School Committee — June 16, 2026

a speaker noted there were no items to pull from the agenda but requested careful transcription to ensure all voices are heard. A motion was made and seconded to approve the agenda.

The consent agenda was approved unanimously via roll call.

Speakers argued that an 8th-grade student, Eris Apollos, was unfairly censored/punished for wearing a shirt stating 'Bombing children isn't self-defense.' Arguments centered on First Amendment rights, the distinction between political speech and disruption, and concerns regarding the committee's leadership and inclusivity.

The committee listened to the comments; no formal board action was taken during this period as per meeting rules.

The roadmap identifies high-impact school buildings for potential future energy upgrades (heat pumps, solar, etc.). The committee discussed whether endorsing the roadmap creates immediate financial obligations or if it primarily facilitates access to state grants and 'climate leader' status. The endorsement is a critical step, the final requirement for Concord to receive a climate leader community designation.

The committee voted unanimously to support the decarbonization roadmap.

The Select Board will consider adoption of the roadmap at their meeting on June 22nd.

Bob reported that the bid for construction is out and due July 17th. The committee also discussed the need to select an Owner's Project Manager (OPM) and addressed potential risks regarding material costs and inflation.

The committee was updated on the status of the RFS and construction bids.

The committee will likely need a summer meeting to accept the construction bid after July 17th.

Due to a failed federal grant attempt for five new buses, the district is considering leasing two lightly used Thomas electric buses. The proposal includes charging infrastructure, maintenance, and uptime guarantees. Key points included the cost-effectiveness compared to diesel and new electric buses, the necessity of charging infrastructure, questions about vehicle origin, range reliability, and potential electrical capacity issues at the bus depot. If we wanna be sustainable, this is as good a deal as we're gonna get right now, absent getting a free bus through a grant.

No vote was taken; the committee received a framework of the deal for informational purposes and acknowledged it as a viable pathway for decarbonization and grant access.

Next steps include having legal counsel review the contract, negotiating the buyout terms (fair market value), and confirming electrical capacity for additional chargers at the bus depot with CMLP. Further due diligence is required regarding vehicle inspection.

Members debated the status of various goals. While budget and superintendent evaluation were deemed on track, there was significant disagreement regarding community engagement and two-way communication. Some members felt the committee was weak in addressing issues of bias and hate, while others noted successes with community coffees and the district bulletin. I don't see that there's a strong reason that we're on track for this [community engagement]... if we can't even talk about the issue [of bias and hate].

The committee reached a consensus that while some areas are moving in the right direction, there is significant room for improvement in communication and policy tracking.

The chairs will work on a framework for the 2026-2027 goal-setting process, aiming for an earlier and more collaborative approach.

The committee reviewed policies related to the administration and self-carry of medication, as well as timeout, seclusion, and restraint. These updates are driven by changes in state regulations. Concerns were raised regarding specific roles, such as the 'medication program manager', and the need for clear implementation strategies.

The committee approved certain DOJ-recommended policies with the intent to revisit and refine them in the coming months.

The committee will revisit these policies in August or September for further refinement.

The committee reviewed the 2026-2027 liaison assignments, including a correction to include the Chair or designee for Concord United. They also discussed the maintenance union agreement, which was described as a progressive contract to align with town staff.

Both the liaison assignments and the maintenance union agreement were approved.

Negotiations for two additional bargaining units will proceed later in the year.

The committee reviewed the new handbook and a specific appendix for CCHS. Discussion points included the need to include medical representatives in the front pages, minor gender-language edits, and whether approval should cover the handbook and appendix separately or as one unit.

The handbook and appendix were approved subject to the discussed modifications.

The committee discussed how to measure school climate using quantitative data (like Panorama and Youth First Behavior Survey) and qualitative data (student affinity groups and parent feedback). Arguments were made regarding the frequency of reviews; some suggested three times a year to avoid 'routine' updates that cause people to tune out, while others emphasized the need for vigilance. I'm fundamentally opposed to doing this every meeting... if you are putting it on every agenda, then it just becomes something that is routine and the updates get thin. Panorama is like your MCAS dipstick. It's not helping you diagnose most of what's actually going on. You're not gonna set a goal that erases all of the isms that we're all trying to wish we could erase. You're gonna set a goal that says we're trying to do more to make it better for kids. There was also discussion on whether to form a formal working group or simply set a strategic goal for the upcoming year.

The committee agreed on the necessity of a framework and proposed forming a summer working group to develop a concrete plan and measurable goals.

A summer working group will develop a plan to be presented in August; the committee will also look into existing models from professional facilitators.

The motion specified the purpose of discussing strategy regarding collective bargaining with K-12 administrative assistants and CTA ESPs.

The motion passed, and the committee moved into executive session with no intention of returning to open session.