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Lewiston residents urge transparency, preservation of instructional staff and clearer policies during school committee public comment
Summary
At the Jan. 13 Lewiston school committee meeting residents and staff urged the committee to post operating rules online, maintain instructional coaching staff amid uncertain Title I funding, and consider policy changes on discipline, graduation pathways and phone use.
Members of the public at the Jan. 13 Lewiston Public Schools School Committee meeting urged the committee to publish procedural rules and other district materials online, preserve instructional coaches amid funding uncertainty, and consider policy changes related to discipline, graduation pathways and phone usage.
At the start of public comment, Matthew Egerton (Ward 4) asked the committee to publish its operating rules on the district website and suggested a quick-links section that would include meeting schedules, YouTube links, budgets and the policy manual. Egerton said he and others could not find the committee’s operating rules online and asked the committee to improve public access.
Jay Rich, a multilingual teacher at McMahon, read a letter from teacher Renee Burand asking the committee to avoid further budget cuts that would eliminate instructional coaches. The letter warned that instability in Title I funding at the federal level could jeopardize intervention staff and that losing those positions "would likely lead to increased special education numbers" and lower test scores if interventions shrink.
Other residents offered both criticism and praise. Kate (Ward 7) and Hillary Foster described positive experiences at McMahon and Connors Elementary and urged the committee to remember constructive examples as it considers budget and policy decisions. Several speakers praised staff and urged the committee to avoid cuts that would harm classroom supports.
Multiple public speakers and at least one commenter representing the mayor’s office called for greater transparency around documents and meeting materials. Matthew Agrin (appearing in the transcript as Matthew Agrin and earlier as Matthew Egerton) said a draft of any new procedural rules should be included in meeting packets so the public can review proposed language before a vote.
Public commenters also raised a range of policy topics they want the committee to consider at future meetings: graduation requirements and whether the district should review pathways and diploma tiers; student discipline and classroom rewards; school phone-use policies; and formation of a multicultural subcommittee. Several members of the public recommended the committee schedule a retreat to prioritize upcoming agenda items ahead of the budget season.
The committee did not vote on the content of these requests during the Jan. 13 meeting but accepted several procedural items that affect how such policies will be considered — including a plan to circulate proposed procedural language for review and to bring formal policy language back for the two-reading adoption process.
