Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Assignment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
North Middlesex school committee approves temporary Ashby, Townsend elementary assignments for 2025–26
Summary
The North Middlesex Regional School District school committee voted unanimously May 19 to assign Ashby and Townsend elementary students to Squawantucket Early Childhood Center (pre-K–1) and Spalding Memorial School (grades 2–4) for the 2025–26 school year and allowed limited timing flexibility for start/end times.
The North Middlesex Regional School District School Committee voted May 19 to approve temporary elementary school assignments for Ashby and Townsend students for the 2025–26 school year, sending kindergarten and Grade 1 to Squawantucket Early Childhood Center and Grades 2–4 to Spalding Memorial School.
The motion approved the recommended assignments as presented by district administration and specified arrival windows of 8:45–9:00 a.m., with a standard start time of 9:05 a.m. and dismissal at 3:10 p.m. The committee’s final motion also allowed the superintendent limited flexibility to adjust arrival, start and end times within 15 minutes of the stated schedule after further discussions with the teachers association and the bus operator.
The assignment decision was presented to the committee as a recommendation from Superintendent Brad Morgan and described as a response to the temporary closure and reconfiguration the district is implementing while planning for FY26 and preparing for FY27. The committee discussed that changes to start times are subject to negotiation with the teachers association and would require a calendar modification to be brought back for formal committee approval.
Committee members asked administration to balance student cohorts from Ashby and Townsend to ease transitions for younger students and to consider transportation impacts at Hawthorne Brook Middle School. Superintendent Morgan said the principals will work on class balance and that the district is collaborating with the bus contractor to streamline routes.
The motion was moved by Randy (motion maker) and seconded by Lisa Bloom. Recorded yes votes included Keenan; Carrie; Jill; Randy; Lisa Bloom; Alexander; Kim Craven; Patrick McPhillips; and the chair (unanimous).
