The Lewiston School Committee on Jan. 5 administered the oath of office to four newly elected members and selected Janet Bowden (Ward 2) to serve as chair pro tempore for the evening.

Deputy City Clerk Kelly Brooks administered the oath, which required members to swear to support the U.S. Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Maine and to faithfully discharge the duties of a school committee member under the City of Lewiston charter. Members sworn in included Luke Jensen (at-large), Janet Bowden (Ward 2), Julia Harper (Ward 4) and Megan Heard (Ward 6). Superintendent Jake Klingler and Assistant Superintendent Karen Paquette were introduced at the meeting.

Committee members then addressed organizational business. The mayor was expected to nominate a City Council representative to the committee later that evening, and the committee noted Ward 5 was vacant. Members nominated candidates for chair pro tempore; after discussion emphasizing seniority and recent experience running meetings, Luke Jensen withdrew his nomination and the committee took a show-of-hands vote in favor of Janet Bowden as chair pro tem. The transcript records the vote procedure but does not capture a precise tally.

The chair pro tem opened the consent agenda and, seeing no objections, moved the meeting to the public comment portion. Staff reiterated the committee's public comment policy (BEDH), which sets a three-minute limit per speaker, gives priority to Lewiston residents, parents, students and employees of Lewiston Public Schools, and prohibits comments that target specific staff or students.

The meeting then moved on to routine announcements about upcoming clerical retreat items and scheduling. A motion to adjourn was later made by Member Megan Heard and seconded by Member Luke Jensen; the transcript records the motion and second but does not include an explicit recorded vocal tally for the final question before the recording ends.

Next procedural steps noted by members included scheduling the retreat and awaiting the mayor's nomination to fill the Ward 5 seat.