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School committee affirms minutes and advances multiple policy changes, amends animal policy to require rabies review
Summary
The school committee approved minutes, advanced several policy readings and amendments, and specifically amended the animals policy to require prior principal (or designee) permission and an "appropriate review" of rabies vaccination before animals enter school buildings.
The Wachusett Regional School District Committee handled routine governance business and multiple policy actions during the meeting.
The committee approved the consent agenda, which included executive session minutes for Sept. 8 and the regular meeting minutes for Sept. 22. A motion to approve the consent agenda passed on a roll call vote; the chair abstained.
On policy matters the committee took the following actions (motions and formal outcomes reported as stated during roll call votes):
• Policy 7161 (support operations, naming of school property and grounds): Affirmed on second reading; motion passed (roll call; chair abstained).
• Policy 7159 (support operations, vandalism): Amended and affirmed on second reading; motion passed (roll call; chair abstained).
• Policy 3370 (education, middle school pathway exploration): Adopted on first reading; administration noted the policy aligns with DESE requirements and must be completed by Nov. 1; motion passed (roll call; chair abstained).
• Policy 6637 (pupil services, animals in schools): Committee debated splitting the animals policy into two documents (6637 and 6638) and approved an amendment to state, in the policy’s second sentence, that "no animal shall be brought to school without prior permission of the building principal (or designee) and appropriate review of rabies vaccination." The amendment was seconded and passed by roll call; the chair abstained on the final vote. The committee discussed legal review and the interaction of the clause with service‑animal provisions.
• Policy 6638 (the companion animals policy created by the split): Introduced and advanced on first reading; motion passed (roll call; chair abstained).
• Policy 4650 (budget/finance, Wachusett Regional School District treasurer): The committee voted to delete this policy; the subcommittee concluded the content is largely procedural and not necessary as a formal policy. Motion passed by roll call (chair abstained).
A number of motions were moved and seconded by committee members identified in the meeting record (examples noted in the public transcript: motions moved by Brett and seconded by Shannon on multiple items). The meeting used roll call votes for each of these actions; in several cases the chair recorded an abstention and motions passed.
Committee members asked administrative staff clarifying questions about record retention (seven years recommended for one policy), electronic recordkeeping, and the need to finalize policy language to match DESE checklists. The chair and administration indicated items will be revisited (and refined as DESE guidance changes) in future policy subcommittee meetings.
