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School committee approves calendar, graduation competency rules, cost-of-living increase; tables student club, forms aviation task force
Summary
The Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical School Committee conducted multiple formal votes on March 11, approving the 2025–26 calendar, graduation competency rules for 2025, and a 3.25% COLA for nonunion staff; the committee also formed an aviation task force and a health-insurance subcommittee and tabled a student club pending more detail.
The Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical School Committee conducted multiple formal votes on March 11. Key outcomes: approval of the 2025–26 school calendar; adoption of local graduation competency determination requirements for the Class of 2025; approval of a 3.25% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for nonunion personnel, creation of a standing subcommittee on health insurance, and formation of an aviation task force with stakeholder surveys and a 6–8 month target for preliminary work. The committee also tabled a proposed student “Active Minds” club pending more information and set two dates for FY26 budget review.
Votes at a glance
- Acceptance of minutes (02/11/2025): motion passed. Roll-call recorded members voting yes: Miss Pimentel; Mr. Shea; Mrs. Rivera; Dr. Marlin; Mr. Kitchen; Mr. Olivero.
- Approval of bills ($907,279.24): motion to approve moved and passed (motion recorded in meeting). Detailed roll-call for this specific warrant was not provided in the transcript excerpt.
- Approve 2025–26 school calendar: motion and second carried on roll call. Recorded yes votes included Mr. Pinto, Mr. Shea, Mrs. Rivera, Dr. Marlin, Mr. Kitchen and Mr. Olivero.
- Approve graduation competency determination requirements for the Class of 2025: committee voted to approve as submitted so that students meeting local graduation requirements will be deemed to meet the composite determination for 2025. Roll-call 'yes' votes recorded: Miss Cimentel; Mr. Shea; Mrs. Rebero; Dr. Marlin; Miss McKitchen; Miss Olivero.
- Active Minds student activity club: motion to table the request for additional detail (mission, activities). Outcome: tabled; committee asked administration to return with fuller club documentation prior to approval.
- Meeting dates to adopt FY26 operating budget: committee agreed to present the FY26 operating budget at the regular April 8 meeting and to return on April 29, 2025 for final approval (evening meeting, likely 6:00 p.m.).
- Cost-of-living adjustment for nonunion personnel (FY26): committee approved a 3.25% COLA effective 07/01/2026, consistent with union increases. Roll-call 'yes' votes recorded: Miss Pimentel; Mr. Shea; Mrs. Rivera; Dr. Marlin; Mr. Kitchen; Mr. Olivero.
- Creation of a school committee standing subcommittee on health insurance: motion approved by roll call; members discussed nominating three committee members to the subcommittee and several volunteers were identified for confirmation. The district will brief the subcommittee on plan options before any formal recommendations.
- Receive and place on file: notification of retirement (Diane Fuller, effective January 30, 2026) and donations (Exquisite Events, Ethan Ames Builders Inc., Primo Medical Group): motions to receive and place on file carried on roll call.
- Formation of aviation task force and stakeholder surveys: the committee voted to form an aviation task force and to conduct stakeholder surveys with a 6–8 month target to return preliminary findings. The motion passed on roll call; members discussed industry partners, startup costs and a staged timeline for program development.
Procedural notes: roll-call tallies are recorded in the meeting transcript for many items; where individual roll-call entries were not explicitly recorded in the text for a specific motion, the article notes the overall outcome as stated in the meeting.
