development. (Motion carried by roll call.)
- Request to City Council to file an unfunded-mandate petition on student transportation reimbursement — Motion passed (roll call recorded: committee members voted in favor); plan to forward item to the City Council for consideration.
What the votes mean - Operational approvals (leases, contract, curriculum pilot, partnership) clear short-term path for the district to continue existing vendor relationships and pilot a health curriculum for grades 3–5. - The RPA visual-arts position was added as a discrete budget priority; the superintendent’s office indicated conversions and enrollment will be monitored to implement the hire. - The committee asked the policy subcommittee to develop concrete recommendations on CPR/first-aid/AED training for staff and students, and separately to review policy BDE after objections and procedural questions delayed final action. - The committee unanimously asked the mayor and City Council to pursue a state-level unfunded-mandate review about transportation reimbursement for students; the motion will be transmitted to the council.
The meeting included a longer FY26 budget review and extended discussion by principals and central office staff on staffing priorities, vacancies and program conversions; that topic is reported separately.
