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Committee adopts 2026-27 calendar, approves technology and transportation policy updates
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Summary
After debate over the day before Thanksgiving, the committee approved the proposed 2026-27 calendar and a range of policy updates including an AI-use policy and bus-conduct revisions; Bristol police requested the district27s assistance to prepare for future bus-camera legislation.
The Bristol-Warren Regional School Committee voted Feb. 9 to adopt the 2026-27 school calendar after a lengthy debate over whether the Wednesday before Thanksgiving should be a school day.
An amendment to require school on Nov. 25 (shifting the last day of school to June 16) failed on a roll-call vote; the committee then approved the superintendent27s original calendar 727to272. Members cited attendance data and contractual considerations in arguing both for and against changing the day-before-Thanksgiving holiday.
On policy, the committee gave final approval to IJNDB (use of technology resources and AI) and approved a new bus conduct policy (EEAEC) while consolidating or removing several older transportation policies. Committee members asked staff to add language about chewing gum to the next draft of the bus-conduct policy and raised data-privacy concerns about outside-mounted bus cameras proposed by the Bristol Police. Superintendent Riley said the town27s cameras would cost the district nothing, that the police would review footage for violations and that the district would act as a partner with First Student, the bus vendor, on specifications; she agreed to coordinate with the police department and bring bid/spec documents back to the committee.
The committee also approved participation in the 2026 Rhode Island student survey for middle and high school students (with family opt-out) and unanimously passed a resolution urging the state to fully fund regional and categorical transportation aid under R.I. Gen. Laws 16-7.2-6.
