At a North Middlesex Regional School District policy subcommittee meeting, members voted to leave public‑comment policy BEDH unchanged for now after ADA and accessibility concerns, and they forwarded building/access (ECA, ECAB) and evaluation (BAA) policies to the full school committee for first readings.
Committee members agreed March 5 to ask administration to open discussions with the Town of Ashby and the PPA holder about transferring the solar power purchase agreement; moving panels was described as costly and likely not recommended.
The North Middlesex Regional School District finance subcommittee voted March 5 to recommend a 2.9% increase for the FY27 draft R2 budget to the full school committee, approving a plan to use $500,000 from reserves to lower town assessments while continuing to monitor year-end FY26 results.
The policy subcommittee voted to send a revised JG middle-school pathways policy to the full school committee for adoption, after a minor wording change (CTS to CTE) and at the request of the DESC to allow student tours of Niobe Valley and Monte Tech.
The policy subcommittee agreed to advance BDE changes letting subcommittees select their own chair (using a pro tempore chair to convene the first meeting) and to add language allowing midyear appointments to fill vacancies; a motion to forward the draft to the full committee passed unanimously.
The policy subcommittee reviewed a revised FCB draft that emphasizes careful evaluation before closing a school, including weighing safety and long-range planning; the committee voted to send the draft to the full school committee for a first reading.
The subcommittee voted to send a revised BEDH public-participation policy to the full committee that would include emails in the meeting packet rather than reading them aloud; members agreed the packet and agenda should note the existence of submitted emails.
The School Committee voted Feb. 24 to extend the district's Vanpool contract for two years (FY27–28), citing improved communications and safety practices; members asked about bidding exemptions, per‑day van pricing, and whether fuel or line‑item adjustments could be negotiated.
At its Feb. 24 meeting the North Middlesex Regional School District School Committee heard a midyear progress report on the district’s five‑year strategic plan from Assistant Superintendent Dr. Gary Reese and learned the district will hold a family literacy night on March 4 at the high school.
The School Committee voted to maintain current preschool tuition rates for the 2026–27 school year after hearing that preschool slots are available and that rates rose 9% over the previous two years.
