Easton School Committee approves health and student-policy updates, accepts donations and retirements, removes book from elementary library

Easton School Committee members voted on a series of policy updates and routine items during their March 13, 2025 meeting, approving second readings of multiple student-health and safety policies, authorizing use of school grounds for a community bike race that will donate a portion of proceeds to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, accepting a $500 ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grant for STEAM activities at Oliver Ames, and formally accepting two retirements. The committee also voted to remove one book from Blanche Ames Elementary’s library after a parent challenge found the title not developmentally appropriate for younger students.

The committee approved second readings of multiple student-related policies that had been reviewed by staff and the district nurse. Colleen Clark, Easton Public Schools director of nursing, presented the draft language and answered committee questions on items including student health services, immunization language, communicable-disease updates and medication administration. Revisions reflected updated screening language (vision/hearing), clarified emergency procedures and added guidance on self-administration protocols for older students.

Committee members approved the policies in two motions covering: JL (student welfare); JLA (student insurance); JLCA (physical examinations); JLC (student health services and requirements); JLCB (inoculations); JLCC (communicable diseases); JLCD (administering medicines to students); JLCEC (automatic external defibrillator/AED); ADF (wellness guidelines); and JICH-R (administrative guidelines on student drug and alcohol use). The committee discussed other first- and second-reading policy edits during the meeting (see below).

On donations and facility use, the committee approved permitting the Easton 300 bike race to use Easton Public Schools grounds. Meeting materials and discussion clarified that the district will donate use of the campus/grounds only; no additional school department funds will be provided. The Easton Tricentennial Committee plans to donate 25% of race proceeds to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; the remainder will cover race organization and organizer fees. Director Kopax and the committee confirmed no district funds are committed beyond facility use.

The committee accepted a $500 ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grant to support STEAM-related clubs and activities at Oliver Ames High School; the funds will be placed in the student activity account for those uses, per the presentation from the assistant superintendent and principal.

Personnel actions included formal acceptance, with regret, of retirements from Kathy Hayes (art teacher, Easton Middle School, effective June 2025) and Karen Mello (paraprofessional, effective June 13, 2025). Members offered brief remarks of thanks for their years of service.

On library material reconsideration, a book challenge committee reviewed The Bad Guys #12 after a parent raised concerns about frightening imagery in that volume and its age appropriateness for Blanche Ames Elementary (which serves students younger than the book’s suggested reading age). The school committee voted to remove that single title from the Blanche Ames library collection while noting other volumes in the series remain suitable for upper-elementary readers.

The committee approved the 2025–2026 school committee meeting schedule with one calendar edit: moving a February meeting date (previously listed as February 5) to February 12. The committee also approved routine warrant processing and executive-session minutes and approved a negotiated change to the Oliver Ames H-block memorandum of agreement following an executive-session bargaining discussion.

Votes at a glance - Policies (two bundled motions): Approved (roll call: all members present voted yes). Motion by Chair Jen Starr; second by Nancy DeLuca. Policies listed in meeting packet and approved as written or with noted edits: JL, JLA, JLC, JLCA, JLCB, JLCC, JLCD, JLCEC (AED), ADF (wellness guidelines), JICH-R (administrative guidelines on drug/alcohol). (Second readings were presented by Colleen Clark, director of nursing.)

- Policies (second bundled motion): Approved (roll call: all members present voted yes). Motion by Chair Jen Starr; second by Nancy DeLuca. This covered JLC (student health services), ADF (wellness guidelines), JICH-R and JLCB (inoculations) with noted edits.

- Use of school grounds — Easton 300 bike race: Approved (motion by Chair Jen Starr; second Nancy DeLuca). Vote: unanimous among members present. District will provide grounds use only; no district funds committed. Tricentennial committee will donate 25% of proceeds to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; organizers retain proceeds to run the event and pay race vendors.

- Donation — ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grant, $500 to Oliver Ames STEAM activities: Approved (motion by Jackie Wiseman; second Kelly Percio). Vote: unanimous among members present.

- Personnel — Acceptance with regret of retirement of Kathy Hayes (art teacher): Approved (motion by Chair Jen Starr; second Nancy DeLuca). Vote: unanimous among members present.

- Personnel — Acceptance with regret of retirement of Karen Mello (paraprofessional): Approved (motion by Chair Jen Starr; second Nancy DeLuca). Vote: unanimous among members present.

- Removal of book (The Bad Guys #12) from Blanche Ames Elementary library: Approved (motion by Nancy DeLuca; second not specified on transcript). Vote: unanimous among members present.

- 2025–2026 schedule of school committee meetings (move Feb. 5 → Feb. 12): Approved (motion by Kelly Percio; second Nancy DeLuca). Vote: unanimous among members present.

- Executive-session minutes (01/09/2025 and 02/13/2025) and modification to Oliver Ames H-block MOA: Approved in open session following executive session. Vote: unanimous among members present.

What the votes mean - Health- and wellness-related policy language was updated to align with state guidance and district practices (screenings, immunizations, medication protocols, AED procedures and athletic trainer language). The district’s director of nursing and athletic staff worked on multiple provisions and will continue to socialize operational elements (for example, AED protocol) with partners such as the fire department.

- The Easton 300 approval grants event organizers use of school grounds; any logistics (insurance, site services, EMS contact, staffing for water stations or sanitation) are the organizers’ responsibility.

- The book-removal vote applies only to the single title at Blanche Ames; the district’s policy committee followed the district’s formal reconsideration procedure and recommended removal for age-inappropriateness at that site.

Background and next steps - Several other policies were read for the first time during the meeting and will return for follow-up or final votes later (for example, concussion protocol revisions prepared by the athletic trainer and referenced policies on student records and travel regulations). The committee also asked that the athletic trainer or athletic director attend when concussion guidance is brought forward for a vote.

- The committee and staff noted follow-ups: finalize edits for some policies, confirm AED socialization with local emergency services, schedule a policy workshop for complex student-records topics, and docket the concussion protocol (JJIF/JJIF-R) for a future meeting.

Ending - Committee members closed the meeting by adjourning to an executive session on collective bargaining matters; following executive session the committee returned to open session and approved the items listed above. The next regular meeting was scheduled for March 27, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.